So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
Affirmative may be justified
Take from one give to another
The goal is to be unified
Take my hand be my brother
The payment silenced the masses
Sanctified by oppression
Unity took a backseat
Sliding further into regression
One, oh one,
The only way is one
One, oh one,
The only way is one
I feel angry I feel helpless
Want to change the world yeah
I feel violent I feel alone
Don't try and change my mind no
Society blind by color
Why hold down one to raise another
Discrimination now on both sides
Seeds of hate blossom further
The world is heading for mutiny
When all we want is unity
We may rise and fall, but in the end
We'll meet our fate together
One, oh one,
The only way is one
One, oh one,
The only way is one
I feel angry I feel helpless
Want to change the world yeah
I feel violent I feel alone
Don't try and change my mind no
I feel angry I feel helpless
Want to change the world yeah
I feel violent I feel alone
Don't try and change my mind no
I feel angry I feel helpless
Want to change the world yeah
I feel violent I feel alone
Don't try and change my mind no
I feel angry I feel helpless
Want to change the world yeah
I feel violent I feel alone
Don't try and change my mind
Take from one give to another
The goal is to be unified
Take my hand be my brother
The payment silenced the masses
Sanctified by oppression
Unity took a backseat
Sliding further into regression
One, oh one,
The only way is one
One, oh one,
The only way is one
I feel angry I feel helpless
Want to change the world yeah
I feel violent I feel alone
Don't try and change my mind no
Society blind by color
Why hold down one to raise another
Discrimination now on both sides
Seeds of hate blossom further
The world is heading for mutiny
When all we want is unity
We may rise and fall, but in the end
We'll meet our fate together
One, oh one,
The only way is one
One, oh one,
The only way is one
I feel angry I feel helpless
Want to change the world yeah
I feel violent I feel alone
Don't try and change my mind no
I feel angry I feel helpless
Want to change the world yeah
I feel violent I feel alone
Don't try and change my mind no
I feel angry I feel helpless
Want to change the world yeah
I feel violent I feel alone
Don't try and change my mind no
I feel angry I feel helpless
Want to change the world yeah
I feel violent I feel alone
Don't try and change my mind
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It's mostly about racism and how screwed up our response to it is.
"Affirmative may be justified take from one give to another"
Affirmative action... which ends up taking from someone more qualified and giving to someone just b/c they're a minority.
"The goal is to be unified take my hand be my brother"
Right... but our current path won't unify us (Unity took a back seat sliding further in regression).
"Society blind by color why hold down one to raise another "
Obvious reference to racism...
"Discrimination now on both sides seeds of hate blossom further"
But now racism isn't just whites hating blacks, there's racism on all sides.
"We may rise and fall, but in the end we meet our fate together"
Increasing hatred is just going to hurt everyone in the end.