Wings for Marie (Pt 1) Lyrics Meaning

A first aproach to 10,000 days.

I'm listening to this disc complete for the first time today, and before getting into each song and peeling it, one thing that called my attention was the number, those 10,000 days, how many years is that?...(calculator: 10.000/365 = 27,39726...That was easy).

But then i wondered about those years...What happened during that time? Talking about Tool, for me the key it's in the name, like in the case of Ænima (anima+enema=cleansing of the shadow/soul/self to ensure evolution. After you know that, you can dig really down into jung and bill hicks, over there in arizona bay). So, in the case of 10,000 days, what about those 27 years?, for the band as a unit, and for Maynard as a writer.

What I have liked the most about Tool since I first heard it, it's the simple idea of being able to play that incredible music with some colleagues and enjoy the kind of catharsis that has to be to play that loud and long and intense and interesting, jazzy/jammy/hard core/punk/rock/great songs, cause if it works just by hearing it, how it could feel to play it, and then be able to stand in front of the world and shout it, and that actually can mean anything for those who give it a hear, in this infested of nothing musical landscape that we have today.

And in the particular case of Maynard, who as far as I know it’s the responsable for the lyrical aspect of the band; what is he singin, talking, yelling, complaning, shouting, sugesting, asking, wispering about?

27 seven years, for Maynard…i don’t know how old is he, but don’t think he’s 27, so it’s probably not about he’s bithday.

With this idea in the head, I went to some webpages to pick up information, including this, and I found one that said something about the song “wings for marie (part.1)”: “...The 17-minute epic "wings for marie/10,000 days" is an ode to his mother, who passed away during the band's hiatus after dealing with paralysis from a stroke for 27 years...”, rob theakston, allmusic.Com.

27 years, 10,000 days, catarsis, scream, cry, love...I’m sure that this guy has a lot to feel, comunicate and exorcise about those 10,000 days. And with the band and the music they create the best way for him to let it all go, swiming trough a river of sonorous vibrations, and transform it into something tangible.

So maybe the key to understand this great piece of artwork it’s in this song and it’s healling intention.

At least, that’s what ithink.