The Pot
by Tool

Album: 10,000 Days (2006)
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Songfacts®:

  • This song is about the drug culture in America. Everybody does it... the difference is people like Maynard admit it while police and government officials do it then accuse everybody else of it and pretend like they don't. He uses a lot of metaphors, such as "Pot calling the kettle black," hence the song name "The Pot." Maynard is the black kettle and the police/government are the pot. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    billy - tapioka, AL
  • In a Guitar World interview, Adam Jones confirmed that the title of "The Pot" was a reference to an idiomatic term for hypocrisy (i.e., the "pot calling the kettle black"), in addition to the colloquial term for marijuana. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Jase - d, IL

Comments: 60

  • Kane067 from NswDoes anyone know who wrote the main bass riff, or the whole song instrumentally? it's amazingly good. i have just learned most of it but it has taken me years of trying and giving up. and dont just say Justin Chancellor if you don't actually know
  • Timothy Wehrle from TexasNever been a lyrics guy. Im an audio engineer. This song is a masterpiece. Goes hard and there are few that JAM so deep and dank! I get lost into it when Justin kicks in. What a gift!
  • Theruiner24 from Tacoma, Wa, UsaThis is the best version I've read explaining the meaning: http://bit.ly/3hFokIR

    I think a lot of people here has some amazing perspectives and I think a lot of them could be accurate! Some are a little far fetched but to each their own, right?
  • Purplekushking67 from CaThis song regardless of the lyrics kicks SO MUCH ASS! That Nasty-Bass-Thumpin' s--t puts me in my happy place.
  • Thehand! from Far OutThe guy from Texas is probably closest to it.with the lyrics and the law suits I've dug through, The Pot was the lawyer that jumped from their case to the "artist" that was trying take legal action against Tool. But, again it's Maynard, it could be all of these things or none at all.
  • Nick from Or@Tanksta
    It's literally cozened indigo.

    "Indigo is a colour that is often associated with spirituality. The Ajna Chakra's colour is Indigo, Indigo children, etc. It's also the colour the sky turns when the stars first come out, and so has been associated with star-watchers (shamans, etc) for along time now.

    (Cozen is a verb-- to deceit)

    "Now you're weeping shades of cozened indigo - got lemon juice up in your eye"

    I think is a jab at the Helen "won't somebody think of the children" Jovejoy type of people, who use religion (i.e. spirituality) as an excuse to stifle other peoples spirituality (in this case, drug use).

    So "the pot" is weeping shades of indigo shed without a reason, is moral authorities (religious types) doing immoral things (judging, jailing, scrutinizing, etc) in the name of morality."
  • Marcus The Emperor Of Mars from PennsylvaniaYou better not be listening to this while you're high.
  • Tanksta from OkIt's chosen indigo....not cozened indigo. If you don't believe me listen to it half speed!
  • Cyteseer from AustraliaWhen this album came out I thought it was about the lack of response by the government to Hurricane Katrina fiasco and how Pres. Bush completely f--ked up the response and all those people died in New Orleans… “Eye holes deep in muddy water”. And even calling him out “You must have been High?” But that’s just how I interpreted it at the time.
  • Tofuchan from CaMichael, Bohemian Grove? You got it all wrong. You left out the part where they serve live babies for breakfast while waiting for Kennedy Sr & Jr to reappear....


    No, seriously BG is a private camping estate for the movers and shakers of the world. Presidents, Prime Ministers, etc. are usually invited to come "rough it" in the woods north of San Francisco. It's a little less crazy than what was described. The outside interruptions are frowned upon, and business is supposed to be left behind too. Hence the Care ceremony, it's simply an event to symbolize leaving the business/world/cares behind. The giant owl too has a meaning and if you had a chance to read the Bohemian Grove article by Rolling Stone mag, you'll find out what really happens there. More mischief than maniacal machinations, that's for sure. It was just a big boys club, not sure if women are even allowed yet. So chill Michael, don't speculate on what you don't know.

