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.
Yeah, dolls of voodoo all stuck with pins
One for each of us and our sins
So you lay us in a line
Push your pins they make us humble
Only you can tell in time
If we'll fall or merely stumble
But tell me, can you heal what father's done
Or fix this hole in a mother's son?
Can you heal the broken worlds within?
Can you strip away so we may start again?
Tell me, can you heal what father's done
Or cut this rope and let us run?
Just when all seems fine and I'm pain free
You jab another pin, jab another pin in me
Mirror, mirror upon the wall
Break this spell or become the doll
See you sharpening the pins
So the holes will remind us
We're just the toys in the hands of another
And in time the needles turn from shine to rust
But tell me, can you heal what father's done
Or fix this hole in a mother's son?
Can you heal the broken worlds within?
Can you strip away so we may start again?
Tell me, can you heal what father's done
Or cut this rope and let us run?
Just when all seems fine and I'm pain free
You jab another pin, jab another pin in me
Yeah, jab it
Here come the pins
Blood for face, sweat for dirt
Three X's for the stone
To break this curse a ritual due
I believe I'm not alone
Shell of shotgun, pint of gin
Numb us up to shield the pins
Renew our faith which way we can
To fall in love with life again
To fall in love with life again
To fall in love with life again
To fall in love, to fall in love
To fall in love with life again
So tell me, can you heal what father's done
Or fix this hole in mother's son?
Can you heal the broken worlds within?
Can you strip away so we may start again?
Yeah, tell me, can you heal what father's done
Or cut this rope and let us run?
Just when all seems fine and I'm pain free
Jab another pin, jab another pin in me, yeah
No more pins in me, yeah
No more, no more pins in me
No more, no more pins in me
No more, no more, no more no, no, no
One for each of us and our sins
So you lay us in a line
Push your pins they make us humble
Only you can tell in time
If we'll fall or merely stumble
But tell me, can you heal what father's done
Or fix this hole in a mother's son?
Can you heal the broken worlds within?
Can you strip away so we may start again?
Tell me, can you heal what father's done
Or cut this rope and let us run?
Just when all seems fine and I'm pain free
You jab another pin, jab another pin in me
Mirror, mirror upon the wall
Break this spell or become the doll
See you sharpening the pins
So the holes will remind us
We're just the toys in the hands of another
And in time the needles turn from shine to rust
But tell me, can you heal what father's done
Or fix this hole in a mother's son?
Can you heal the broken worlds within?
Can you strip away so we may start again?
Tell me, can you heal what father's done
Or cut this rope and let us run?
Just when all seems fine and I'm pain free
You jab another pin, jab another pin in me
Yeah, jab it
Here come the pins
Blood for face, sweat for dirt
Three X's for the stone
To break this curse a ritual due
I believe I'm not alone
Shell of shotgun, pint of gin
Numb us up to shield the pins
Renew our faith which way we can
To fall in love with life again
To fall in love with life again
To fall in love with life again
To fall in love, to fall in love
To fall in love with life again
So tell me, can you heal what father's done
Or fix this hole in mother's son?
Can you heal the broken worlds within?
Can you strip away so we may start again?
Yeah, tell me, can you heal what father's done
Or cut this rope and let us run?
Just when all seems fine and I'm pain free
Jab another pin, jab another pin in me, yeah
No more pins in me, yeah
No more, no more pins in me
No more, no more pins in me
No more, no more, no more no, no, no
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@forthelove You might be right. There are some damned bitter and angry songs on these albums.