Tool: The Pot Meaning

Song Released: 2006

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The Pot Lyrics

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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. 1TOP RATED

   anonymous

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   Oct 26th, 2007 10:06pm report

   
   

   Generally speaking it is about hypocrisy.
   "Pissed all over my black kettle" and "The Pot" Referring to the saying; "pot calling the kettle black".
   
   More specifically it's about the hypocrisy of patronizing of marijuana users in the media leading towards unfair prosecution and misconceptions.
   
   "Kangaroo done hung the guilty with the innocent," refers to to a 'Kangaroo Court'.
   
   "Now you're weeping shades of cozened indigo,
   Got lemon juice up in your...EYE!" Might mean falsely criticizing and getting away with by "hiding" behind some sort of moral symbolism (e.g.; The Bible, religion, etc).
   
   The Pot might also be a play-on-words, also meaning pot or marijuana

   
   
   
   

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   anonymous

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   May 6th, 2008 5:09pm report

   
   

   I think the best part about this song lies within its vague words; it could have been about any of the things mentioned, from marijuana to opiates to politics. That is a true sign of a good artist is that he gives the audience enough to get their head around it and interpret it in their own way. Phenomenal stuff.

   
   
   
   

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   anonymous

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   Dec 21st, 2006 12:07pm report

   
   

   here's my two cents on a tiny part.
   one thing I am absolutely sure of about the lyrics of The Pot is that the lyrics "weeping shades of cozened indigo, must have got lemon juice up in your eye..." is referring to Anja--the 6th chakra--the third eye. The color that is most commonly associated to this chakra is indigo. this chakra deals mainly with enlightenment of the self. The word 'cozen' means to cheat, deceive, or trick. I'm not sure how to directly interpret that all together, but I would say that it is at least indicating hypocrisy, false enlightenment, or trying to follow through with intent to mislead others on a path of enlightenment.
   i wouldn't doubt the band, and the album artist alex grey are educated on the chakra system, along with plenty of other systems of enlightenment.

   
   
   
   

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   anonymous

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   May 26th, 5:38am report

   
   

   Many of you are right. It can relate to multiple situations but certain words or phrases act as code that reveal the meaning. Tool uses symbolism in words, if that makes sense. Cozened indigo. Cozened= deceitful. Indigo= A plant used to make a dye. The dye can be artificially reproduced using the colors red and blue then adding white. Deceitful red white blue (American flag). The government punishrd those for minor things such as smoking pot. Play on words because it's much deeper than that.The pot calling the kettle black.... They punish while being guilty themselves, in much worse ways than the people they punish. This correlates with kangaroo as in kangaroo court in which when a clear verdict could not be agreed upon they would hang the accused, guilty or innocent. Much more to this song but it would take too long to explain. I'm just trying to clarify on the more complex lyrics people have trouble understanding.

   
   
   
   

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   anonymous

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   Aug 16th, 2018 8:45pm report

   
   

   First of all, just to keep it simple, it's Glaceau, the creators of "Vitamin Water".
   House of cards and Glaceau.
   That's the simplest thing, and no one's gotten that. Not even ONE of the lyric sites! Pathetic! It's sad that I believe we should go no further than that. 1 Put your phone's down 2 Read, preferably the Bible, the Word of God, you know, BASIC INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE LEAVING EARTH!!!!! BIBLE, but WHATEVER, JUST READ!!!!!! 3 Turn the tv off 4 LOVE EVERYONE, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR FLAWS
   My question is, Maynard, beautiful, except, though He loves you, and I see Him trying to show you His grace, you won't see it. I wonder why. You know quotes from the gospel's, but I can tell you don't understand them. You may not realize this, but you are doing his work for Him. LET me give you just One example...
   You've given Him much more glory then most Christians, ha, ha, and lol.
   Just the number of times you say "JESUS" on lol.....eat the elephant, brings folks to Him.....gives Him glory.
   Jesus did say when we believe in Him, we will do greater things then He...John 14:12
   check it out!
   Keep up the good work!
   Faithful servant!
   You'll get the grace, but keep reading. It's nothing you or I could do to find it, like salvation, but if you don't keep reading, you'll never get it. Unfortunately.
   LOVE your creativity.
   Just pray it was Focused on His grace.
   LOVE you, for what it's worth, thanks.

   
   
   
   

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   anonymous

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   May 22nd, 2018 5:45pm report

   
   

   Who ever wrote the following post possesses the frightening combination of self confidence and stupidity.... Never underestimate the power of a large group of stupid people...
   
   
   convolution,( a user) are you a stupid idiot??? you’re saying tool apposes the democratic party because its built of hypocrisy??? First thing, you’re a brain washed idiot, Second: You do know tool is a democratic band right? Every single one of the members! Before you go out making you idiotic assumptions I suggest you get your facts in line.

   
   
   
   

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   anonymous

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   Apr 11th, 2017 4:21am report

   
   

   I thought I read somewhere that they were speaking about another coumtry soewhrre in Africa where the government locks a lot people up for weed. And it the soldiers who go out and arrest them. And all the soldiers smoke weed. It was years ago when I read this

   
   
   
   

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   anonymous

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   Jul 28th, 2016 7:06pm report

   
   

   I'm completely perplexed that nobody has mentioned New Orleans and hurricane Katrina. The song has allways screamed the hypocrisys of all the authority figures who neglectfully stood trading accusations and placing blame on each other instead of helping the victims. The Pot being the Lower 9th ward.