    Back to Tool. I take it that the song is about weed* and hypocrisy at the same time. The part where he's got lemon in your eye makes me think of someone explaining that's why their eyes are red, not really because of the pot they've been smoking. Or it also causes their alligator tears for the publics benefit. Someone got in trouble, and is trying to deflect the attention he's been given to someone else....
  • Matt From Missouri from The GrasslandsReal quick, Andrew from Missouri you nailed it. Toolloot, you nailed it too. That Michael guy though from nowhere or whatever, geezuss kryst could you get a little bit more pretentious with your comment? Please next time you feel like posting some bullshit like that please try this first: punch yourself in the face hard as you can 4, 5, maybe 6 times, however many it takes to keep you from posting whatever stupid shit it is you're about to post. I hate visiting a site like this to see what other people's interpretations of what I considered to be excellent music, only to find a comment from some ass-fuck trying to spin it into some paranoid conspiracy theory that only a 3rd grader, or someone with the IQ equivalent thereof, would indulge in.
  • ToollootMichael from Everywhere And Nowhere seems obtuse on the fact that Maynard is against his sky daddy and Tr*mp. He even called out F*x N*ws at his concert. Michael from Everywhere And Nowhere, your ignorance is your enemy.
  • Big Nutsi see "weeping shades of cozen indigo" as crying fake tears to decieve, as indigo is manmade.
  • AnonymousI see lots of debate about the cozened indigo line. "Weeping shades of cozened indigo" Basic definitions and context means it's essentially saying crocodile tears.
  • Michael from Everywhere And Nowhere The pot funny name that hides a deeper meaning. He sings about the guilty hanging the innocent yet another reference to the scarlet Letterman. The government feeds you lies he says with their weeping shades of indigo and lemon juice in your eye. Huh most get the lemon juice and think well he means high on weed, but indigo is a shade of purple deep purple ( not red ) a purple beyond purple. This is another example of satanic worship and you will see as usual most dark evil movies TV and even as the Corona virus unfolds today on CNN the background remains a deep purple even the virus itself is displayed in purple. With a crown of 3 points not unlike Baphomet the goat and God of bohemian grove. A club where the top 1% and every American president and CEO's of all corporations such as the news media meet. There they have the Cremation of Care ceremony and cry fools as they burn the effigy of jesus say goodbye to care and Gods love. Isn't it ironic that the man who wrote the Passage of Cares act is named Trump which by definition means FooL in a game of cards. As the cremation of care begins with the effigy of jesus floats down a river to be burned in front of the great owl of bohemia, this portion of the opening ceremony is called the Passage of cares. The same symbol of this owl is hidden at the top right corner of ever dollar bill. Isn't it also ironic as you will find by researching yourself, that every American president since the 1860's have been members of the bohemian club, with only two exceptions Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy?
  • AnonymousDoes anybody know why the song "the pot" different then the one in the supposed video.its a different song but what song? Does anybody know?
  • Kev from MarsBelieve the song is about hypocrisy.
  • Andrew from Missouriif i may, i think you might be missing the point of music..he is an artist expressing his self through his music, he is who he is and they are who they are because we the people have said his and the bands expressions speak to us as a whole....the point being you are suppose to interpret the music and understand what it means to you, not him...they are giving us a different way to express our feelings. with both the lyrics and instruments. first ii listened to the song, then read lyrics. it was the same outcome for me, about my previous relationship. i over trusted, she made me feel i was to blame for everything, like um, "difficult to dance round this one til you pull it out" said to me, no matter what i did she wasnt happy, and i needed to stop thinking with my dick and tell my self the pussy aint that good, cuz it aint. or "Now you're weeping shades of cozen indigo
    Got lemon juice up in your eye" she cried to manipulate, she probably squirted some lemon up in there to make herself. and this whole time we both were abusing substances . Music is suppose to be a bridge to help express your self. Them as artists, are giving us that gift. thanks for reading.
  • Tazerwhip from BcI feel as though it's a conversation between a parent and offspring about "The Pot" there's a back and forth over the verse and the chorus is accused vs the accuser.
  • AnonymousLol so you're going to rip Kendrick Lamar for sampling Rick James in DNA!? GTFO here trying to accuse Jimmy/Plant/Jones/Bonzo for every occuping any realistate as it pertains to Maynard's brilliance. Zeppelin was Zeppelin, Maynard (+Danny Carey, much like how Zeppelin was Zeppelin because of Bonzo) is TOOL. You must be out, your, head.
  • Matt from TexasThis song is about a janitor at an Ivy League college. At night he solves equations that the professor leaves for the students.
  • Ald47 from TexasThe song is to their lawyer that was supposed to defend them, but decided to sue them for the same thing their former friend and cover art contributor did. They both lost, and we finally got a new album. The suit was a large portion of the delay.
