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.
You want to suffer and show me you're angry.
Fight with your fists up or call for you mommy.
You want to suffer and show me you're angry.
Spend time alone find a stick in the basement.
Drink water and gold dust and live on impatience.
Slaughtered for weakness electric like static.
Slaughtered you're weak there's no need to speak.
You change your shoelaces.
I light firecrackers.
You step on the sparks.
You change your shoelaces,
I light firecrackers.
I shouldn't be any great inspiration,
I never got in your way.
I should never have to chase you.
I was the one who got away.
If you could feel the pain your confusion has caused me
You would have stopped before you spoke.
Listening to lies, the pain doesn't suit me.
The gift that you gave me, I put it away.
I couldn't look at it, it made me think of you.
You get in the way.
You change your shoelaces.
I light firecrackers.
You step on the sparks.
You change your shoelaces.
I light firecrackers.
Spend time alone, find a stick in the basement.
Drink water and gold dust and die of impatience.
Electric like static, and no need to speak.
It's not right, but it's not wrong.
So I wrote this song.
I wrote this song - is that what you want.
You got what you want - does it make you feel better?
With a smirk on your face and a gun at my head,
You come to my place and ask to be fed.
You change your shoelaces.
I light firecrackers.
You step on the sparks.
You change your shoelaces.
I light firecrackers.
You get in the way.
You get in the way.
You want to suffer and show me you're angry.
Fight with your fists up or call for your mommy.
You want to suffer and show me you're angry.
Fight with your fists up or call for you mommy.
You want to suffer and show me you're angry.
Spend time alone find a stick in the basement.
Drink water and gold dust and live on impatience.
Slaughtered for weakness electric like static.
Slaughtered you're weak there's no need to speak.
You change your shoelaces.
I light firecrackers.
You step on the sparks.
You change your shoelaces,
I light firecrackers.
I shouldn't be any great inspiration,
I never got in your way.
I should never have to chase you.
I was the one who got away.
If you could feel the pain your confusion has caused me
You would have stopped before you spoke.
Listening to lies, the pain doesn't suit me.
The gift that you gave me, I put it away.
I couldn't look at it, it made me think of you.
You get in the way.
You change your shoelaces.
I light firecrackers.
You step on the sparks.
You change your shoelaces.
I light firecrackers.
Spend time alone, find a stick in the basement.
Drink water and gold dust and die of impatience.
Electric like static, and no need to speak.
It's not right, but it's not wrong.
So I wrote this song.
I wrote this song - is that what you want.
You got what you want - does it make you feel better?
With a smirk on your face and a gun at my head,
You come to my place and ask to be fed.
You change your shoelaces.
I light firecrackers.
You step on the sparks.
You change your shoelaces.
I light firecrackers.
You get in the way.
You get in the way.
You want to suffer and show me you're angry.
Fight with your fists up or call for your mommy.
You want to suffer and show me you're angry.
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As for the firecrackers and shoelaces part, I think she's saying, we both do our own thing, but what you do is getting in the way of what I do.....but that's just a guess