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.
No, no, no diggity
This is the remix remat
Brought you by Blackstreet
No diggity no doubt (one, one, one, two no diggity)
Play on, playa
She was a gold digger (no diggity, ayo, ayo, ayo, ayo)
Yo, Dre drop the verse (no, no, no)
She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene
Said 'I don't mind but what do you mean I am the one
Who will dance on the floor, in around?" (no, no, no diggity)
She said I am the one
Who will dance
On the floor in around (no, no, no diggity)
She told me her name was Billie Jean as she caused a scene
Then every head turned with eyes that dreamed of bein' the one (no diggity)
Who will dance, on the floor, in around, babe (no, no, no diggity)
People always told me, "be careful what you do
Don't go around breakin young girls' hearts"
And mama always told me, "be careful who you love
Be careful what you do, because a lie become the truth, eh"
Billie Jean is not my lover, oh
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son (no diggity, no doubt about it)
She said I am the one (gold digger, gold digger)
But the kid is not my son (I like the way you try to get slick no, no, no, no diggity)
For forty days and for forty nights I was on the scene
But who could stand when she's in demand her schemes and blames
Gonna dance, on a floor, in around (no, no, no diggity)
So take my strong advice
Just remember to always think twice (no)
Don't think twice
She told my baby imagined free and she looked at me (ah, ha)
And showed a photo of a baby cry his eyes were like mine
So we danced, on a floor, in around, baby (no, no, no diggity, no diggity)
The bridge
People always told me, "be careful what you do
Don't go around brakin' young girls' hearts"
But she she came and stood right by me and I smelled her sweet perfume (hehehe)
It happened much too soon
She called me to the room, hey yeah (no, no, no)
Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one (gold digger, gold digger)
But the kid is not my son (I like the way you try to get slick no, no, no, no diggity)
The kid is not my son
She said I am the one (gold digger, gold digger)
But the kid is not my son (I like the way you try to get slick no, no, no, no diggity)
Billie Jean is not my lover (oh no)
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one (gold digger, gold digger)
But the kid is not my son (I like the way you try to get slick no diggity, no doubt about)
She said I am the one, said I'm the one (gold digger, gold digger)
But the kid is not my son (I like the way you try to get slick no, no, no, no diggity)
No Billie, Billie, Billie Jean
Billie Jean's not my lover
Billie Jean's not my lover (like take it to the bridge)
Billie Jean's not my lover
Billie Jean's not my lover, oh no
Billie Jean's not my lover (no diggity, no doubt about)
Billie Jean's not my lover (Billie Jean, not my lover)
Billie Jean's not my lover, oh no
Billie Jean's not my lover (Billie)
Billie Jean's (gold digger, gold digger)
Not my lover(I like the way you try to get slick)
Billie Jean's not my lover (yeah, ah, yeah ah, ha)
Billie Jean's (gold digger, gold digger)
Not my lover (I like the way you try to get slick)
Billie Jean's not my lover (no, no, no, no diggity)
This is the remix remat
Brought you by Blackstreet
No diggity no doubt (one, one, one, two no diggity)
Play on, playa
She was a gold digger (no diggity, ayo, ayo, ayo, ayo)
Yo, Dre drop the verse (no, no, no)
She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene
Said 'I don't mind but what do you mean I am the one
Who will dance on the floor, in around?" (no, no, no diggity)
She said I am the one
Who will dance
On the floor in around (no, no, no diggity)
She told me her name was Billie Jean as she caused a scene
Then every head turned with eyes that dreamed of bein' the one (no diggity)
Who will dance, on the floor, in around, babe (no, no, no diggity)
People always told me, "be careful what you do
Don't go around breakin young girls' hearts"
And mama always told me, "be careful who you love
Be careful what you do, because a lie become the truth, eh"
Billie Jean is not my lover, oh
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son (no diggity, no doubt about it)
She said I am the one (gold digger, gold digger)
But the kid is not my son (I like the way you try to get slick no, no, no, no diggity)
For forty days and for forty nights I was on the scene
But who could stand when she's in demand her schemes and blames
Gonna dance, on a floor, in around (no, no, no diggity)
So take my strong advice
Just remember to always think twice (no)
Don't think twice
She told my baby imagined free and she looked at me (ah, ha)
And showed a photo of a baby cry his eyes were like mine
So we danced, on a floor, in around, baby (no, no, no diggity, no diggity)
The bridge
People always told me, "be careful what you do
Don't go around brakin' young girls' hearts"
But she she came and stood right by me and I smelled her sweet perfume (hehehe)
It happened much too soon
She called me to the room, hey yeah (no, no, no)
Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one (gold digger, gold digger)
But the kid is not my son (I like the way you try to get slick no, no, no, no diggity)
The kid is not my son
She said I am the one (gold digger, gold digger)
But the kid is not my son (I like the way you try to get slick no, no, no, no diggity)
Billie Jean is not my lover (oh no)
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one (gold digger, gold digger)
But the kid is not my son (I like the way you try to get slick no diggity, no doubt about)
She said I am the one, said I'm the one (gold digger, gold digger)
But the kid is not my son (I like the way you try to get slick no, no, no, no diggity)
No Billie, Billie, Billie Jean
Billie Jean's not my lover
Billie Jean's not my lover (like take it to the bridge)
Billie Jean's not my lover
Billie Jean's not my lover, oh no
Billie Jean's not my lover (no diggity, no doubt about)
Billie Jean's not my lover (Billie Jean, not my lover)
Billie Jean's not my lover, oh no
Billie Jean's not my lover (Billie)
Billie Jean's (gold digger, gold digger)
Not my lover(I like the way you try to get slick)
Billie Jean's not my lover (yeah, ah, yeah ah, ha)
Billie Jean's (gold digger, gold digger)
Not my lover (I like the way you try to get slick)
Billie Jean's not my lover (no, no, no, no diggity)
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Gadjits, The
He reuses the verse melody from the previous album's "Dirty Little Religion", the topics of the verses are all over the place, and he packs too many words into one line (goes to show...) and too few in another (it's pretty hard to find), and rhymes "Henley Regatta" with "Persona non grata", but gets away with it all as only he could.
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Insane Ian
Insane Ian
The way this song speaks to me🥺🥺when I sing it I feel like I relate
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Thursday
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Beat, this song will always make me think of you. Remember the good ole days of being at the Syacamore Tree? I will never forget the night you sang this and made me dance to it! We've come a long way baby!