Here from the king's mountain view
Here from the wild dream come true
Feast like a sultan, I do
On treasures and flesh never few

But I, I would wish it all away
If I thought I'd lose you just one day

The devil and his had me down
In love with the dark side I'd found
Dabblin' all the way down
Up to my neck, soon to drown
But you changed that all for me
Lifted me up, turned me round

So I
I
I
I
I would
I would
I would
Wish this all away

Prayed like a martyr dusk to dawn
Begged like a hooker all night long
Tempted the devil with my song
And got what I wanted all along

But I
And I would
If I could
And I would
Wish it away
Wish it away
Wish it all away
Wanna wish it all away
No prize that could hold sway
Or justify my giving away my center

So if I could I'd wish it all away
If I thought tomorrow would take you away
You, my peace of mind, my all, my center
Just trying to hold on one more day

Damn my eyes!
Damn my eyes!
Damn my eyes if they should compromise the fulcrum
Wants and needs divide me then I might as well be gone

Shine on forever
Shine on benevolent sun
Shine down upon the broken
Shine until the two become one

Shine on forever
Shine on benevolent sun
Shine down upon the severed
Shine until the two become one

Divided, I'll wither away
Divided, I'll wither away
Shine down upon the many
Light our way, benevolent sun

Breathe in union
Breathe in union
Breathe in union
Breathe in union
Breathe in union
So as one survive
Another day and season
Silence, legion, save your poison
Silence, legion, stay out of my way


Lyrics submitted by WORlock, edited by ab_tremonti, Kyralik, jtmyatt, sepultura1987, EonBlueSky

Jambi Lyrics as written by Daniel Carey Adam Jones

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Jambi song meanings
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  • +15
    Song Meaning

    Tool - Jambi

    "Here from a kings mountain view, Here from the wild dream come true"

    He is introducing the song by speaking from the perspective of someone who "has it all" in a material sense.

    "Feast like a sultan, I do On treasures and flesh never few"

    This person is only concerned about piling up materialistic idols and putting themselves over others.

    "But I would wish it all, away If I thought I'd lose you just one day"

    Although he has everything worldly, he would throw it all away if it meant getting rid of "you." (He is about to define "you")

    "The devil and his had me down In love with the dark side I'd found"

    He is relating this materialistic mentality of the world to the "dark side" or work of the devil.

    "Dabblin' all the way down Up to my neck, soon to drown."

    He uses the word Dabblin' to describe someone that is digging into this materialistic lifestyle almost as if he is searching for something but the lifestyle is taking over him too much and he is about to 'drown'.

    "But you changed that all for me Lifted me up, turned me round So I, I would wish this all away"

    But "you" changed that all for me. Here is that reference to "you" again and it is positive. It is the reason he would wish away the fleshy outlook of the world.

    "Prayed like a martyr dusk to dawn Begged like a hooker all night long"

    Half of the time this person acts very christ-like or pious but the other half of the time this person begs for this "dark side".

    "Tempted the devil with my song And got what I wanted all along"

    Although this person acts as if they are a noble and good person he is actually getting all of the materialistic and evil lifestyle he craved.

    "But I I would If I could I would Wish it away Wish it away Wish it all away Wanna wish it all away

    No prize that could hold sway Or justify my giving away my center"

    This is a key lyric of the song, Maynard defines the "you" that "lifted me up, turned me round." It is his center. Tool is a very spiritual band and I can assure that the center referred to here is not a God, it is the center of himself. It his balance within Nature and this experience, his connection to "oneness" or the divine.

    "So if I could I'd wish it all away If I thought tomorrow would take you away."

    He would wish anything away that swayed him away from his center. He holds his center to a higher respect than his entire external experience.

    "You, my piece of mind, my all, my center, just trying to hold on one more day."

    Here he clearly defines "you." He's trying to hold onto his center and not be caught up in "treasures and flesh."

    "Damn my eyes! Damn my eyes! If they should compromise the fulcrum"

    If his eyes should take him away from his fulcrum (a reference to balance), then Damn them. Take away his ability to see in order to restore balance within himself.

    "(If) wants and needs divide me Then I might as well be gone..."

    He defines what could take him off balance and that is his own "wants and needs." If this does take off his balance, he might as well be dead (gone).

