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.
Father of mine
Tell me where have you been
You know I just closed my eyes
My whole world disappeared
Father of mine
Take me back to the day
Yeah, when I was still your golden boy
Back before you went away
I remember the blue skies
Walking the block
I loved it when you held me high
I loved to hear you talk
You would take me to the movie
You would take me to the beach
Take me to a place inside
That is so hard to reach
Father of mine
Tell me where did you go
You had the world inside your hand
But you did not seem to know
Father of mine
Tell me what do you see
When you look back at your wasted life
And you don't see me
I was ten years old
Doing all that I could
Wasn't easy for me to be a scared white boy
In a black neighborhood
Sometimes you would send me a birthday card
With a five dollar bill
Yeah, I never understood you then
And I guess I never will
Daddy gave me a name
My dad he gave me a name (then he walked away)
Daddy gave me a name (then he walked away)
My dad he gave me a name
Daddy gave me a name
Daddy gave me a name (then he walked away)
Daddy gave me a name (then he walked away)
My daddy gave me a name
Yeah, yeah, oh yeah
Father of mine
Tell me where have you been
Yeah, I just closed my eyes
And the world disappeared
Father of mine
Tell me how do you sleep
With the children you abandoned
And the wife I saw you beat
I will never be safe
I will never be sane
I will always be weird inside
I will always be lame
Now I'm a grown man
With a child of my own
And I swear I'm not going to let her know
All the pain I have known
Then he walked away
Daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away
My daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away
My daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away
My daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away (yeah)
Then he walked away (yeah)
Then he walked away (oh, yeah)
Tell me where have you been
You know I just closed my eyes
My whole world disappeared
Father of mine
Take me back to the day
Yeah, when I was still your golden boy
Back before you went away
I remember the blue skies
Walking the block
I loved it when you held me high
I loved to hear you talk
You would take me to the movie
You would take me to the beach
Take me to a place inside
That is so hard to reach
Father of mine
Tell me where did you go
You had the world inside your hand
But you did not seem to know
Father of mine
Tell me what do you see
When you look back at your wasted life
And you don't see me
I was ten years old
Doing all that I could
Wasn't easy for me to be a scared white boy
In a black neighborhood
Sometimes you would send me a birthday card
With a five dollar bill
Yeah, I never understood you then
And I guess I never will
Daddy gave me a name
My dad he gave me a name (then he walked away)
Daddy gave me a name (then he walked away)
My dad he gave me a name
Daddy gave me a name
Daddy gave me a name (then he walked away)
Daddy gave me a name (then he walked away)
My daddy gave me a name
Yeah, yeah, oh yeah
Father of mine
Tell me where have you been
Yeah, I just closed my eyes
And the world disappeared
Father of mine
Tell me how do you sleep
With the children you abandoned
And the wife I saw you beat
I will never be safe
I will never be sane
I will always be weird inside
I will always be lame
Now I'm a grown man
With a child of my own
And I swear I'm not going to let her know
All the pain I have known
Then he walked away
Daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away
My daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away
My daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away
My daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away (yeah)
Then he walked away (yeah)
Then he walked away (oh, yeah)
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
Father of Mine Lyrics as written by Craig Montoya Art Alexakis
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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