Tool: The Pot Meaning

Song Released: 2006

The Pot Lyrics

Who are you to wave your finger?
You must have been out your head.
Eye hole deep in muddy waters,
You practically raise the dead.

Rob the grave to snow the cradle,
And burn the evidence down.
Soapbox house of cards and glass,
So don't go...

1. DIGDOUGDOGMAN

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   Jul 7th 2009 !⃝

   Ok I guess I am the only one that dosn't see this song as being about drugs and politics.
   
   here we go
   
   Who are you to wave your finger?
   You must have been outta your head
   Eye hole deep in muddy waters
   You practically raised the dead
   
   Who are you to call my beliefs crazy
   your religion is based off of ones that came befor
   
   
   Rob the grave to snow the cradle
   Then burn the evidence down
   Soapbox house of cards and glass so
   Don't go tossin' your stones around
   
   the church stole the idea of jebus being born on dec 25 from mithra and they burnd all the old templs and built thiers in thier place. It is so fragial and flimzy if you just look into it, it will fall apart like a house of cards
   
   
   You must have been high
   
   you must have been high to think I wouldn't have noticed
   
   Foot in mouth and head up ass
   So whatcha talkin' 'bout?
   Difficult to dance 'round this one
   'til you pull it out. boy,
   
   go ahead and try to rebut this but you can't untill you admit to your lies
   
   You must have been so high
   
   Steal, borrow, refer, save your shady inference
   Kangaroo done hung the jury with the innocent
   
   there is no room for interpretation and anyone other that the athority has no buisness trying to and will be prosecuted with those who go directly against it.
   
   Now you're weeping shades of cozened indigo
   (Musta) got lemon juice up in your eye
   When you pissed all over my black kettle.
   
   every time scince advances you lose more of your myth and cry about it.
   
   You must have been high!
   
   Who are you to wave your finger?
   So full of it
   Eye balls deep in muddy waters
   Fuckin' hypocrite
   
   who are you to tell me I am wronge when you have blinded yourself with your own faith
   
   Liar, lawyer, mirror, show me. What's the difference?
   Kangaroo done hung the guilty with the innocent.
   
   once again it dosnt matter if you are guilty or not the apperance of athority and the ability to prosecute anyone who appers to go against the fold is what holds thier power.
   
   
   Now you're weeping shades of cozened indigo
   (Musta) got lemon juice up in your eye
   When you pissed all over my black kettle.
   
   see above
   
   You must've been...
   
   So who are you to wave your finger?
   Who are you to wave your fatty fingers at me?
   You must have been out your mind
   
   see above
   
   Weepin' shades of indigo
   Shed without a reason *
   Weepin' shades of indigo
   
   your wining about a myth
   
   
   Liar, lawyer - mirror, for you what's the difference?
   Kangaroo be stoned. He's guilty as the government.
   
   see above
   
   Now you're weeping shades of cozened indigo
   (Musta) got lemon juice up in your eye
   Now when you pissed all over my black kettle.
   
   
   You must've been high!
   
   Eyeballs deep in muddy waters
   Eyeballs deep in muddy waters
   Ganja? P-lease!
   You must have been out your mind
   
   thats my take
2. anonymous

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   Jun 6th 2009 !⃝

   Ok this is what I think I think it's about hypocrites how people judge other people for doing the exact same thing and and try to glorify themselves by doing so
3. anonymous

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   May 22nd 2009 !⃝

   What is this "cozened" indigo. I thought it was Chosen indigo, as in the Indigo Child phenomenon, where parents think their unique precious snowflake is a Chosen One.
   
   I know Cozened means liar, but Chosen makes more sense in this context.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
4. Baxmeyer123

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   Mar 18th 2009 !⃝

   I believe the song is about someone who is complete and total hypocrite: "who are you to wave your finger." And that they are completely full of bullsh**: "eye hole deep in muddy waters." Someone who goes about doing things that they deny: "Rob the grave to snow the cradle then burn the evidence down." Someone who was caught in a lie: "Foot in mouth and head up ass hole, whatcha talkin' 'bout?" Someone who is deceitful: "Now your weeping shades of cozened indigo."
   