  • Zinkoff from UsI feel as though this song could be about any sort of conflict where someone is accused of a crime they didn’t commit. Especially by someone who has no evidence and pretends to have authority, but is really just an arrogant pothead or something.
  • Chris from AzAlright potheads. I love when you guys try and take something and make it drug related. What he is getting at. Is the justice system is tilted to one side. Hence the kangaroo court. and the fake tears from lemon juice. I don't know about the cozened indigo. Supposedly its a line from a movie back in the day. AND ITS NOT "GANJA PLEASE" its conjured up lies. Come on listen fools.
  • Alex from N.c.Possibly its about the kangaroo court held against the former dictator of Cambodia, Pol Pot.
  • Mike from New York Robert Plant and Jimmy Page were both in court in the 90's over lifting lyrics and guitar riffs from blues artists and other bands from the 30's and 40's.
  • Mike from New York The song is about jimmy page from Led Zeppelin. Led Zeppelin had big blues influence, especially the blues legend muddy waters . Also lemon juice is a very common phrase in led zep songs and is also a song. Muddy waters would be rolling in his grave after all the songs and riffs they stole, hence The Pot calling the kettle black. I don't know if Jimmy Page accused Tool of stealing guitar riffs or some parts of songs, but I know this it's definitely not a song about drugs.
  • April from TxAnd I just have to say one more thing. I really feel that u Mr seed r ignorant. Or u really feel u r above and ur not. Look in the mirror at urself before u assume something so ignorant.
  • April from TxEvery song has its own meaning to the individual person. It depends on the person. So why put each other down and argue. That's what music us about. It's ur own personal meaning.
  • Mr. Seed from NewyorkWithin his art lolz the final high mistake.
  • Mr. Seed from NewyorkI believe this song revolves around the ignorant pot head. Maynard's work was made to guide in any way possible. this is just a puzzle piece to his and other intention to his art in its entirety.
  • Jason from Hackensack, Njmal2345, I'm not sure where you get your ideas from but some of them are clearly half-baked. I'm not claiming to know the meaning, if any, behind the lyrics, and I think many of the words he uses are arbitrarily chosen, and its meaning meant to be subjective. But there are some assumptions you've made that are objectively untrue. For instance; If you've ever read or listened to interviews with Maynard, you would know that he has an extensive history of psychedelic usage. Also, the last line of the song is clearly not "ganja police" and DEFINITELY NOT pronounced as "po-lies" ... if you actually listen to how it is pronounced you will realize this. And the word "indigo" being a pot reference because the color's wavelength is 420 nm, this is an extremely far-fetched, if not downright silly idea. If Maynard made up that line with some sort of meaning, I'm sure that's not it.
  • Anesthetist from Bumfuct, EgyptTo mal2345, the lyric is in no way shape or form chosen indigo. That makes absolutely
    No sense. Mjk is more educated than that. You need to go back and listen to tool's, APCs, puscifer's
    Entire catalogs of songs to reaffirm you with how he Annunciates and pronounces his sung words.
    If you weren't so narrow minded you'd actually have looked up what the word cozened
    Actually means. It means To mislead by means of a petty trick or fraud; deceive. So you're
    Weeping shades of cozened indigo got lemon juice up in your eye, means a person is going
    To great lengths to accuse somebody else of something they themselves did by making
    Themselves appear to be crying by putting lemon juice in their eyes making the skin around their
    Eyes appear to be rubbed purple from wiping tears away. Who are you to wave your finger
    You must've been out your head. It's the pot calling the kettle black. He's not claiming innocence
    But is a bit miffed that someone whose guilty of the same act is calling him out on it. Like
    Beloved elected politicians on every level of gov't, fed, state and local, do in their attack ads
    To get elected.
  • Cameron from Mill Creek, WaFor Sofia Scavenger in Bulgaria who is obviously speaking with little research.
    http://www.psychedelicadventure.net/2009/08/cannabis-pineal-gland-turn-on-third-eye.html
  • Mike from Medford Lakes, NjThe beauty of Tool is that their songs mean whatever you think they mean. That is what makes their songs, our songs. And that is exactly the point of the art they create. Where most other songwriters and musicians leave almost nothing to the imagination, MJK and the fellas leave endless possibililites for us to ponder and relive throughout our lives. So go ahead and think it's about weed or indigo children or kangaroo boxing. As long as that meaning, or emotion, is what you experience when you hear the song, then you can never be wrong. All interpretations, however ludicrous, are true. Even if you're the only one who believes in it. The music is the drug, and like LSD, no experience will ever be the same as yours. There is only one rule: you must think for yourself.
  • Mal2345 from Boise, IdMaynard can't be the black kettle because he doesn't do drugs. He's not against the war on drugs from being a drug user, he is a hypocrite hater. If anything, Maynard is an authenticity wonk. He rails against hypocrisy and phoniness in some of his other songs. Wrong lyrics officially considered correct: cozened? I hear "chosen," there is definitely a ch- sound. "Ganja please" should be "Ganja Po-lies" (a combination of "police" and their "lies"). "Difficult to dance 'round this one" sounds like "Difficult and dance 'round this one." "Head up asshole" sounds like "head up ass, so whatcha talkin' bout?"

