Green Valley

This is one of my favorites off the new album. This song, along with "Monsoons", has a strong Fate theme. The Verde River is in Arizona, near Flagstaff. Coincidentally, that's where Maynard's vineyard is located. In order for him to have a successful harvest, he must depend on outside forces. In this case, one of those outside forces is the Verde River. This song is a resolution to trust and hope and to not "fight the flow" of powerful forces (specifically, the Earth).

I feel that this whole album has a common running theme. I assume anyone reading this comment is a fan of all of Maynard's work, with that said he's a very interesting person. Throughout Tool and APC Maynard has gone through some pretty obvious changes.

With the passing of his Mother and the starting of his vineyard and the slight hiatus of Tool I think this album may be almost a biography of his recent journey. Green Valley, Horizons, The Weaver, Oceans, and Tumbleweed really personify this theory for me. I can't help but think Maynard is the traveler being sung about. After 48 long years maybe he finally realizes the fruits of his journey. And home isn't necessarily a place but a state of being, THE state of being that has been understood throughout many lyrics from Tool but only now he's been able to finally fully embody.

Again as stated below Maynard's lyrics can be taken in so many ways. But personally this is how I related to this song and I like to think Maynard and I really aren't so different.

I also agree with bradster21... However, as is with all of maynard's lyrics, they can be interoperated in many ways by the individual listener. I think this song can also be viewed as a man finding love with a woman and that their journey together all rests in her hands.

"Hello stranger can you tell us where you've been? More importantly however did you come to be here? Though a stranger you can rest here for awhile"

The man is a stranger to the woman but she is intrigued and approving of him staying for a while.

"But save your energy your journey here is far from over Come the sunrise we'll descend through judgement valley And weigh your worth before her majesty the Verde River"

Although the man is granted to stay with the woman for now, He must save his energy if he wants to continue his journey with her.

"No direction but to follow what you know No direction but have faith in her decision No direction but to never fight her flow No direction but to trust the final destination"

He must not take direction from anything other than himself, for that is what will lead him to a great and meaningful journey with the woman. He must follow what he knows and trust that the outcome is his desired final destination.

"You're a stranger 'till she whispers "you can stay" You're a stranger 'till she whispers that your journey's over"

He is a stranger until the woman decides if he is worthy.

"Weigh your worth before her majesty the Verde River x4"

The man must weigh his worth with the woman.

I think the album tells a based around a story of an individual's life, starting before birth, and ending after death. Green Valley and Oceans are key to this interpretation.

Green Valley takes place just before birth - The symbolism of the river represents the flow of life. This is a common metaphor in many spiritual traditions. Interestingly, the "River of Life" is mentioned in the bible at Rev 22:1, very close to the Rev 22:20 that was the title of another Puscifer song. ("Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb")

Guatama Buddha also said "Life is a river, always flowing". It is a large part of Buddhist and Taoist thought to never fight the flow of life.

Anyway, on to the song - as I see it, this song is some sort of pre-birth chat with the individual about to be born.

"Hello stranger can you tell us where you've been? More importantly however did you come to be here? Though a stranger you can rest here for awhile"

The traveler has been on a journey before this, and has arrived at a waystation of some sort before launching into life. Interestingly, it is repeated that he is a stranger throughout the album, until Oceans where the traveler is greeted as Sister or Brother.

"But save your energy your journey here is far from over Come the sunrise we'll descend through judgement valley And weigh your worth before her majesty the Verde River"

Save your energy, because this life is not easy. In the morning, you will start and it will be a challenge. We will see if you are up to it.

"No direction but to follow what you know No direction but have faith in her decision No direction but to never fight her flow No direction but to trust the final destination"

It is very common in eastern traditions, such as Taoism, to never fight against the flow of life. Accept things and move with them. Fighting the flow of life will lead to suffering. Words like Faith and Trust are important - Flow with life, and don't worry - have faith that it will work out. It's all that you can do.

"You're a stranger 'till she whispers "you can stay" You're a stranger 'till she whispers that your journey's over"

Not entirely sure on this part, but I think this essentially means he/she is a stranger throughout all of life. Then in Oceans, the traveler is welcomed as a Brother or Sister, and finally told that the journey's over.

The songs between this song and Oceans are various experiences the traveler has during life. When the river comes to its end, it flows out into the Ocean (aha!), and the difficult journey is over - the traveler can finally rest.

Oceans is the moment after death...I'll post about that on the page for that song, my favorite on the album.

Also one of my favorites on this album. I agree with bradster21's take on the fate theme. I see this song as about some who died and their body is literally floating down the Verde River. It also reminds us that mother nature is ultimately in control 'have faith in her decision'.

Like the above have mentioned, most every Maynard song is open for your own translation/interpretation.

I like to think he intentionally wrote this with many-a-meaning.

You could even argue he wrote this partially about his life experiences (mainly mom) and how in the end you find you have "no direction but to never fight the flow", "trust the final destination", and you won't be there till you get there ("'till she whispers that your journey's over").

The Verde river represents nature and the personification of it. It's about learning to work with nature, instead of fighting against it and becoming close to the land.

This song is about what happens after you die. It's Keenans interpretation of how all the world's religions have slightly different paths but ultimately we have no choice but to trust the "final destination". That's what I think anyway...

I think this is song is a general analogy for life -- the river of life. It starts with confusion, and is known from the start that it's just a temporary transit, but you're really just going along for the ride.

No direction but to follow what you know, No direction but a faith in her decision, No direction but to never fight her flow, No direction but to trust the final destination.

This seems to me about the lack of flexibility in society, from education to laws to jobs to even how you're expected to die. In the short, confusing ride we've happily fallen into, it's just better to go along with things than resist the current. What choice do we really have? Coming from a long line of people before us, we just have to trust that we're all going the right direction.