   I believe this song is talking about someone who is full of themselves, is a liar, a deceitful person, and a total hypocrite.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
5. anonymous

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   Mar 2nd 2009 !⃝

   +1 on the GWB interpretation.
6. anonymous

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   Feb 19th 2009 !⃝

   The song is about George W. Bush being a hypocrite. There are references to his legacy as president through various symbols. "muddy waters" reference to hurricane Katrina. "Kangaroo done hung the Jury/guilty" reference to Abu Gareib and Gitmo. Some references to the war on drugs. GWB was arrested for cocaine possession. "Cozened Indigo" describes a person that uses deceit in order to propagate his beliefs. The whole song is about Bush being a big fat hypocrit.
7. anonymous

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   Feb 13th 2009 !⃝

   this song is about pikachu not evolving into raichu. the hypocritical nature of a pokimon not evolving into something more powerful due to its iconic friendship to ash is stronger then reason. if he evolved, he would no longer be the symbol of ash's growth, but pickachu's.
   it would be the death of friendship, too high a sacrifice to pay for the friendship.
   
   ... or not. you can interpret it to mean may things to rationalize to to mean something you want it to be, or you could find the truth in the meaning, but you will never 100% know.
   
   some interpretations, i agree with, others i dont. but thats just me :o
   
   POKIMON FTW!!
8. onprcntr

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   Jan 24th 2009 !⃝

   I read an interpretation a while ago and it makes perfect sense. Due it's track placement it adds up that this song is a response from his deceased mother's point of view and calling him a hypocrite. That is why he sings it in such a high voice. The lyrical content is showing her disdain for his lack of faith and all the bitching he does about religion and her faith. That is why she says "you must have been high" which to me sounds like something a mom would say. It also refers to delicacy of the image he has built for himself "soapbox/House of Cards"
9. anonymous

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   Jan 12th 2009 !⃝

   The song is about the war in Iraq and how it at the time of writing was starting to go badly for America.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
10. anonymous

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    Dec 29th 2008 !⃝

    There is parts of previous interpretations that are true; I just wanted to say that I think Maynard's sense of humor is getting overlooked a lot. I get the impression he was conceptualizing this song - which is about hypocrisy and false empathy - and came up with the concept of "The Pot"... and well, he thought it was funny and threw in the reference about being high. Maynard strikes me as a dry and witty guy and I think he likes having a laugh.
11. anonymous

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    Dec 22nd 2008 !⃝

    This song is typical of Tool, and why they are followed so much.
    
    IF you read or listen to many interviews with the band, they typically do not write songs that have a specific interpretation.
    
    Their songs have many interpretations.
    
    Many songs by bands are like looking at a piece of art that you have to work to figure out the deeper meaning.
    
    Tool is different. Instead of providing a finished picture, their music provides you the canvas, brushes, and picks the colors to use.
    
    Then you are left to paint the picture yourself.
    
    That is why I can listen to their songs over and over and not get bored. I always find something new in them.
    
    Depending on what I am going through during my life, or the mood I am in that day, the song can have a different meaning to me.
12. anonymous

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    Nov 13th 2008 !⃝

    Could it be that the song is about the record industry (the hypocrites) and how they make money with singers connected with (and even died of) drugs and on the other hand some bands (like tool) are blamed for making 'drug music'? It could be some kind of statement to this topic (just look at the "contains moderate drugs reference" sticker on the parabola single). Major parts of the lyrics would fit to that theory, the first to verses as a whole, in fact.
    
    Every april, there are tons of stupid documentaries about Kirt Cobain for example - this could be one of the raised dead of which the graves are robbed. And the teenies (the innocent) are the ones in the cradles that get some little pieces of him (or Hendrix, Marley, you name it).
    
    Furthermore it could be the "Hooker with a penis" or "Ticks & Leeches" song of 10,000 days (a song from the bands view on a particular problem).
    
    Could be totally wrong, of course, but i kind of like this interpretation. And still - it is a great song, and it really does not matter if you got the 'right' interpretation of it, as long as you are happy with yours. This would be the band's intention as well, i guess.
13. anonymous

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    Oct 28th 2008 !⃝

    This song talks a lot about hypocrisy as far as the government saying drugs (heroin) in this case is illegal- YET THEY DO IT! (not all of course)...
    
    A lot of the time he talks about "the pot calling the kettle black"- or being a hypocrite.
    Being high, Who are you to wave your muddy fingers at me?
    This all comes back too heroin. I especially like the symbolism from "wave your muddy fingers at me.." as if they are covered in it, it's obvious- yet they sit there so hypocritical.
    
    The Kangaroo Court comes back to the fact that they (the government) pay their way out of trouble. They look after each other where they convict the public for the same thing.
    
    Someone wrote about The third eye, and the colour indigo too be the colour of "tricked" and fooling etc. It's like, we all see it, but are in denial.
    