    Also, about the lemon juice, this was used to induce crying to actors and actresses who had to cry on cue during filming. In The Pot, there is the accusation of phoniness associated with lemon juice and crying, but also the red effect on the eyes which appears the same as drug use.
  • Mal2345 from Boise, IdThe idea that the "pissin' over my black kettle" lyric refers to Chief Black Kettle is a little far-fetched. The color indigo has a wavelength of around 420 nm, a pot reference. Maynard is not saying "ganja please," it is "Ganja Police" with the last word pronounced "Po-LIES." This goes along with the hypocrisy theme of the song. Some people think the ganja police are hypocrites for doing drugs, but that is not necessarily the case. The goal of the war on drugs is political and financial. If not for drugs the ganja police would be put out of business. They wave their fatty fingers but they have grown fat off the very thing they wage war against. Lemon juice has a dual effect on the eyes, turning them red as if someone has been doing drugs, and creating tears as if this same person is shedding tears over the drug problem. So lemon juice in the eyes is another hypocrisy reference.
  • Ben from Pittsbugh, PaThe Bass in This songs is amazing, just as the bass in any other tool song is
  • Angela from Peabody, MaI like many of the thoughts here but what surprises me is that no one mentioned the saying "The pot calling the kettle black." in reference to You pissed all over my black kettle.
  • Karl from Syracuse, NyWhen he says you must have been high in one way he is saying that the "liar lawyer" has been knocked off his perch. He is also saying that the person is being buried up to his eyeballs for pissing over the witches kettle. The other meaning of you must have been high is that the only explanation for crossing saidthe protagonist is that his accuser must have been high, as i you must be high to mess with me.
  • Karl from Syracuse, NyI do not know if anyone else mentioned but I have to say I believe that the song is in reference to a toilet and the phrase s--t or get off the pot. A person is splitting hairs and refuses to leave, thinking they are higher and mightier but gradually drowning in...
  • Dillon from Orlando, FlCorrect me if im wrong but isnt this song also about how one or a few of the people(s) that made marijuana illegal were caught and/or Arrested for Heroin use/possesion?
  • Adam from Yarmouth, MeJust remember that the video with the snail is not the official video. It is just a video someone made.
  • Quinn from Smallsville, Argentinagreat song but if it had a deep meaning whats up with the video. And also what do the giant snails represent.
  • Kevin from Knoxville, TnI agree mostly with Jesse from San Jose. But Jesse (as well as everybody else) has missed one of the potential interpretations of the use of the color indigo. In testing drug paraphernalia, substances, urine etc, for traces of THC, a chemical indicator is used which turns a distinctive Indigo color. Hence the lyric "Pissing shades of chosen indigo". And the lemon juice in the eye would make it red, just like the blood shot color seen after a person partakes on the herb. I think that Maynard is talking about a friend who would use just as much as he does, but is some how affiliated with the legal system. As part of his job he busts, snitches, turns in, or prosecutes other users....even though he himself is doing the same thing. This person has gotten rich off this endeavor "snowing the cradle" and is in the moral wrong for being such a hypocrite.
    - Steve, Fort Myers , FL

