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.
There is nothing that is stronger than the feeling that you get
When your eyes are wide open
There is nothing like the feeling, you can never forget
When your eyes are wide open
Daytime was a feeling but it's not over yet
Are my eyes still open?
We come a long long distance and we're never goin' back
Got my eyes wide open
I got both doors open
I got both doors open
I got the back door open
I got the screen door open.
In another time
In another place
There's a train running through
Right through the middle of the house
Have i been dreaming, or have i been sick?
Are my eyes wide open?
Do i do it like that, or do i do it like this?
Are my eyes wide open?
Wearing' out the carpet doin' tricks with her hands
She's got her eyes wide open?
Think about this, "well i already have."
I got both doors open
I got both doors open
I got the back door open
I got the screen door open.
Oh i don't understand
Oh it's not just a sound
Oh i don't understand
It doesn't matter at all
See the little girl with the eyes rolled back in her head
She got a complication but she knows it'll work out fine
Naked as a baby, talking 'bout the feeling she gets
In another time, in another place
I got both doors open
I got both doors open
I got the back door open
I got the screen door open.
Oh i don't understand
Oh it's not just a sound
Oh i don't understand
It doesn't matter at all
When your eyes are wide open
There is nothing like the feeling, you can never forget
When your eyes are wide open
Daytime was a feeling but it's not over yet
Are my eyes still open?
We come a long long distance and we're never goin' back
Got my eyes wide open
I got both doors open
I got both doors open
I got the back door open
I got the screen door open.
In another time
In another place
There's a train running through
Right through the middle of the house
Have i been dreaming, or have i been sick?
Are my eyes wide open?
Do i do it like that, or do i do it like this?
Are my eyes wide open?
Wearing' out the carpet doin' tricks with her hands
She's got her eyes wide open?
Think about this, "well i already have."
I got both doors open
I got both doors open
I got the back door open
I got the screen door open.
Oh i don't understand
Oh it's not just a sound
Oh i don't understand
It doesn't matter at all
See the little girl with the eyes rolled back in her head
She got a complication but she knows it'll work out fine
Naked as a baby, talking 'bout the feeling she gets
In another time, in another place
I got both doors open
I got both doors open
I got the back door open
I got the screen door open.
Oh i don't understand
Oh it's not just a sound
Oh i don't understand
It doesn't matter at all
Lyrics submitted by [inactive account]
Big Blue Plymouth (Eyes Wide Open) Lyrics as written by David Byrne
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Ecstasy, the feeling. Whether it is sexual, religious, or what have you. He is trying to explore the idea of being ecstatic, and figure out what it is. There is a video of Talking Heads playing this song with different videos of people in ecstasy over it. David said that he was really interested in the topic, talking about how people look so ridiculous when they are in ecstasy, but that no one really cares.