Tool Songs - Schism Lyrics

Tool - Schism

Tool - Schism Youtube Music Videos and Lyrics

Album: Lateralus
Released: 2001

Schism Lyrics

I know the pieces fit 'cause I watched them fall away
Mildewed and smoldering. Fundamental differing.
Pure intention juxtaposed will set two lovers souls in motion
Disintegrating as it goes testing our communication
The light that fueled our fire then has burned a hole between us so
We cannot see to reach an end crippling our communication.
I know the pieces fit 'cause I watched them tumble down
No fault, none to blame it doesn't mean I don't desire to
Point the finger, blame the other, watch the temple topple over.
To bring the pieces back together, rediscover communication
The poetry that comes from the squaring off between,
And the circling is worth it.
Finding beauty in the dissonance.
There was a time that the pieces fit, but I watched them fall away.
Mildewed and smoldering, strangled by our coveting
I've done the math enough to know the dangers of our second guessing
Doomed to crumble unless we grow, and strengthen our communication.
Cold silence has a tendency to atrophy any
Sense of compassion
Between supposed lovers
I know the pieces fit

Writer/s: M.J. KEENAN, A. JONES, D. CAREY, J. CHANCELLOR
Publisher: BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Schism

This is about the divisions within the church. It talks about how the church was once good and pure, but has now been corrupted by people. (thanks, Keith - Phoenix, AZ)

This was the first single from the album. Lateralus was their first album in 5 years and was widely anticipated.

The video opens with "Mantra," a short track that comes right before "Schism" on the Lateralus CD. The guitar part in the middle was shortened for the video. (thanks, Nick - Paramus, NJ)

This was released the year after A Perfect Circle released their debut album. The other members of Tool were unhappy that Maynard was dedicating so much to A Perfect Circle, which is the "fundamental differing" in the lyrics. Maynard explains that doing the same thing for A Perfect Circle that he'd done for Tool ("Pure intentions juxtaposed") caused a rift ("the light that fueled our fire then has burned a hole between us"). (thanks, Damian - Dublin, Ireland)

This song has a very intriguing time signature, which frequently changes throughout the song. The verses can be counted as 12/8 (12 eighth-note beats to a measure) but it is actually split up into recurring measures of 5/8 (5 eighth-note beats to a measure) and 7/8 (7 eighth-note beats to a measure). In this way, the standard 12/8 time signature is split into two parts, a "Schism," thus the theme of the music matches the theme that the lyrics are based on. It's also interesting to note that for the chorus, the time signature shifts and is "reunited" back into standard 12/8. (thanks, Bob - Tokyo, Japan)

This is one of 2 songs by Tool that has ever charted in the US. It reached #67 in July of 2001. The only other single is "Vicarious," which reached #57 in April of 2006. "Prison Sex" also made it to #81 on the UK charts. (thanks, Fremont - Concord, NH)