I talked to Ryan about this song after a concert backstage and this is what he swore to me in deepest secrecy. I confirmed it online from what he said. Rosebud, as defined by wikipedia: "Rosebud is a slang term for a prolapsed rectum, as a result of extreme sexual activity involving the anus and rectum." Obviously this occurs from "being shipwrecked up on the Ohio" (i.e. performing too many Cleveland steamers"). So no, its not about Charles Foster Kane or Jerry's guitar, its about someone Ryan was in love with who had a prolapsed rectum and although he has a picture of his lover's "rosebud" he wants to him/her back.
I talked to Ryan about this song after a concert backstage and this is what he swore to me in deepest secrecy. I confirmed it online from what he said. Rosebud, as defined by wikipedia: "Rosebud is a slang term for a prolapsed rectum, as a result of extreme sexual activity involving the anus and rectum." Obviously this occurs from "being shipwrecked up on the Ohio" (i.e. performing too many Cleveland steamers"). So no, its not about Charles Foster Kane or Jerry's guitar, its about someone Ryan was in love with who had a prolapsed rectum and although he has a picture of his lover's "rosebud" he wants to him/her back.