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.
They got a mirror full of 'caine in the bathroom
Because nobody here knows when to stop
For now we're just making out with the door unlocked
Back in the atrium the music's slowing down
The party's thinning out for the late crowd
Fixes her lipstick, fixes his belt
The coast is clear as he walks out
She whispers, you get what you pay for
We could cost a lot.
You get what you pay for
And we do it for the taste of a good high
We do it for the sake of a hot night
The man on the couch in the blue room
With everyone stoned and talking at once
With no thought to where they've been
What they could've done
She sits down beside him
Without a hint of shame
Because every thing's the same in it's own way
Kisses her man's cheek
Her hunter eyes lock on her prey
She signals, you get what you pay for
And we could play a lot
You get what you pay for
But you do it for the taste of a good high
You do it for the sake of a hot night
She senses the mirror in him
For one irresistible kiss
And the lie that she hangs on his neck
Like a sliver chain to her whim
Pull him into the mirror
There's a mirror full of 'caine in the bathroom
Because nobody here knows when to stop
And their hands along the rail
Seems he hangs out here a lot
Because nobody here knows when to stop
For now we're just making out with the door unlocked
Back in the atrium the music's slowing down
The party's thinning out for the late crowd
Fixes her lipstick, fixes his belt
The coast is clear as he walks out
She whispers, you get what you pay for
We could cost a lot.
You get what you pay for
And we do it for the taste of a good high
We do it for the sake of a hot night
The man on the couch in the blue room
With everyone stoned and talking at once
With no thought to where they've been
What they could've done
She sits down beside him
Without a hint of shame
Because every thing's the same in it's own way
Kisses her man's cheek
Her hunter eyes lock on her prey
She signals, you get what you pay for
And we could play a lot
You get what you pay for
But you do it for the taste of a good high
You do it for the sake of a hot night
She senses the mirror in him
For one irresistible kiss
And the lie that she hangs on his neck
Like a sliver chain to her whim
Pull him into the mirror
There's a mirror full of 'caine in the bathroom
Because nobody here knows when to stop
And their hands along the rail
Seems he hangs out here a lot
Lyrics submitted by HellionChild
Into the Mirror Lyrics as written by Cory Micheal Murchy Alexander David Rose
Lyrics © SONGS MUSIC PUBLISHING
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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In my opinion, the song is about drugs and sex, and how they're often tied together, unfortunately. The first verse is about a woman using a man and doing whatever she can for coke while he is...not necessarily a victim, but he doesn't have the intentions of getting her high just to fuck her. For him, it is what it is. When she states, "You get what you pay for...we could cost a lot...and we do it for the taste of a good high," I think that's her way of saying if he keeps giving her coke, she'll keep sleeping with him, and that the thrill of the affair is another part of the high. The second verse is basically about her boyfriend/husband having no idea about what just happened because he's probably stoned with everyone else at the party. The second chorus is almost the same as the first, but I think it's trying to show that she's in her comfort zone and that she does this a lot. "You get what you play, boy, and we could play a lot..." The next part of the song, I think she's coming on to him and he's scared because he doesn't want to start any trouble with her boyfriend, but she's "irresistible." The "lie that she hangs on his neck" is probably something stating that her and her boyfriend are having problems or are swingers or something absolutely ridiculous that she came up with just to get some coke out of him. "Pull him into the mirror again" is related to the very first line, she's getting him to do more coke so she can do more coke as well. Then he gets so drugged up that he doesn't care about his fear anymore, and it turns to need for her. ("She senses the need in him for her irresistible kiss") I'm not 100% sure about the hand towel verse, but to me it implies that one of the two people involved in the song lives at this house where the party is, and that (I'm not sure which one) does whatever they do in this song pretty often. I could probably be COMPLETELY wrong about this song but it was entertaining to write :D
They don't even mention anyone actually DOING coke, it's just a supporting line; "they got a mirror for the 'caine in the bathroom, 'CAUSE NOBODY HERE KNOWS WHEN TO STOP." It's about lack of control and infidelity. Sure, drugs can be a part of that - but the song is about the people, not the drugs or sex.
Well, they're obviously using the drugs and sex to support the fact that the people don't have control, and the lyrics are more tied to sex than lack of control. It's easy to see that the overall theme has to do with drugs, sex, control, and betrayal.