    It's not "pissing", it's "weeping shades of...", so unless you cry into a piss test, then your comment is invalid. But everyone has good points and I think Maynard is just f**king with us all because it could mean a lot of different things...I actually heard it was about a friend who overdosed/or just the song itself is about...heroin.
  • Austin from Smallsville, New EnglandThis song was nominated for a Grammy in the "Best Hard Rock Performance" category. It would lose to the Foo Fighter's "Pretender". It was there second time nominated for B.H.R.P and there seventh time being nominated for a grammy.
  • Steve from Fort Myers , FlI agree mostly with Jesse from San Jose. But Jesse (as well as everybody else) has missed one of the potential interpretations of the use of the color indigo. In testing drug paraphernalia, substances, urine etc, for traces of THC, a chemical indicator is used which turns a distinctive Indigo color. Hence the lyric "Pissing shades of chosen indigo". And the lemon juice in the eye would make it red, just like the blood shot color seen after a person partakes on the herb. I think that Maynard is talking about a friend who would use just as much as he does, but is some how affiliated with the legal system. As part of his job he busts, snitches, turns in, or prosecutes other users....even though he himself is doing the same thing. This person has gotten rich off this endeavor "snowing the cradle" and is in the moral wrong for being such a hypocrite.
  • Scavenger from Sofia, BulgariaI think Maynard refers to the marijuana-culture of getting "high" as a self delusion that makes the smoker (the "hypocrit",the "kangoroo") think that he's better than everyone else,becouse he's reached a "higher" state of conciousness when stoned."Eyeballs deep in muddy waters" describes that state of mind that comes to u after the pot effect is gone and u've devoted your whole life to getting "high"..u become passive, unable to pay enough attention to what happens around u,u keep dulling u'r senses an cannot see clearly as your mind sinks deep in "muddy waters"...u become a "kangoroo" ,that is "guilty as the goverment" in its apathy and flabbiness...
    "got lemon juice up in your eye" refers to the third eye that is being dulled, blinded as your braincells die..u loose the ability to self reflect and cannot find your immortal soul becouse u depend on your daily joint...
    "Foot in mouth and head up,assw...so watcha talkin bout?! difficult to dance round this one till u pull it out, boy"-he describes how your abilities to express yourself become ridiculously dumb and pathetic, becouse u've smoked yourself retarded, "u must have been high" (ironicly)...
    "kangoroo done hung the guilty with the innocent"-an example of the stoner's indifference and social detachment..
    "Ganja-P-please ,u must have been out your mind!"-Maynard ironicly stigmatizes the "revelations" that the stoner has,becouse they're delusional and lead to hypocrisy and stupidity....
  • Nthooze from Santa Cruz, CaAs with most of Manards songs I see a battle of ideas here. He does that intentionally. He simply writes at a genius level. His songs always can be taken different ways and they always hit on multiple fronts. Politics are also always heavily involved. On that front I think this quote from above sums it up best...

