Released: September 17, 1996

Songwriter: Justin Chancellor Adam Jones Danny Carey Maynard James Keenan

Producer: David Bottrill Tool

[Intro]
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey

[Verse 1]
Some say the end is near
Some say we'll see Armageddon soon
Certainly hope we will
I sure could use a vacation from
This bullshit three ring circus sideshow

[Chorus]
Of freaks here in this hopeless fucking hole we call L.A.  
The only way to fix it is to flush it all away
Any fucking time, any fucking day
Learn to swim, see you down in Arizona Bay

[Verse 2]
Fret for your figure and fret for your latte and
Fret for your lawsuit and fret for your hairpiece and
Fret for your Prozac and fret for your pilot and
Fret for your contract and fret for your car
It's a bullshit three ring circus sideshow

[Chorus]
Of freaks here in this hopeless fucking hole we call L.A.  
The only way to fix it is to flush it all away
Any fucking time, any fucking day
Learn to swim, see you down in Arizona Bay

[Bridge]
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey-ah, hey, hey, hey-ah
Hey, hey-ah, hey

[Verse 3]
Some say a comet will fall from the sky
Followed by meteor showers and tidal waves
Followed by fault lines that cannot sit still
Followed by millions of dumbfounded dipshits
And some say the end is near
Some say we'll see Armageddon soon
I certainly hope we will
I sure could use a vacation from this
Stupid shit, silly shit, stupid shit
One great big festering neon distraction
I've a suggestion to keep you all occupied
Learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim
'Cause Mom's gonna fix it all soon
Mom's coming 'round to put it back the way it ought to be

[Verse 4]
Learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim
Learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim
Fuck L. Ron Hubbard, and fuck all his clones
Fuck all these gun-toting hip gangster wannabes
Learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim
Learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim
Yeah, fuck retro anything, fuck your tattoos
Fuck all you junkies, and fuck your short memory
Learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim
Learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim
Yeah, fuck smiley glad-hands with hidden agendas
Fuck these dysfunctional insecure actresses
Learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim
Learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim

[Verse 5]
'Cause I'm praying for rain
I'm praying for tidal waves
I want to see the ground give way
I want to watch it all go down
Mom, please flush it all away
I want to see it go right in and down
I want to watch it go right in
Watch you flush it all away

[Verse 6]
Yeah, time to bring it down again
Yeah, don't just call me pessimist
Try and read between the lines
And I can't imagine why you wouldn't
Welcome any change, my friend
I want to see it come down
Bring it down
Suck it down
Flush it down

[Outro]
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey

Tool

Tool is an enigmatic heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Members include vocalist Maynard James Keenan, guitarist Adam Jones, drummer Danny Carey, and bassist Justin Chancellor. Chancellor replaced Paul D'Amour in 1995.

The band emerged with its first (and only) EP, Opiate (1992), and followed that up with their debut studio album, Undertow (1993), during the age of early 1990s grunge, and made their success by headlining Lollapalooza festivals aimed at that genre. After the alternative rock scene receded from the mainstream American ear, Tool continued into art rock and progressive rock, and have since released Ænima (1996), Lateralus (2001) and 10,000 Days (2006), which have gained worldwide critical and commercial success. After much anticipation for a fifth studio album for over 13 years, Fear Inoculum was released on August 30, 2019.

Tool’s approach has been part conviction, part sarcasm. While the band incorporates mathematical and ritualistic themes in their music, they have done so at such a level that their paradoxical belief system has hoodwinked a major part of their fan base. The band diligently utilizes multiple time signatures in all of the more recent releases, arranges their instruments into complex formations, and even incorporates the infamous Fibonacci Sequence in the song “Lateralus.”

more tracks from the album
From the album