To me the song is about American hypocrisy in all its forms. One of the most glaring hypocrisies in America is our drug laws. It's OK to smoke cigarettes, OK to drink alcohol (one of the most destructive drugs in humanity if not THE most), but not OK to smoke marijuana.

The song is about hypocrisy, and marijuana is contained within that big hypocritical melting "pot" that is our nation.

The funny thing is, so many people are brainwashed into thinking that drugs are nothing but destructive to humanity. Even people on this forum... I would've thought TOOL fans would be more open minded.

I'm not saying that drugs are good, I'm just saying that they're not evil either.
People are the ones who are good or evil, not inanimate objects or substances.

If you think drugs are nothing but destructive to society, throw out all your music albums, because most of the people who made that wonderful music you all love so much.... rrreeeal f*ckin high on drugs. (isn't this a quote in a TOOL album?)

;)

Now I'm not saying thats ALL this song is about, but in my opinion it is definitely ONE of the hypocrisies MJK is talking about.

I dont really mind the population in general preferring alcohol/cigarettes to weed. It is after all, illegal. More often than not, laws make sense. Also, beer is not so bad in some cases.
It's also been hammered into our heads since we were very young that beer is good.


The problem is that so much of the population never does question why it's illegal in this country

If you fancy yourself the questioning type, you might want to question that.

Money has a lot to do with it, I'm afraid.

So yeah, I like to think of it as being about drugs at least partially. As to who it's directed at, who knows.

I like to think of Rush Limbaugh when I hear it. I also think of the millions of folks popping legally prescribed mood altering drugs everyday while frowning upon the pot users medicating themselves by other means to make it through the same tedious jobs day after day.
What truly is the difference?

Heh, Rush Limbaugh.

"Who are you to point your fatty finger at me?"

I'd like to add this guy to this list as well:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/05/kennedy.accident/index.html

SORRY MAN, YOU JUST LIKE GETTING HIGH AS MUCH AS I DO.

I don't smoke weed (seriously);(no i'm dead serious). I definitely agree that marijuana is part of the message in this song. You can't carry a bag with a plant in it down the street? Uh, is this really necessary. A person has to be held accountable for their actions and that's the bottom line. I don't care if you just ate 5 hits of acid, a choice you made led up to the stupid sh*t you're about to do. So for some old white guy to make the decision for me, whether it be about drugs or the war in iraq, it's the same wrong. Combine that with people twisting and turning the law for their own financial benefits and it becomes a circus. This album is f*ing good. It should be required listening in elementary schools.

It has POT in the title. Maybe they named it "The Pot" because radio and tv might not play a song if it was named POT. Or they would rename it like they did when Stinkfist came out. "The Pot" sounds better than just "Pot", but who knows we can only make assumptions.

In a couple more decades I'll be running for office and I'll get your pot legalized along with DMT, mushrooms, and LSD.

Tool isn't about to change a song title as a precaution for radio, they might give the radio stations permission to call it "track 1" as in the case of stinkfist.

It's about marijuana... It's about the ridiculousness of marijuana laws, and in some ways hypocrisy. In the end it's clearly heard that Maynard sings "Ganja police you must have been out your mind."

You are absolutely correct. I was drunk when i posted that bs. Sorry, going to go to "The Pot", and drop the kids off at the pool.

Ok, I doubt that it was named "The Pot" for any of these reasons. And I don't think it's solely about weed either. I think the title most likely refers to something more broad than just marijuana. Though weed is a part of this song, it's used to represent something bigger.

^^^IMO^^^

You have my vote.

I realized after posting this that we're not even in the same country, but that's irrelevant.

Idiots, Idiots, Idiots.....and not even Useful ones....

It is called The Pot because that's what calls the Kettle Black.....

How many f*cking times does this need to be explained to people????

So far the only reference to weed seems to be the lyric Ganja Police.....and my interpretation of this lyric is:

"Ganja Police!" (shouted, as if he's narking somebody out. In other words, he's saying "You must have been high on pot when you said / did whatever, you are a f*cking hypocrite....and then he's saying "Ganja Police!" as if he's shouting out to the cops and pointing at the subject of the hypocrisy. You know, like, "Hey! He's over here! The dude, who's high...on drugs. Arrest him!"

And if anybody even says something stupid like "But MJK wouldn't nark somebody out. He's too cool...." I am just going to f*cking lose it......or at leasy shake my head in pity.

Most people don't want to hear this, but alcohol is actually the #1 most damaging drug to mind (brain) AND body. Over even the "dreaded" Heroin.

Do we really need a government telling grown adults what they can and cannot put into their own bodies?

I agree that drugs should not be illegal. But, c'mon...Imagine if people used heroin to the same extent that people use alcohol. Things would get pretty fucked up, pretty quick.

