Vicenza
05-09-2006, 12:53 AM
this track has become one of my favorites due to its many layers and the open interpretation it offers, one of which is the meaning of the song title.
i see two conflicting outcomes, one comical, one tragic. the rosetta stone as we know was used as a key for decrypting unknown hyerogliphs. the narrator can first be seen as a drugged out maniac who thinks he's just gotten access to some amazing alien secret, which he thinks makes him a human key of information - or a "rosetta stone" of sorts.
of course, though, it's all in his head, so "rosetta stoned" refers to him thinking he's this grandiose purveyor of alien information when all he is some wacked out stoner, not just stoned, but "rosetta" stoned, given what he thinks he just learned. this makes his narrative all the more comical, eating junk food, and pissing and crapping his pants in the process.
the other take is more tragic, and it's the basic possibility that this unlikeliest of characters has actually been given some powerful alien secrets which his fellow man could use to decrypt the mysteries of life - an amazing gift which the bastard's drug fueled trip has made him forget.
so he somehow ends up being abducted by aliens while on this lsd trip, and become "rosetta stoned", as in "made into a key", as the chosen one. but he ends up going mad from the impact of what he's shown, coupled with the drugs, plus his frustration of not being able to share this information.
the end to this most sad of trips is seen in "Lost Keys", strapped to a hospital bed, mad, and gasping with sorrow (i.e., in RS -"you believe me don't you? please believe just what i said" "this wasn't all in my head") at such a painfully frustrating outcome.
it ends with the doc asking him to tell him "everything". if the doc only knew what that implied...
both possibilities seem very viable and truly make this one of the best tracks on this disc.
i see two conflicting outcomes, one comical, one tragic. the rosetta stone as we know was used as a key for decrypting unknown hyerogliphs. the narrator can first be seen as a drugged out maniac who thinks he's just gotten access to some amazing alien secret, which he thinks makes him a human key of information - or a "rosetta stone" of sorts.
of course, though, it's all in his head, so "rosetta stoned" refers to him thinking he's this grandiose purveyor of alien information when all he is some wacked out stoner, not just stoned, but "rosetta" stoned, given what he thinks he just learned. this makes his narrative all the more comical, eating junk food, and pissing and crapping his pants in the process.
the other take is more tragic, and it's the basic possibility that this unlikeliest of characters has actually been given some powerful alien secrets which his fellow man could use to decrypt the mysteries of life - an amazing gift which the bastard's drug fueled trip has made him forget.
so he somehow ends up being abducted by aliens while on this lsd trip, and become "rosetta stoned", as in "made into a key", as the chosen one. but he ends up going mad from the impact of what he's shown, coupled with the drugs, plus his frustration of not being able to share this information.
the end to this most sad of trips is seen in "Lost Keys", strapped to a hospital bed, mad, and gasping with sorrow (i.e., in RS -"you believe me don't you? please believe just what i said" "this wasn't all in my head") at such a painfully frustrating outcome.
it ends with the doc asking him to tell him "everything". if the doc only knew what that implied...
both possibilities seem very viable and truly make this one of the best tracks on this disc.