I know that a lot of people are posting interpretations, here's my 8 cents. I think this song is about someone who dropped acid, had an INSANE trip and then is relating it to a doctor. Fine, that's the basic, but the MEANING of the song goes deeper. I think that the name "rosetta stoned" points it out. The rosetta stone was a gift that could be used to unlock many secrets, but adding the "d" and the drug reference demeans what it is, or in this case, how it was used. LSD is a tool for some people, and I think this song is about wasting gifts. The guy in this song obviously had no idea what was going on, thought his visions were real and important, but just sounds crazy.

I like this idea.

I think it's also about knowledge and truth and the difficulties (or impossibility) of communicating what you know to be true to someone else. All we have is information, so much of it, and truth is harder to come by because we are all locked in our individual selves, handicapped by the limitations of language.

Yeah, but I think an aspect of how pathetic the guy is gets represented to kind of play on the "come on, dumbass, don't just FUCK with this stuff. you're fucking with a GIFT" when he says "see my heart is racing, cuz this shit never happens to me...it must be my lucky day" its just like ok this guy is focusing on an experience that is so LIMITED compared to what it could have been, and the simple rush of tripping is all he got out of it, not the MESSAGE from tripping (aliens...)

I see where you're going but I'm not sure the Rosetta Stone was a gift...thought it was discovered by French Troops? I don't know all the specific history so could be wrong, but I like alot of what you said it gave alittle direction to my own interrpretation.

Well I mean gift as in like the royal "gift from god" type thing

Adding the "D" at the end to make it "Stoned" just makes it all the more hilarious.

This song is Tool having as much fun as I've heard them having on an album. Really good to hear.

And yes, there is a whole lot going on in the song as far as messages and concepts. We could be interpreting this one for a long time.

This interpretation reminds me of a quote from Maynard:

"...If somebody's going to experiment with those things they really need to educate themselves about them. People just taking the chemicals and diving in without having any kind of preparation about what they're about to experience tend to have no frame of reference, so they're missing everything flying by and all these new perspectives. It's just a waste. They reach a little bit of spiritual enlightenment, but they end up going, 'Well, now I need that drug to get back there again.' The trick is to use the drugs once to get there, and maybe spend the next ten years trying to get back there without the drug."

Well off topic so I am sorry, but ObviousParadox, what movie is that line in your sig from? I cant seem to recall and its driving me mad.

The Rosetta Stone was found by Napolean's troops when he invaded Egypt back in the day. It contains a story written in (3?) different languages, and it was with this stone that we were able to decipher many of the stories that originated from the cradle of life. Not sure about you, but learning about our collective past is a pretty sweet gift. Now in the song, the person has a story to tell but no one will listen because the do not understand. They are alone and confused, trying to live their "life" until someone discovers the Rosetta Stone to decode their thoughts for them...or some variant on this theme. I like the LSD idea, but when I first heard it, I immediately thought of someone in detox after a long life of junkiedom, especially the lines "strapped down, in my bed..." and so on.

Nevermind my other post - I remember (i think). Old School, right?

I love this interpretation.

i think when he says "it's my lucky day" he sounds like he's being sacastic.

I think it's from Office Space.

Damn - you're right, I suck

-2 me

indeed it is. the more I listen to it, the desperate the story teller seems for validation of his experience, even though if you've ever heard someone relate a trip its kind of like "look that's cool man, but its YOUR deal, YOUR experience, sorry I can't empathize" even though you may have also tripped, it can almost be frustrating, because you know the feelings/images/whatever invoked, but the trips become very personal. I mean obviously you discuss it with a group you're tripping with, but this guy doesn't seem to have anyone to kind of aid in that "relate your experience as its happening" thing (i don't want to be alone when I tell this story).

I still don’t understand why we must pull everything apart when it comes to lyrics. Take as you want it to be. If you are just posting what you want it to be, then I understand. But some posts on this board are just trying to stick it to something specific. I don’t like that...

Story of my life man....story of my life.

Wasted gifts and shat upon beds.

^^^

lol. What the hell....

Fantastic.......
But the tune has so many levels.....

all us brothers should get to gether and have sex

exactly...man

Wow good thinking, i totally agree paradox.

yea dude I think thats pretty good thought really. It seems like lipan, keys, rosetta, to me they all sound like their supposed to be together they fit together perfectly exactly how they were put on there. I mean think of that with some hallucinogens dude, that shit would be awesome!!! Lipan would become your favorite song, people hate it because their not listening to it in the right consciousness. LIstening to it normal will have no effect but alil psychedelic swirl and a tiny pinch of magic dust and that song could send you to another atmosphere if you let it im sure. THe blame hofmann track seems like it should be after rStoned though to me it seems as though after that whacked out encounter with ET and being the chosen one to deliver the message. Seems like after that someone might have taken the "tripper" to the doctor and on keys you can hear this guy at the end likes hes breathing really hard or weird like and their trying to get him to talk, your in a safe place all that. I dunno 1 thing is for sure, next time my third eye gets an ol squeegeeeeeeing you can bet your fucking ass my copy of 10k days will be with me. Nice theory though bro I like your style.

Personally, I liked this song least of all on 10,000 Days when I fisrt started listening to the new album. Gradually, it has elevated itself to one of the top spots in my heart. There are so many layers of things going on in this song. The switching time signatures and the relentless nature of the song just mesmerizes me. I think it's just a song about a bad trip, whether real or imagined, and a wasted opportunity. But I absolutely love the musicianship exemplified on this song. Believe it or not, I think it might be one of their best ever.

"I think it's just a song about a bad trip, whether real or imagined, and a wasted opportunity. But I absolutely love the musicianship exemplified on this song. Believe it or not, I think it might be one of their best ever."

Well ive ate alot of mixed psychedelics over the years research chemicals ordered off the net and all kinds of tom foolery and have never EVER been on a trip to the outer realms of the universe where I was talking to ET or nothing. I would not say it was a bad trip, but rather an EPIC out of this world, third dimension trip, best trip ever. Maybe the wasted oppurtunity hes talking about is he forgot to bring his pen therefore the oppurtunity was wasted because he couldnt remember the message he was supposed to deliver. Just a thought.

Yes....I agree with you.

Again, as in my other post (I'm really new here) indicates, I like to try to interpret the songs at face value. I think they more or less mean what they say, unless otherwise is stated by the author. And this song, taken at face value seems to be about a guy who was abducted by aliens, given a message that was to serve as a warning to humanity, but forgot his pen and failed to write any of it down (typical).

He seems to be concerned that it ISN'T a drug induced

"Fuck me / It's gotta be / the Deadhead Chemistry"

trip (Kripy Kremes and Sudafed notwithstanding), and he seems very concerned that he has failed to do what they told him to do (deliver the message). I also agree with the previous posts that the preceeding tracks are directly related to this song. Lost Keys is clearly the intro to this song (as I see it) in which the narrator is in a hospital ER, but can't yet talk about what happened.

When I saw them in concert in May, they opened with Lost Keys--directly into Rosetta Stoned. It kicked total ass.

Just my take on things. Going to go do something "constructive" now. Later.

Black

I disagree, because at the end of Lost Keys (Blame Hoffmann), the doctor says "What happened? Tell me everything..." Then it goes into Rosetta Stoned with "Alrighty then... Picture this if you will...", so I think it works perfectly.

As for the theory and more on topic in this thread, I really agree with the OP's theory. I think it hits the nail on the head as far as I can see it. But just because people agree doesn't necessarily mean it's right, however, I do think it's more accurate, especially since the band has talked about using drugs in the incorrect way. And that quote that someone posted from Maynard works perfectly with the idea also in my opinion.