Wow, things would get VERY fucked up, VERY quickly.....

Everybody would be shitting the bed...

Anyway the whole point of which drug is worse is a moot one.

Alcohol is legal and it causes MAJOR problems in our society.
Tobacco is legal and it causes MAJOR health problems and burdens the health system (but with all the revenue from tax FUCK 'EM, the smoker pays his dues and his healthcare).
Pot is illegal (in the U.S, ha, ha....in Aussie it is decriminalised...woo hoo!). Anyway, it has the potential to create MAJOR problems in society. Like schizophrenia, health problems, paranoid, fucked up, unmotivated, individuals who can't remember what they were talking about.....where was I? Ha, I remember now (only just).

Etc, etc....short term memory is just appalling.

The government will decide what is okay for you and what drugs aren't. It's their job to control us, make us conform, keep us down, etc. Most of all the government likes it's citizens to have plenty of debt so they keep turning up for work every day. They also like them to have alcohol and tobacco and gasoline (or fuel or whatever) so they can drive to work and drive places where they can consume and spend money.

If they keep you buried in enough debt and give you enough toys and consumer goods then you will spend your most productive (taxable) years NOT asking questions and NOT causing trouble. And hopefully you will also produce offspring who will also consume and will one day replace you and provide tax revenue. Which will make you somewhat redundant (because you have been replaced by a newer, younger, model), and at this point you better hope you have enough money to survive until you die, because if you don't the government won't FUCKING help you!!

Which is all very heavy, anti political type stuff. I'd love to talk more, but I have to work and help pay off my debts. And there's an even bigger TV that I need to buy, to watch people die, from a good, safe distance.....

Wow, I am awesome.

Wait....Ganja Police? Are you guys serious? The lyric sounds a lot more to me like "Catch up with lies".

Yes, Deuceman, you sure are.

Dueceman, what exactly is the point of this rant? If you really think MJK is so pro-drug-war why the hell would Bill Hicks be one of his major influences? You do know who Bill Hicks is right? http://www.billhicks.com/

Also: the only reference to weed is Ganja Police? How about "You must've been so high" To me this is a reference to the people who wrote drug laws... as in they must've been high to think they had the right to dictate to people how to live their lives, when they're probably on drugs themselves. (alcohol, prescription meds, etc.)

From what I've seen MJK seems to believe that expanding consciousness and creativity is a good thing, which includes using hallucinogens if it will help open your mind (don't forget marijuana is actually a hallucinogen). I could be wrong... prove it to me if you think I am, because everything I've seen in their lyrics and comments indicates this to me.

I agree w/ the deuceman.

I really think that "you must've been high" is like saying "you must be retarded" when making the alleged hypocritical statement.

But the subject of the hypocricy???? hmmmmmm

Condoleeza Rice...

You must have been high.

Hope that was purposeful

Could "Ganja Police" be "Not your place"? It seems to fit the hypocrisy theme of the song. If you are "eyeball deep in muddy water" it is "not your place" to be critical of someone else.

No, upon further review of the Coachella performance video, I would say he is definitely saying Ganja. As for the next word, I'm still not sure...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99tqdbxEcNI

I think the core message in this song IS in fact about the hypocrisy used today in society. If you think it isn't about this directed theme, listen to the opening line, "Who are you to point the finger....?" That to me is what makes the theme clear. I think this song has actually two references implied by the name "The Pot." The references such as, "you must've been high," give the song a predicting "boundary" of the context.

The opening line further clarifies, as posted earlier, that these government law-enforcers are being hypocritical by telling citizens that is it legally wrong for any individual to use these "officially" illegal substances. The reason being that they are intending to control the INDIVIDUAL'S (no, not just the public) MORAL standards (telling us that it is against the law to do this in our own time and disgression, even if it won't disrupt the general public); also it is hypocritical because these law-enforcers most likely used these substances when they were at a certain age.

The second implication of "The Pot" is, like others felt, is a more subliminal, in-the-basement name for a "melting pot" representing either the US, or even the world because of consumers and society's standards.

"See I think drugs have done some good things for us. I really do. And if you don't believe drugs have done good things for us, do me a favor: Go home tonight, take all your albums, all your tapes and all your CDs and burn 'em. 'Cause you know what, the musicians who made all that great music that's enhanced your lives throughout the years. Rrrrrrrreal fucking high on drugs."
-Bill Hicks, "Drugs Have Done Good Things" from Relentless, sampled in Tool - Third Eye

I was / am / will be again

No, you misunderstood me. I do not believe for a minute MJK is pro-drug-war. The opposite in fact. What I was saying is merely that if the line is "Ganja Police" then I believe it's being used in the context I described.

