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.
When I was young
I used to sleep up in the garden
Wait to sneak in
When the house grew quiet
Now that I'm grown
I can't seem to find it
There is no tall tall grass
For me to hide in
When there wasn't anywhere for me to go
I stumbled into deep love with your rock and roll
I can't believe that we were
Ever friends at all
I didn't see it
Can you forgive me?
I've been scared to say
I've lined them up to fall
And I want to change
When there wasn't anywhere for me to go
I stumbled into deep love with your rock and roll
The world outside seems to be glowing
Like a heart beating
The snow will cover everything
I used to sleep up in the garden
Wait to sneak in
When the house grew quiet
Now that I'm grown
I can't seem to find it
There is no tall tall grass
For me to hide in
When there wasn't anywhere for me to go
I stumbled into deep love with your rock and roll
I can't believe that we were
Ever friends at all
I didn't see it
Can you forgive me?
I've been scared to say
I've lined them up to fall
And I want to change
When there wasn't anywhere for me to go
I stumbled into deep love with your rock and roll
The world outside seems to be glowing
Like a heart beating
The snow will cover everything
Lyrics submitted by StuffLikeHearts
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the opening verse is strikingly reminiscient to "the difference in the shades" by bright eyes, at least to me. i hesitate to say that it could be partly inspired conor, but possibly? i know that during that early time in bright eyes' career, he was really close to Neely from TATW, so it would make sense that her nostalgia for a more innocent time, which seems apparent in this song, could be interwined with memories of conor.
"Now that I'm grown I can't seem to find it There is no tall tall grass For me to hide in"
i could be WAY off. whatever the case, it really gets me when the piano comes in on the lines "i've been scared to say ... i've lined them up to fall."