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.
Acoustic Guitar
I'm gonna make you a star
Get your picture all over the world
Acoustic Guitar
You can have your own car
Just bring me back my girl
She always loved the sound of your strum
You made her think, maybe, I wasn't so dumb
She tends to faint at the sound of a drum
'Cause she's focused and planned, maybe she'll come
Acoustic Guitar, how lovely you are
With your inlays of mother of pearl
Be a good guitar and you could go far
Just bring me back my girl
She always said that you were the one
That could make her move her cute little bum
You understand where she's coming from
Which I obviously don't, or she wouldn't be gone
Acoustic guitar, if you think I play hard
Well you could of belonged to Steve Earle
Or Charo or GWAR, I could sell you tomorrow
So bring me back my girl
You'd better bring me back my girl
I'm gonna make you a star
Get your picture all over the world
Acoustic Guitar
You can have your own car
Just bring me back my girl
She always loved the sound of your strum
You made her think, maybe, I wasn't so dumb
She tends to faint at the sound of a drum
'Cause she's focused and planned, maybe she'll come
Acoustic Guitar, how lovely you are
With your inlays of mother of pearl
Be a good guitar and you could go far
Just bring me back my girl
She always said that you were the one
That could make her move her cute little bum
You understand where she's coming from
Which I obviously don't, or she wouldn't be gone
Acoustic guitar, if you think I play hard
Well you could of belonged to Steve Earle
Or Charo or GWAR, I could sell you tomorrow
So bring me back my girl
You'd better bring me back my girl
Lyrics submitted by Yoshiidino
Acoustic Guitar Lyrics as written by Stephin Merritt
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Hey, is that a knock on Steve Earle in the last verse? Steve Earle's friggin awesome.
No, he's saying that he's not playing as hard as those guys. He's folk.