    "I think an indisputable message is how shady our world leaders are. So much injustice occurs now with very little publicity or opposition. Keenan is calling them on it."

    The cannabis references are also undeniable with respect to both law enforcement and pharmaceutical producers. Which at the end of the day comes right back to politics.

    Got to also love the historical reference to Black Kettle, nice parallel to what is going on today with the rise of the peaceful patriot/truth movement across the globe taking on the criminals that run things. I had to do some homework on him after reading here. Thanks for the history lesson Maynard.
  • Nthooze from Santa Cruz, CaAs with most of Manards songs I see a battle of ideas here. He does that intentionally. He simply writes at a genius level. His songs always can be taken different ways and they always hit on multiple fronts. Politics are also always heavily involved. On that front I think this quote from above sums it up best...

    "I think an indisputable message is how shady our world leaders are. So much injustice occurs now with very little publicity or opposition. Keenan is calling them on it."

    The cannabis references are also undeniable with respect to both law enforcement and pharmaceutical producers. Which at the end of the day comes right back to politics.

    Got to also love the historical reference to Black Kettle, nice parallel to what is going on today with the rise of the peaceful patriot/truth movement across the globe taking on the criminals that run things. I had to do some homework on him after reading here. Thanks for the history lesson Maynard.
  • Jesse from San Jose, Ca"Who are you to wave your finger? / You must have been out 'your head" = He's calling the person a hypocrite, saying that he must have been mad to think that he was any better than anyone else.
    "Eyehole deep in muddy waters / You practically raise the dead" = The hypocrite is up to his eyes in trouble, so to speak, with his act of greatness. Yet he continues to act high-and-mighty as if he's better than everyone else. "You practically raise the dead" is a metaphor for the hypocrite acting as if he's on par with God.
    "Rob the grave to snow the cradle / Then burn the evidence down" = The hypocrite performs immoral acts and profits from them. "Snow the cradle" could be considered a metaphor for "showering one's home in riches." This shows that the hypocrite has gained his self-proclaimed "greatness" (i.e. wealth) through improper means. The hypocrite then proceeds to attempt to cover up his doings.
    "Soapbox house of cards and glass" = The hypocrite preaches as if he knows better than they, yet the base on which his points rest is as sturdy as a house of cards. It's easily shattered, like glass.
    "So don't go tossin' your stones around" = This is another common statement about hypocrites altered into Keenan's own words: "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones."
    "You must've been high" = The hypocrite must've been really high on himself to actually think he was better than anyone else.
    "Foot in mouth and head up ass / So what’chu talkin' 'bout?" = Again calling the person a hypocrite, this time two times in succsession, and in different words each time. "God your foot in your mouth" and "God your head up your ass".
    "Difficult to dance ‘round this one / ‘Til you pull it out, boy" = A bit hard to show someone how hypocritical he is unless he pulls his foot out of his mouth or his head from his ass, isn't it?
    "Steal, borrow, reaper, savior / Shady inference" = The difference between right and wrong is presented here; opposite sides of the spectrum, if you will. Sealing is to reaper as borrow is to savior. The hypocrite has been stealing, as evidenced in the earlier lyric, "Rob the grave to snow the cradle".
    "Kangaroo done hung the juror with the innocent" = This applies to the term "kangaroo court," in reference to shady and improper trial proceedings. Here, it's telling the hypocrite that his ways are like that of a kangaroo court: shady and improper (i.e. stealing).
    "Now you're weepin' shades of chosen indigo / Got lemon juice up in your eye / When you pissed all over my black kettle" = The metaphor of the hypocrite urinating on the other's kettle is used to describe the hypocrite disregarding what the others say against him as unimportant garbage. Similar to peeling/squeezing a lemon and it squirting its stinging juice into his eye, his urine (i.e. his downtalking of what the others warned him of: the warnings they gave him of the consequences for becoming too prideful) has splashed back up off the kettle into his eye, stinging. He now realizes what he's been doing was wrong and breaks into tears, regretting his immoral deeds. This is metaphorically explained with the line, "Now you're weepin' chosen shades of indigo" in that he chose this path, yet is now crying in regret over it. He chose his own fate, his own tears, if you will.