    "Shine on forever Shine on benevolent sun"

    This reference to "you" and "center" is related to the sun. Like a sun, shine on forever (beyond space and time). Let balance be larger than your current experience.

    "Shine down upon the broken"

    Some people have lost their way. In order to fix the broken from their dark side, let their center awaken in them and fix the problem. Remember, the sun is a reference to the center. He's not actually saying let the sun shine light on us and somehow be fixed. The sun is within.

    "Shine until the two become one"

    "Two become one" can mean many things, but the short version is to say that the sunlight is the answer and will fix the broken. "Two become one" is also a trinity (father, son, holy spirit). Son (you), holy spirit (the light within), father (god state - oneness). "Two become one" can also be seen as duality and oneness. Everything in this world is either a 1 or a 0 just like in the Matrix movie, it's duality (day-night, up-down, good-bad,) without it we would not have this experience. In the Matrix Neo gives up fighting his enemy and instead, lets his body merge with his enemy's. He gives up trying to make duality fight its other part, and instead lets the "two become one."

    "Shine on forever Shine on benevolent sun"

    Ironic that Maynard references your balance to the sun again because right after the scene I just described in the Matrix where Neo becomes his enemy, Neo appears as a sun in the final scene.

    "Shine down upon the severed Shine until the two become one Divided, I'll wither away Shine down upon the many. Light our way, benevolent sun.

    Breathe in union So, as one, survive Another day and season"

    Breathe is a key word here. Breath is the whole focus of meditation and yoga which are two great techniques to finding your center and balance within duality. If everyone is following their center, we all act as one, and we survive to move forward.

    "Silence, legion. Save your poison. Silence, legion. Stay out of my way."

    Legion is a reference to the group of people still dabbling in the materialistic dark side. The people who seem to be holding onto everything but still can't find what they are looking for. Their poison won't effect the speaker.

    MakeSenseon April 23, 2010   Link
  • +11
    General Comment

    As far as people stating so adamantly "THIS IS ABOUT HIS MOTHER"...ok. So what? It may resonate some feelings about the relationship he has with his mother, but it can also be interpreted individualistically, about the relationship I have with my daughter, for example. I have had moments of despising everything and everyone...but my daughter. And I never will.

    I don't really want to buy into the arguments, and I won't be arguing at all.

    However, it is very...ironic?...that so many "Hardcore TOOL fans," insist that practically every song TOOL releases is about Maynard's mother. Interpreting the music that way, is not the real crime committed in and of itself...it's the added line people choose to give again and again, which is, "A real TOOL fan would know that." Which is ridiculous.

    A real fan of TOOL would recognize that the band members are individual people, complex in every way as you and I (perhaps more the former than the latter), and the death of his mother is not the only thing that has ever happened in his life. TOOL should be, in my opinion, afforded more respect for their artistic abilities than this sort of pigeon-hole, so many creepy "fans" want to place them in.

    The name of the band is TOOL. They are a TOOL. Sometimes for aggression. Sometimes for reflection. Sometimes used for anger. Sometimes for sadness. But, the key message in so many songs, is to evolve. Mainly to evolve past the "Stinkfist" manner of living, which society throws on us. And, claiming you are a "real" TOOL fan and others are not, because they don't point every single thing, specifically, back to the death of his Mother, is nothing but a "Stinkfist", in my opinion.

    pattycron May 18, 2012   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    Jambi is the name of the genie on the 80s show Peewee's Playhouse.

    That ties in with the whole "wish" theme.

    InfraReconon April 28, 2006   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    FROM TOOLNAVY.COM

    I think that this song is about how Maynard was on the brink of a problem with excess and he changed for his son, Beacause his son changed him.