   
   
   
   

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   anonymous

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   Jun 14th, 2016 6:28pm report

   
   

   I believe tool are talking about a person in a mosh pit at one of there concerts. That was high on acid (lemon juice up in your eye) that was oblivious to message of tool and caused a ruckus. Going there to be cool and caused problems. Kangaroo juror with the innocent. As simple as that. Difficult to dance to this one till you pull it out, boy. You must of been high.

   
   
   
   

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    anonymous

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    Dec 23rd, 2015 12:07pm report

    
    

    Rob the Grave to Snow the Cradle... Anyone think he may be talking about Rob Graves from Cradle of Filth?

    
    
    
    

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    anonymous

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    Sep 21st, 2014 9:09pm report

    
    

    Love music that makes people THINK!

    
    
    
    

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    anonymous

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    Aug 22nd, 2014 8:40am report

    
    

    Jimmy Page made mention of Tool ripping off Led Zeppelin's MO in the use of sacred symbolism (see Zep IV). So here we have a lashing out at Page's hypocrisy as it is well know that Zeppelin ripped off (cozened meaning stolen) the blues (weeping Shades of cozened indigo) of Muddy Waters. Lemon Juice is mentioned in more than one Zeppelin song. It's evident if one follows through on this train of thought who the Kettle is, and who The Pot is. A scathing indictment of Page, and an admission by Tool that there is truly nothing new under the sun, only variations on a theme.

    
    
    
    

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    anonymous

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    Jun 29th, 2014 6:45pm report

    
    

    I think it's a double entendre, like they said before. Hypocrisy, drugs (weed), the government, mass misleading (media), etc.

    
    
    
    

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    anonymous

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    Mar 2nd, 2014 3:33am report

    
    

    This song is not about marijuana use nor prosecution of marijuana users. It is about the hypocrisy of New Agers or possibly a particular New Ager. Helena Blavatsky used the phrase "the muddy waters of materialism" or "materiality" multiple times in her writings.
    
    
    “…An ark destined, in a future
    not too distant, to transport the humanity of a new cycle beyond
    the vast muddy waters of the deluge of hopeless materialism.” - “The Beacon of the Unknown”
    
    "When the artificial chilly flame of modern materialism is extinguished for lack of fuel, those for whom the great hope of existence beyond the grave is a vexation, should prepare for the greatest disappointment they could possible have. For out of the deep muddy waters of materiality, a mystic force is rising. It is but the first rustling, but it is a superhuman rustling - it is supernatural only for the superstitious and ignorant! The Spirit of truth is passing now over the face of dark waters; and, in parting them, is compelling them to reveal their spiritual treasures,. and this spirit is aforce that cannot be hindered, and can never, never, be stopped."
    
    I am uncertain of the source of this quote, so I cannot say with certainty that it is authentic.
    
    
    The "weeping shades of cozened indigo" is a reference to the ancient Egyptian udjat eye, with its blue tear running downward.

    
    
    
    

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    anonymous

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    Aug 28th, 2013 8:30am report

    
    

    About the cozened indigo, its about a solution, that is blue indigo. When your eyeballs are too red because of the pot of other drugs, u put drops of that solution in your eyes to appear sober. Its a legal way to avoid problems... wheeping that cozened indigo...
    get it ? :) (I Used to put drops on my eyeballs too)

    
    
    
    

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    anonymous

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    Jan 19th, 2013 1:01am report

    
    

    I think the song points more to Politics and Weed as in the line "Who are you to wave your Finger" and "Rob the grave,to snow the cradels Then burn the Evidence Down Soapbox,house of cards and glass so dont go tossing your stones around ""Liar, lawyer,
    Mirror for ya,
    What's the difference?""He's guilty as the government".They all point to the Goverment Covering the lies and Falsenes of Religion and Other things that they hide,as well as Dope

    
    
    
    

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    anonymous

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    Dec 19th, 2011 12:28pm report

    
    

    My go at a coupe lines. Soapbox house if cards and glass don't be tossing your stones around. People used to preach on soapboxes in cities about anything and everything...house of cards sounds like a wealthy class if kings and queens being more valuable than the twos and threes. don't toss stones if you live in a glass house says the rest. Basically don't think your better and tell me I'm wrong if your standing in a pile of bullshit...... Weeping shades if cozen indigo weeping is loud and a strong emotion cozen being lies and indigo color of power. Don't cry out that your better than me if its bullshit

    
    
    
    

18.  

    anonymous

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    Nov 30th, 2011 11:26am report

    
    

    "Rob the grave" from what you put there to "Snow the cradle" cover your own crimes by replacing the truth with fake leads and then you "Burn the evidence down". Society robs the graves of the innocent to cover its own guilt and hide the truth from the generations to come. Like digging up a mass grave to burn the remains in order to hide the crime. This may also reflect that you can never entirely or forever hide the truth. Someone at some point will inevitably expose you as the hypocrite you are.
    
    "Rob the grave to snow the cradle" could also be interpreted as a child (innocence applied) being missing from the cradle (innocence/truth is not being told) so you "rob the grave" to put something in the cradle instead of the child a.k.a. you "snow the cradle" to cover up that the emperor indeed wears no clothes and thus you turn into a hypocrite.
    
    In order to go through that much effort to show to the world that you are just another hypocrite you must have been high.