    "So full of it" = Referring to when he was being prideful and holier-than-thou: his statements proved he was full of s--t with his almost Godlike claims of being so great.
    "F--kin' hypocrite" = Check and mate. This line fully proves my theory.
    "Liar, lawyer" = This further ties into the earlier line referencing the term "kangaroo court".
    "Mirror, show me what's the difference?" = Reference to Snow White and the queen's magic mirror. The queen would request the mirror to show her who the greatest one of all was. Here, the person is saying that all are equal: no one is better than any other.
    "Weeping shades of indigo / Shed without a reason" = The people still don't know how he became so wealthy and prideful; they know not of his wrongdoings or what he's crying over. He is crying over those wrongdoings, yet they do not know that. They cannot figure out the reason for his tears.
    "Mirror, for you what's the difference?" = A mirror has no sense of preference or bias; it simply shows what's put in front of it. It knows not what ego, stature, position, or power are; it shows anyone, no matter what part they play in society. This can be seen as the basic idea of all being equal. All are simply human.
    "Kangaroo be stoned / He's guilty as the government" = The hypocrite has been sentenced to death by stoning by the government, which is hypocritical in and of itself.The government is just as guilty as the "kangaroo courts" themselves for allowing them to happen, for not having a way of stopping them from happening.
    "Eyeballs deep in bloody waters" = His own blood has been shed from all the trouble he's built upon himself.
    "Ganja police, you must've been out 'your mind" = Ganja is a slang term for cannabis, the plant form of marijuana. Similar to the government not having a surefire way of preventing kangaroo courts, police trying to uphold the anti-marijuana laws really can't do anything to stop the drug from getting around and being used, no matter how hard they'd like to try. This could be a metaphor (again disguised as a drug reference) for the hypocrite.in that no matter how much the people tried to tell him he was no better than anyone else and that acting that way was wrong, there was no getting through to him. Sometimes there is just no way to stop certain problems though some wish they could.
  • Joe from Rogers, ArOur Government is just more batteries for Lady Liberty's dildo! The gospel is the gospel!
  • Morgan from Why?, PaKangaroo refers to the kangaroo court, which was a mock trial on people accused of using drugs. There was no real evidence used, therefore, many were innocent but hanged anyway.
    (Liar, lawyer, mirror, show me.
    What's the difference?
    kangaroo done hung the guilty with the innocent)
  • Don from Bc, MiI'd love to pick Maynard's brain on this song. I've never heard lyrics with more possibilities to the meaning - it's genius. Even far-fetched ideas fit perfectly. Chief Black Kettle was a peaceful Cheyenne Indian Chief who, like all Natives then, was given promises from the gov, had them broken, and then ultimatly was killed for calling them on it. Probably a coincidence, but it ties in perfectly with the underlying message of this song. I think an undesputable message is how shady our world leaders are. So much injustice occurs now with very little publicity or opposition. Keenan is calling them on it. We are blinded by false issues that are there to distraact us from the issues that chang us. Murder is wrong, but we make and use bombs and weapons. Drugs are horrible, but drug companies are heros for making a "normal" life possible. A democracy decides how life will be, but there is so much we aren't allowed to do that I didn't have any say in. Getting high and meditating is a CRIME, but relying on prozak, valium, vicodin, vodka, morphine, etc. is within the law. Know your neighbor, unless they are in another country - then fear them. Trust politicians and not your own silly intuition. "Help" every country less fortunate than us, if by help we mean arrogantly oppress. We can find so much wrong with almost every other country. We toss our stones around like God created America and the rest is dingleberries clinging on for the ride. We pretend to mourn when a disaster - not caused by us - harms another nation. If we did cause the disaster - it's a victory to be celebrated. I don't know what the goal of our leaders is, but we are being led on a chain blindfolded.
  • Ben from Chicago, Ilthis song is all about the hypocrisy of our war on drugs, it's neither pro nor anti pot but rather anti-anti-marijuana legislation/programs and their hypocrisy. MOst of the lyrics are straight forward here's my thoughts on the one's that aren't blatant.