    There is a theme of "not seeing" everything in this song. Using the words "eyeballs deep in muddy water" isn't a coincidence either.
14. anonymous

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    Oct 6th 2008 !⃝

    Well first off I just want to say that everyone who posted lyrics on this page is an idiot. Maynard clearly says in the first line "who are you to point your finger? you must have been out your HAIR!" not "HEAD"
    
    Also another thing I want to comment about is the line "kangaroo done hung the juror with the innocent." I am fully aware of what a kangaroo court is and think that could possibly be what he says. However, another word he may have possibly said in this line is "King Guru" instead of "kangaroo" I did a little bit of research on this King and he would hold courts of his own. Simply stating that he could be referring to this king or possibly the kangaroo court system.
    
    Rob the grave to snow the cradle then burn the evidence down. In my own personal opinion could be referring to a drug addiction. Snow is slang for cocaine or heroin. Heroin you burn before injecting into your vain. This person thinks he can cheat the inevitable outcome (possibly death)of his drug usage by hiding it from everyone (burn the evidence down)
    
    Soapbox, house of cards, and glass,
    So don't go tossin' your stones around.
    Though he wishes to destroy his evidence of his drug addiction he is as frail as any of these. So he is cautious of the people around him.
    
    Foot in mouth, and head up asshole.
    So whatcha talkin' 'bout?
    Difficult to dance 'round this one
    'til you pull it out, boy!
    In the first line it seems to me that he is getting advice from others, but since he is consumed by drugs he is to ignorant (head up his own ass) to listen. He will never fully mature and learn how to function like a responsible adult (difficult to dance round this one) till he gives the drugs up (till you pull it out). Boy is too simple. Drugs scientifically slow down your maturity rate even though you still grow. That is why today there are more thirty year old men still living with there parents then ever. You grow up and take on bills and kids and other hassles, but your maturity level never catches up which is why they don't do well with priorities and managing themselves... So even though you are old enough to be a man, mentality wise your still a boy.
    
    i'm not quite sure how this could fit into the rest of the song because I haven't taken time to interpret the rest yet. but when I do I will post it. However I am leaving the full lyrics of the song which differ from the previously posted lyrics on this page. please listen to the song as you read and if you seem to differ then please note of it but I'm sure they are the official lyrics.
    
    Who are you to wave your finger?
    Ya' must have been out your hair.
    Eye hole deep in muddy waters.
    You practically raised the dead.
    
    Rob the grave, to snow the cradle.
    Then burn the evidence down.
    Soapbox, house of cards, and glass,
    So don't go tossin' your stones around.
    
    You must have been high.
    You must have been high.
    You must have been.
    
    Foot in mouth, and head up asshole.
    So whatcha talkin' 'bout?
    Difficult to dance 'round this one
    'til you pull it out, boy!
    
    You must have been, so high.
    You must have been, so high.
    
    Steal, borrow, refer, save your shady inference.
    King Guru done hung the juror with the innocent.
    
    Now will you weep or, change the chosen into gold
    Got lemon juice up in your...EYE!
    
    When you pissed all over my black kettle
    You must have been HIGH, HIGH
    You must have been HIGH, HIGH
    
    Who are you to wave your finger?
    So full of it.
    Eyeballs deep in muddy waters
    Fuckin' hypocrite.
    
    Liar, lawyer, mirror, show me.
    What's the difference?
    
    King Guru done hung the guilty with the innocent.
    
    NOW!!
    You'll weep or, change the chosen into gold.
    Got lemon juice up in your eye.
    When you pissed all over my black kettle
    You musta been!
    
    So who are you to wave your finger?
    Who are you to wave your mighty fingers at me?
    You must, have been, out your, mind!
    
    Reefer chased off indigo
    Trapped without a reason
    Reefer chased off indigo
    
    Liar, lawyer,
    Mirror for ya,
    What's the difference?
    King Guru be stoned
    He's guilty as the government
    
    NOW!!
    will you weep or, change the chosen into gold
    Got lemon juice up in your, EYE!!
    EYE!!
    
    Now when you pissed all over my black kettle.
    You musta been HIGH, HIGH, HIGH, HIGH.
    Eyeballs deep in muddy waters
    Your're balls deep in muddy waters.
    Ganja Police, you must, have been, out your MIND!!

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
15. anonymous

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    Sep 1st 2008 !⃝

    Um there's a park where it talks about pissing all over a black kettle, well the saying goes "look at the pot calling the kettle black" saying that the pot is a hypocrite because it is black too.. That's why the song is called the pot because it's about hypocrisy.

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