Top 10 Tool Songs

Top 10 Tool Songs

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They’re the very definition of progressive metal. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 Tool songs. For this list, we’ve chosen our entries based on a combination of the artist’s fan favorites and their most commercially successful songs.

#10: “10,000 Days (Wings Pt 2)” 10,000 Days (2006)

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We’re starting this countdown off strong. Despite the fact that the first part of this double feature, “Wings for Marie” is also a Tool classic, this eleven-minute track far outshines its predecessor. This epic tune has frontman Maynard James Keenan singing about his mother who suffered a stroke when he was a young boy. The song’s title is a reference to the length of time between Judith Marie’s paralysis and her death, approximately 10,000 days. The song is also famous as part of a hidden Easter egg on the album: when played at the same time as two of the album’s other pieces, the track becomes even grander in scale.

#9: “Ænema” Ænema (1996)

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This heavy prog-metal number was released as the third single from the album of the same name, and it’s a statement against celebrity culture – more specifically Los Angeles life. Singer Keenan takes shots at everything from the Church of Scientology, to rappers, to drug addicts. The track was so well received that Tool was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for “Ænema” in 1998. Along with other praises, “Ænema” elevated its parent album to be one of the most influential records ever. Sometimes it pays to be cynical.

Tool was already an influential name in metal when this single was released, but this track solidified them as a band. Like the majority of their songs, “Stinkfist” is commonly mistaken as a reference to sexual pleasure. But, it’s actually about not being afraid to get your hands dirty. The tune also accompanied the group’s first music video, which featured stop motion animation and was directed by guitarist Adam Jones. The single was so controversial, the music video was aired under the name “Title #1” – since “Stinkfist” wasn’t appropriate for public consumption.

As the second single from their studio album Lateralus, much was expected from the release of “Parabol / Parabola.” While the track was released as a promo only, “Parabola” is often paired with its lead-in “Parabol” and the two songs have since become a fan favorite combo. The track’s music video, clocking in with a ten-minute runtime, is another example of Adam Jones’ mastery of the abstract. Different scenes include everything form interactions between stop-motion creatures and humans, to humanoids cutting and eating fruit. It's really weird.

#6: “The Pot” 10,000 Days (2006)

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The second single from 10,000 Days, “The Pot” quickly became one of Tool’s signature tracks due to its addictive hook and intro bass line. Unlike the majority of Tool’s other tracks – which have mainly open-ended meanings – the band has confirmed that “The Pot” tackles subjects like hypocrisy and substance abuse. It became Tool’s first song to top the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and also earned the band a Grammy nomination in 2008.

“Forty Six & 2” is a surrealist look at the next stage of human evolution. Based on an idea by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, the song states that humans will evolve from our current DNA track of 44 autosomes and 2 sex chromosomes to 46 autosomes and 2 sex chromosomes. The track, which features changing and blending time signatures, is an essential prog-metal effort by a band that revolutionized the genre multiple times throughout their career.

One of the earliest tracks written by Maynard James Keenan, “Sober” is the second single released off of Tool’s first album Undertow. Definitely one of the band’s darkest endeavors, the song was written about a friend of the band who is only inspired when he is under the influence. While addressing sensitive matters like substance abuse isn’t foreign territory for Tool, it always makes for a great tune. And, for a band known for memorable music videos, this one is no exception.

The most popular track off Tool’s album 10,000 Days, “Vicarious” quickly became the band’s second-highest charting single, placing second Billboard’s modern and mainstream rock charts. Another hard look at our society, this voyeuristic tune describes the vicarious thrill the public receives by living through others in the eye of the media. On a lighter note, the addictive guitar riffs and vocals will keep you occupied enough to forget how bleak it is.

One of the most recognizable Tool tracks, this Grammy award-winning song was released as the first single and music video off Tool’s third album Lateralus. “Schism” is recognized as a prime example of Tool’s use of complex rhythms and changing meters, including uncommon time signatures. It charted at number two on the modern rock charts and furthered Tool’s popularity with a whole new group of Tool fans. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: - “Prison Sex” Undertow (1993) - “The Grudge” Lateralus (2001) - “Rosetta Stoned” 10,000 Days (2006) - “Jambi” 10,000 Days (2006) - “Pushit” Ænema (1996)

We know this isn’t a huge shock, but how can you not put this at the top? The third single and title track off the band’s third album, “Lateralus” skyrocketed to fan-favoritism immediately upon release. But not only did the fans love it; the track also garnered critical praise, with some claiming it as the best metal song of the 21st century. “Lateralus” is definitely unique in its structure and is mathematically crafted, as the opening lyrics follow the infamous Fibonacci sequence. But what does it mean? Could it be about origin stories? Maybe just LSD? We may never know. Do you agree with our list? What is your favorite Tool song? For more riveting top tens published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.