Which was, basically, as part of "telling the story", MJK is saying "Somebody call the Ganja Police", or whatever, "Because this guy is out of his mind" (metaphorically on drugs, 'cause the whole drug angle in this song is pure metaphor). He's not calling out "Ganja Police!" because he wants the guy busted, he's calling out because it's in the context of the song, like:

This guy is out of his fucking head (on drugs),
quick, somebody call the Ganja Police!

I could only describe it as almost a slapstick kind of lyric. Like the Marx Brothers or something with a line like, "Call this man a doctor!" Then: "Okay, you're a doctor".

It's okay. Forget about it. I know what I'm trying to say (even though nobody else does!!)

"When ya piss all over my black kettle, you musta been high" Anyone ever heard of THE POT calling the kettle black?

Yeah, that's been done, Cogito Ergo whatever......repeatedly....

I just listened to The Pot lyric OVER and OVER again about 10 times and it's "Ganja Police".....

So........be fucked.....that lyric is LOCKED IN, MOTHER FUCKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ah, OK now I get your meaning deuce. Sorry bout that.

[QUOTE=Alcawhorlick]I dont really mind the population in general preferring alcohol/cigarettes to weed. It is after all, illegal. More often than not, laws make sense. Also, beer is not so bad in some cases.[QUOTE]



http://www.drogeninfo.de/files/hempfaq.html#iii4a

check it out some time, and look into the illegality area, pot was crushed, prior to 'reefer madness' due to racism, against mexicans first and foremost, and secondly blacks. white folk werent ready for jazz music it seems.

i don't know how anyone could explain this any better. oh, and by the way, mrhubof's avatar is fucking with me!

he is speaking to euphamistic pot, in the "calling the kettle black phrase." i know you were just re-iterating what others have talked about, but good job on setting that straight in this particular thread.

i'd be more inclined to say that although the song is referring to hypocrisy as in the pot calling the kettle black, that the ganja police part isn't referring to narking someone out. i don't think mayanrd's character in that song would be doing that, but what i think he's doing is, calling for ganja police on someone who is abusing their high by being closed-minded hypocrite.

and the high could be refering to cannabis, ego, or any other potential intoxicant.

by ganja police he could be reeferring (hehehe) to
like when someone is dressed relatively unstylish and the fashion police is called to show the person how to be stylish.

the ganja police would probably be ganga enthusiasts but intelligent and unhypocritical ones (one would hope)..

i may have confused myself here. gonna have to let it go and contemplate it later on, but for now

that's my 2 cents on that

oh, and. . .

maybe.

in case you didn't see it on the other threads........

link posted below... maybe this shed's some light on the meaning.. hmmm

http://www.loompanics.com/cgi-local/...html?E+scstore

Pot Activist Railroaded By Kangaroo Court

We all know, of course, that juries are supposed to be randomly selected, not stacked with those who will agree in advance to convict.

Yet in January 2003, in San Francisco, California, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer was being anything but “random” as he carefully interviewed and sorted through 80 prospective jurors before settling on 12 – mostly out-of-towners – who appeared most likely to bring the conviction he sought against Oakland's self-styled “pot guru,” 58-year-old Ed Rosenthal.

After a two-week trial, that jury unanimously convicted Rosenthal, a world-renowned marijuana advocate, after finding as a matter of fact that he'd been growing more than 100 pot plants, conspired to cultivate marijuana, and maintained an Oakland warehouse for a growing operation. “He was painted as a major drug manufacturer,” The AP reports, “and put on little defense.”

And why did Rosenthal and his attorneys present so little defense? Because “Throughout the trial in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, (Judge) Breyer had refused all efforts by the defense to disclose to the jury that Rosenthal was growing marijuana as an 'officer' for the City of Oakland's medical marijuana program, authorized under California's Proposition 215, passed by the voters in 1996,” points out syndicated columnist Alexander Cockburn.

“Throughout the two-week trial, Rosenthal's defense team had repeatedly tried to call witnesses to testify that Rosenthal was growing medical marijuana ...acting as an agent of the City of Oakland's medical marijuana program,” confirms AP legal affairs writer David Kravets. “The judge denied those requests. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the judge twice during mid-trial appeals.”

In other words – and as usual these days – the federal courts worked to conceal as much of the truth of the case as they saw fit, to make sure the jury made only a finding of fact, without being given any chance to decide whether the federal law was being appropriately applied in Rosenthal's case.

“Within hours of finding ...Rosenthal guilty on three felony counts of conspiracy and marijuana cultivation,” columnist Cockburn relates, “a sobbing juror was overheard saying she and others jurors had been terrified that U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer would throw them in prison if they had found Rosenthal innocent, although she herself had had a strong disposition to do so.”

I didn't read the rest of the thread after I noticed the hypocracy of callin yourself such a TOOL fan when you don't even know one of the greatest/epic TOOL songs of all time Third Eye. Thats just the way I see it.