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.
Roger:
What'd you forget?
(Mimi enters, holding a candle and looking for a match; her electricity is out, too)
Mimi:
Got a light?
Roger:
I know you? -- You're --
You're shivering
Mimi:
It's nothing
They turned off my heat
And I'm just a little
Weak on my feet
Would you light my candle?
What are you staring at?
Roger:
Nothing
Your hair in the moonlight
You look familiar
(He lights her candle. Mimi starts to leave, but stumbles)
Can you make it?
Mimi:
Just haven't eaten much today
At least the room stopped spinning.
Anyway. What?
Roger:
Nothing
Your smile reminded me of --
Mimi:
I always remind people of -- who is she?
Roger:
She died. Her name was April
(Mimi discreetly blows out the candle)
Mimi:
It's out again
Sorry about your friend
Would you light my candle?
(Roger lights the candle. They linger, awkwardly)
Roger:
Well --
Mimi:
Yeah. Ow!
Roger:
Oh, the wax -- it's --
Mimi:
Dripping! I like it -- between my --
Roger:
Fingers. I figured...
Oh, well. Goodnight.
(Rogers gestures towards the door. Mimi exits. Roger heads back toward his guitar on the table. There is another knock, which he answers)
It blew out again?
Mimi:
No -- I think that I dropped my stash
Roger:
I know I've seen you out and about
When I used to go out
Your candle's out
Mimi:
I'm illin' --
I had it when I walked in the door
It was pure --
Is it on the floor?
Roger:
The floor?
(Mimi gets down on all fours and starts searching the floor for her stash. She looks back at Roger, who is staring at her again)
Mimi:
They say I have the best ass below 14th street
Is it true?
Roger:
What?
Mimi:
You're staring again.
Roger:
Oh no.
I mean you do -- have a nice --
I mean -- You look familiar
Mimi:
Like your dead girlfriend?
Roger:
Only when you smile.
But I'm sure I've seen you somewhere else --
Mimi:
Do you go to the Cat Scratch Club?
That's where I work - I dance - help me look
Roger:
Yes!
They used to tie you up --
Mimi:
It's a living
(Mimi douses the flame again)
Roger:
I didn't recognize you
Without the handcuffs
Mimi:
We could light the candle
Oh won't you light the candle?
(Roger lights it again)
Roger:
Why don't you forget that stuff
You look like you're sixteen
Mimi:
I'm nineteen -- but I'm old for my age
I'm just born to be bad
Roger:
I once was born to be bad
I used to shiver like that
Mimi:
I have no heat -- I told you
Roger:
I used to sweat
Mimi:
I got a cold
Roger:
Uh huh
I used to be a junkie
Mimi:
But now and then I like to --
Roger:
Uh huh
Mimi:
Feel good
Roger:
Here it is -- um --
(Roger stoops and picks up a small object: Mimi's stash)
Mimi:
What's that?
Roger:
It's a candy bar wrapper
(Roger puts it behind his back and into his pocket)
Mimi:
We could light the candle
(Roger gently blows out the candle)
Mimi:
What'd you do with my candle?
Roger:
That was my last match
Mimi:
Our eyes'll adjust, thank God for the moon
Roger:
Maybe it's not the moon at all
I hear Spike Lee's shooting down the street
Mimi:
Bah humbug ... Bah humbug
(Mimi places her hand under his, pretending to do it by accident)
Roger:
Cold hands
Mimi:
Yours too.
Big. Like my father's
You wanna dance?
Roger:
With you?
Mimi:
No -- with my father
Roger:
I'm Roger
Mimi:
They call me
They call me Mimi
What'd you forget?
(Mimi enters, holding a candle and looking for a match; her electricity is out, too)
Mimi:
Got a light?
Roger:
I know you? -- You're --
You're shivering
Mimi:
It's nothing
They turned off my heat
And I'm just a little
Weak on my feet
Would you light my candle?
What are you staring at?
Roger:
Nothing
Your hair in the moonlight
You look familiar
(He lights her candle. Mimi starts to leave, but stumbles)
Can you make it?
Mimi:
Just haven't eaten much today
At least the room stopped spinning.
Anyway. What?
Roger:
Nothing
Your smile reminded me of --
Mimi:
I always remind people of -- who is she?
Roger:
She died. Her name was April
(Mimi discreetly blows out the candle)
Mimi:
It's out again
Sorry about your friend
Would you light my candle?
(Roger lights the candle. They linger, awkwardly)
Roger:
Well --
Mimi:
Yeah. Ow!
Roger:
Oh, the wax -- it's --
Mimi:
Dripping! I like it -- between my --
Roger:
Fingers. I figured...
Oh, well. Goodnight.
(Rogers gestures towards the door. Mimi exits. Roger heads back toward his guitar on the table. There is another knock, which he answers)
It blew out again?
Mimi:
No -- I think that I dropped my stash
Roger:
I know I've seen you out and about
When I used to go out
Your candle's out
Mimi:
I'm illin' --
I had it when I walked in the door
It was pure --
Is it on the floor?
Roger:
The floor?
(Mimi gets down on all fours and starts searching the floor for her stash. She looks back at Roger, who is staring at her again)
Mimi:
They say I have the best ass below 14th street
Is it true?
Roger:
What?
Mimi:
You're staring again.
Roger:
Oh no.
I mean you do -- have a nice --
I mean -- You look familiar
Mimi:
Like your dead girlfriend?
Roger:
Only when you smile.
But I'm sure I've seen you somewhere else --
Mimi:
Do you go to the Cat Scratch Club?
That's where I work - I dance - help me look
Roger:
Yes!
They used to tie you up --
Mimi:
It's a living
(Mimi douses the flame again)
Roger:
I didn't recognize you
Without the handcuffs
Mimi:
We could light the candle
Oh won't you light the candle?
(Roger lights it again)
Roger:
Why don't you forget that stuff
You look like you're sixteen
Mimi:
I'm nineteen -- but I'm old for my age
I'm just born to be bad
Roger:
I once was born to be bad
I used to shiver like that
Mimi:
I have no heat -- I told you
Roger:
I used to sweat
Mimi:
I got a cold
Roger:
Uh huh
I used to be a junkie
Mimi:
But now and then I like to --
Roger:
Uh huh
Mimi:
Feel good
Roger:
Here it is -- um --
(Roger stoops and picks up a small object: Mimi's stash)
Mimi:
What's that?
Roger:
It's a candy bar wrapper
(Roger puts it behind his back and into his pocket)
Mimi:
We could light the candle
(Roger gently blows out the candle)
Mimi:
What'd you do with my candle?
Roger:
That was my last match
Mimi:
Our eyes'll adjust, thank God for the moon
Roger:
Maybe it's not the moon at all
I hear Spike Lee's shooting down the street
Mimi:
Bah humbug ... Bah humbug
(Mimi places her hand under his, pretending to do it by accident)
Roger:
Cold hands
Mimi:
Yours too.
Big. Like my father's
You wanna dance?
Roger:
With you?
Mimi:
No -- with my father
Roger:
I'm Roger
Mimi:
They call me
They call me Mimi
Lyrics submitted by Eggos=yum
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