    Kangaroo done hung the juror with the innocent, an alusion to a kangaroo court in which the verdict is established before the trial actually begins.

    Now you're weeping shades of cozen indigo, cozen meaning fake or attempting to deceive, thus you're weeping is something you're doing to try and deceive. Indigo could be an allusion to the concept of indigo children, which was a popular theory on children that was the typical pc idea that oh these children were just born with serious sociopathic tendencies and that these we're not to be fixed. So someone who is weeping cozened indigo is someone who is completely politically correct but only uses it to try and seem fair and kind, when in reality this is just a trick or deceipt.

  • Gorilla from Atlanta, GaChris, I believe "the whole kangaroo part" refers to a "kangaroo court". In a kangaroo court the verdict is pre-decided by the authorities and the trial is just for show. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo_court).
  • Chris from Richmond, VaI don't know if this is right, but this is what I get from this song. First off, in the beginning, i think he addresses that it is a sensitive topic for people to talk about ("Soapbox house of cards and glass so don't go tossin' your stones around"). Next, he says that you already look like a fool and that there is no way around the topic so just get it over with (Foot in mouth and head up ass, so whatcha talkin' 'bout? Difficult to dance 'round this one 'til you pull it out. boy,). I dont quite understand the whole kangaroo part, but obviously the kangaroo is the hypocrit. I think that "hung the jury" is talking about when a someone disagrees with a law and therefore creates a mistrial and the defendent may be acquitted, or at least the charges lessened. This may refer how corrupt the government is, saving those that have sway in it. This next part confuses me a little. The word 'cozened' means tricky, decietful, and red, white, and blue combined makes indigo, as well as the idea that indigo symbolizes blood and victimization. These all correlate to the idea that people are being decietfully killed or at least sneakily hidden killings are going on and that they are being committed or at least permitted by the American government (maybe Pat Tillman and all the Iraqis unfairly killed) and the lemon juice tears are backed up by the idea of lachrymology, shedding of tears through pain to make oneself a higher being(wikipedia), which tool follows. The black kettle is self-explanitory, using the metaphor about hypocricy and the 'pissing on' idea shows that it appears that the hypocrits think they are superior to maynard and those maynard defends. He even calls them a "f--king hypocrite". He asks what makes the "pot" better than the "kettle" (hypothetically). I think the "fatty fingers" part goes back to the stereotypical idea that those who are rich are fat because they are lazy and indulge themselves. I think the idea of the "weepin' shades of indigo, shed without a reason, weepin' shades of indigo" show that he believes that the "eyes" are cuts maybe and that the indigo is blood and that blood is being spilled for no reason (the war in iraq). He says "He's as guilty as the government". This is him blaming the government for everything going wrong in society. Ganja is another name for highly potent marijuana, like pot (coincidence?). So, basically, to sum it up, this song is a shot at hypocricy in the American government as well as a portrayal of Maynard's anti-war sentiments. Well, if you disagree, tell me because I'd love to hear what you have to say.
  • Dave from Ft. Lauderdale, FlOne of the songfacts states: "This song is about the drug culture in America. Everybody does it... the difference is people like Maynard admit it while police and government officials do it then accuse everybody else of it and pretend like they don't." Personally, I don't think this hits the mark. The song seems to be about pot(along with several other drugs) being illegal, while we allow and accept rampant use of alcohol, and the hypocrisy of that very fact. Just take the line: "Now you're weeping shades of cozened indigo, got lemon juice up in your eye" Indigo is a shade of dark purple, which I relate to the song 'Purple Haze' by Jimi Hendrix, which is about being high. The lemon juice being of an alcoholic beverage. So in essence, who he's speaking of was misled to believe that drinking alcohol was different from being high, but now is weeping over the truth of the matter, then adds a sarcastic remark about having lemon juice in their eye, also *explaining* the bloodshot aspect of both alcohol and marijuana. Also take the line: "Eyeballs deep in muddy waters" Muddy waters is an alcoholic beverage with lemon juice(of all things) as an ingredient. So the line is basically (again, in a sarcastic sense) calling out someone for being blinded by alcohol(and again, pointing out the bloodshot effect). And I think we all can agree that who Maynard speaks of is politicians and law-makers in general. And to sum it all up, I want to point out the line: "hung the guilty with the innocent" Meaning that because some people have committed crimes while high, everyone who gets high -innocently- is also being punished.
    Just my take on the song :)
  • Rachel from Raleigh, NcDude, this aong is about someone thinking they are so much better than Maynard, and he is like '"you must have been so high." and "you must have been out your mind." and that the person that thinks they're so much better than Maynard is out of his mind to think he is better.
  • Bk from Ft. Worth, TxI think Maynard makes some song-writing jokes(as he often does) By simulating the word jumble that comes with being so...high...you must've been
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