Hello, I'm Mukund Vijayaraghavan. Here you will find fun in-depth essays or research on focused subjects, one at a time.

Song analysis: Jambi by Tool

An analysis of the #song Jambi by the band Tool. It is a powerful song both musically and lyrically, holding personal significance of some nature to the writer. Although it is quite subtle with its words, it can be interpreted in multiple ways – all proving to be engaging and thought-provoking. Apparently, the song's title “Jambi” refers to a genie (the song is about making wishes). “Jambi” also refers to a province in Indonesia that was once ruled by a king (sultan).

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

Narrating with a king's viewpoint, the writer (Maynard) is at a place which he believes to be the pinnacle of fame, of wealth – it is likely both here. And “from the wild dream” suggests that he is actually living out what can only be a dream for many others (ordinary people for whom this view is out of reach). He feasts like a sultan “on treasures and flesh, never few” – spending his wealth mindlessly and engaging in debauchery.

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

He would rather wish it all away if he thought he'd lose “you” – someone (or something) important to him. Let's call this entity Y.

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

Know we know why he thinks he'd lose Y. The “Devil and His” refer to his inner demons; the ones that make up his dark side. He has dabbled all the way down – debased himself in every way possible. He is neck-deep in vice, “soon to drown” – succumb completely to his compulsions, but Y changes his life.

So I... I... I... I...
I would, I would, I would wish this all away

He would wish it 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

Here, we can clearly see that his affliction is a time-based one, and recurring in nature – he prays “like a martyr”, (taken to mean) honestly and sincerely, on some nights, and yet, begs “like a hooker”, (taken to mean) desperately, on other nights. This confirms that he is probably suffering from an addiction, and regularly attempts to break the habit, although he keeps relapsing – it seems to have taken over his life.

All this is a result of tempting the Devil with his “song” – Maynard's career as a musician/singer has brought him fame and riches – giving more power and freedom to his inner demons that were always there. He gets what he wanted all along – here he admits that he wanted to envelope himself in vice. He wanted this excess, and eventually got it.

But I, I would
If I could, then 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

And yet he would wish it all away. But here, we hear “If I could, then I would”. This line reveals a moment of weakness: he would wish it all away, only if he could. Immediately after, he fights back – “Wanna wish it all away” – now he wants to wish it all away. He actively wants to get rid of his demons now; trying a chance at redemption. He realizes there is no prize that could hold sway – have power over him – when it comes to Y. No prize justifies giving away his center – his Y. If tomorrow would take his center away, he would wish it all away.

“You, my peace of mind, my all, my center” – this is his Y, his core. The addiction/his lifestyle is so debilitating that every day is a struggle – “Just trying to hold on one more day”.

A-POS1 (possibility 1): We can infer that Y, his center, is the Self, as in Jungian #psychology (I think this is not much of a stretch, given that it's Tool). The Self is a person's center, comprising both conscious and unconscious. Peace of mind comes when the Self is whole, joining the conscious and unconscious.

A-POS2 (possibility 2): Another #interpretation for “center”, the Y, is if we take it to mean Maynard's son. His son could be the center of his being, and he wants to better himself as a person, get rid of his demons, wish it all away, for the sake of his son.

Damn/dim my eyes
Damn/dim my eyes
Damn/dim my eyes if they should compromise the fulcrum
If wants and needs divide me, then I might as well be gone

Now all along, the #music has steadily been getting heavier, and Maynard's voice angrier, which I interpret to mean: becoming more aware of who he has become. Almost as if he wants to break the spell of the dark side, and wake up. The first word here is “damn” (from damnation), or maybe it could be “dim”, depending on what you hear.

Curse his eyes, or make blind (dim) his eyes, “if they should compromise the fulcrum” – he curses his eyes for being the entry-point to giving-in to pleasure and other materialistic afflictions, for they are threatening to compromise the balance in his life. He is struggling to balance his materialistic and non-materialistic (spiritual) sides. Now, he feels quite plainly, “if wants and needs divide me”, then he “might as well be gone” – he might as well die.

Shine on forever
Shine on, benevolent sun/son
Shine down upon the broken
Shine until the two become one
Shine on forever
Shine on, benevolent sun/son
Shine down upon the severed
Shine until the two become one
Divided, I'm withering away
Divided, I'm withering away
Shine on upon the many
Light our way, benevolent sun/son

The music reaches a cathartic high, and Maynard sings a very cryptic line: “Shine on forever”, “Shine on, benevolent sun” – is that sun or son though? let's call this entity S:

He wants S to “Shine down upon the broken [..] until the two become one” – What could the two be?

Now he wishes S to shine down upon the severed – his severed Self (or) the people who have given into their dark/materialistic desires – he wants S to show them the way, to shine down upon them until their Self is healed. “Divided”, he's withering away – the two halves of his Self need to be united. “Shine down upon the many, light our way” – he wants S to light everyone's path towards becoming more aware of themselves, acknowledging both their light (conscious) and dark (unconscious) sides, towards a fulfilled Self with “the two” united.

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

“Breathe in union” – this has two meanings embedded in it: one, the two halves of the Self must “breathe” together and so “as one, survive”, and two, he is beseeching all the broken, severed people, to “breathe in union”, come together as one to survive.

“Silence, legion” – He commands silence from the legion – what legion? One, his ever-present and dangerous army of inner demons wanting to take over him, and two, the materialistic people in the outside world, prey to temptations of all worldly manners. He wants them to save their poison – he does not want to listen to their words or persuasions. “Stay out of my way!”