Tool...Rosetta Stoned

I dig some Tool. Great band.
This is a song I've always liked, but didn't really understand the lyrics.
Here they are. I think they are germane to topics discussed in this forum.
There are some "cuss" words. I hope the mods don't reject it.
Crank it up. It sounds better loud.

a reply to: skunkape23

I'm hopeless at working out song lyrics. So many hidden meanings and messages, when I think sometimes bands just use whatever word fits. Tool, however, are something different. There is so many underlying questions, and exquisite crafting of music that Maynard has woven in that I just can't figure it all out. Spirals! Anyway, I got to see them live a year or so back and my god it was an incredible experience.

Anyway, if Rosetta Stoned get's explained, I won't let it change or alter my enjoyment. I'll just listen and rock out and hope the new Tool album is a masterpiece of new material. (shouldn't we have had it by now????)

Speaking of cranking up Tool. Crank up these kids. (yeah, I know your expecting crap, but trust me, this is an incredible effort, so crank it right up and prepare to be amazed, I've been blown away by them ever since.)

It's a comical commentary on the type of people that tend to frequent this very site. It's a rambling conspiracy theory wrapped up in a bad trip.

The Rosetta Stone is a world changing archaeological find that allowed academics to translate Egyptian hieroglyphs, as it was written in greek as well, thus allowing us to translate an ancient language into modern tongues.

Tool is essentially poking fun at high conspiracy theorists here, by claiming to be the rosetta stone between them and you.

Oddly enough, I turned out to be the Rosetta stone between them and you, instead.

a reply to: DeadSeraph

See that makes sense. But the words just wash over me, it's all the music. But what you're saying seems to fit, it makes sense, fits so neatly. Which makes me wonder if he meant something completely different and you've just scratched the surface? Maybe he's saying (by using the word stoned instead of stone) that trying to understand everybodies key is a maddening exercise?

I'll shush now cause I just don't get lyrics well, but star for your awesome answer

Maynard and the rest of the band have been known to go camping outside of area 51 to watch for things in the sky. Mind altering substances are also often involved. Who knows maybe it inspired by a real event or not, it matters not. What matters is the point and listeners being inspired to seek out more knowledge.

Though it touches on drug fueled confusion and the inability to communicate to those around, what is going on with you/him. At the edge of overdose he has "shh.. It the bed" in more than one way. Afraid of death, unable to process thought, unable to understand what is going on, ignorance to medical terminology and processes, all while not being able to get thoughts to form words, not being able to tell the "nurse or Dr" what has happened to him.

Then, there is Maynard's twisted sense of humor. Being abducted, being told by these ET's(or whatever they are) that he is the chosen one, he must deliver the message to the people, it ALL depends on him, an unexpected messiah role thrust upon him, and he forgot his pen. He has the info to save the world but can't remember what they said.

I feel it's about him dealing with being famous and having so much influence over so many people, and how he feels unworthy of the status. He struggled with heroin, the loss of his mother, being abused, and is just as confused as everyone else, and questions why him? Why would someone who feels at times weak and powerless be seen as a powerful leader to all of his downtrodden followers.

Tool is on a level all their own. You can't just listen to one song and find understanding. You have to take the whole record as one piece of work and then put the pieces together. You then have to look at the whole discography as one piece of work, and fit those puzzle pieces together to try and gain some understanding. They as a band have been clear about their feelings toward their fans and how they want them to seek out more info. They leave clues in the hopes that minds will be opened, but not by them delivering a message directly. Everyone gains enlightenment in their own way and pace. There is no Rosetta Stone to ease that process, and they know that.