    Here from the king's mountain view (I am on top of the world) Here from the wild dream come true ( Its a dream come true) Feast like a sultan, I do ( I love the excess) On treasures and flesh never few ( money and women especially)

    But I would wish it all, away If I thought I'd lose you just one day (But I love you and would give it up)

    The devil and his had me down ( I know a dark side of excess) In love with the dark side I've found ( and I tended to like it ) Dabblin' all the way down ( I tried it all ) Up to my neck soon to drown. ( It was starting to be a problem)

    But you changed that all for me ( but then you came into my life) Lifted me up, turned me round ( and I realized you were more important)

    So I, I would wish this all away ( So I would give it up)

    Pray like a martyr dusk to dawn ( Worshipped excess all night long) Beg like a hooker all night long ( begged for it...loved it...lived for it ) Shout to the devil with my song ( My Music got me all the excess) And got what I wanted all along ( And I got all I wanted and more)

    But I I would If I could I would Wish it away Wish it away Wish it all away Wanna wish it all away ( I wanted to leave this life in a way) No person could hold sway ( nobody could tell me to change) Or justify my toe just a fine line (nobody could justify my being at the edge) Giving away my center ( I was giving away my energy and love )

    So if I could I'd wish it all away If I thought tomorrow, they'd take you away ( I realize now )

    You're my piece of mind, ( your my focus ) my own (my own son) my center (my new center of focus and love) I'm just trying to hold on One more day ( I am taking it day by day..like anyone else)

    Damn my eyes! (damn these temptations I see all the time) Jambi Eyes.... Damn my eyes... If they should compromise A fulcrum (Damn them if they lead me to stray from the balance I have found) Want and need; ( I need to be mindful of what I want -vs- what I need) if I need, ( beacause if I need the excess ) Then I might as well be gone... ( I might as well not be here for you at all )

    Shine on forever ( Let your love and spirit and who you are shine on forever) Shine on benevolent son (my SON ) Shine down upon the broken ( Let it shine on me untill my two personas balance) Shine on 'til the two become one (untill I find that balance through my love of son)

    Shine on forever Shine on benevolent son Shine down upon the severed Shine [on 'til / until] the two become one (see above)

    Divide and wither away ( If I try to keep these aspects divided I wither away) Divided, withering away Shine down upon the many, light our way, Benevolent son. ( Let your love of your son heal you )

    Breathe in union ( So let these two aspects of myself come together)

    So, as one, survive (And as one person survive) Another day and season (and it will get easier day to day ...season to season) Silence legion save your poison (And temptation to slip dont speak) Silence legion stay out of my way (And temptation to slip get out of my way)

    I really feel like this is it.

    A few things to keep in mind :

    The whole Son/Sun thing and Jambi being a kingdom with a sultan in Indonesia is fine...Maynard loves the dual meanings....in between sniffs/sips of coke anyone ?

    He talks in 10,000 days/Wings about the little light she gave to him he is going to let it shine to guide her home........hmmmm letting a light shine to heal and guide someone you love dearly..... (see above)

    Also this song before 10k days/Wings makes sense in that it is about his relationship of focus with his future (son) into his relationship of focus with his past (mom)....nice transition in my opinion....

    sa5haon June 09, 2006   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jambi

    The only reference I can really find to Jambi

    eqisowon April 26, 2006   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    Trexor. just cause your relatives touched you in the shower doesn't mean you have to hate everyone and everything. we won't touch your special area... i'll hit it with a fucking club though if you don't shut up.

    revolton April 29, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    TREXOR, a little lesson you should've learned from elementary: if you don't have anything pleasant to say, don't say it at all. Fine, you're opinion that this song sucks, it's only an opinion. As for anyone that wants to bash TREXOR, it ain't worth it and you're no better than he is.

    Awesome song instrumentally O_O Adam outdid himself on the guitar in the beginning... it's like glue, lol. For anyone that doesn't know (someone else mentioned this in the 10,000 Days thread, kudos to them for recognizing this), 10,000 days = 27 years --- the amount of years between Maynard's mother's crippling stroke and her death. This song I think is just Maynard's way of saying "I miss you, why couldn't you take me with you, mom?"

    charish2k1on April 27, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Awesome track, admittedly different to Lateralus, but then again Aenima was different to Undertow likewise Undertow different to Opiate.

    Tool are progressing naturally, but the important thing is that they still sound like Tool, and that's something no other band can ever do.

    And if this "Trexor" Guy thinks this is a fake? He's in for a hell of a shock when he picks up the album.

    The_Codfatheron May 01, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Jambi is the name of the genie off of the old show Pee-Wee's Playhouse.

    bornofdesire32on May 03, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    After the 5:00 mark in the song, it just completely owns the rest of the way.

    divided I'm withering away, shine on upon the many, light our way, benevolent son!

    FeLKoNon May 07, 2006   Link

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