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.
I've been around the world and I wrote a million songs
It's all a bore to me
I've slept in the gutter and I've lied to the dogs
It never bothered me
The sheriff he came to with his little boys in blue
They been lookin' for me
But with my crystal sheen guitar I'm another ego star
So give it to me
Get me to the stage, it brings me home again
This is shangrila
I'm trippin' on it now, it brings me home again
This is shangrila
I look bad in shorts but most of us do
Don't let that bother me
I'm the football who is who, I don't believe in smack
So don't you die on me
Cause love is all good people need
Music sets the sick ones free
Without love no one ever grows nothing ever sings
This is shangrila
You have gathered for the feast
The bread is my body, the wine is blood
Get me to the stage, it brings me home again
This is shangrila
I'm trippin' on it now, it brings me home again
It's all a bore to me
I've slept in the gutter and I've lied to the dogs
It never bothered me
The sheriff he came to with his little boys in blue
They been lookin' for me
But with my crystal sheen guitar I'm another ego star
So give it to me
Get me to the stage, it brings me home again
This is shangrila
I'm trippin' on it now, it brings me home again
This is shangrila
I look bad in shorts but most of us do
Don't let that bother me
I'm the football who is who, I don't believe in smack
So don't you die on me
Cause love is all good people need
Music sets the sick ones free
Without love no one ever grows nothing ever sings
This is shangrila
You have gathered for the feast
The bread is my body, the wine is blood
Get me to the stage, it brings me home again
This is shangrila
I'm trippin' on it now, it brings me home again
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has a lot of different meanings.one,how Andy finds the stage his realm,and that's where he shines the most.then other parts are just ,hey,go with the flow,like the I look bad in shorts line,he's saying,so what?the don't beleive in smack,could have two meanings to it.one,trash talking,or heroin.he was a heroin addict so that might have something to do with it.RIP Andy
mother love bone kicks...too bad no one commented on any of there songs...
man i love this song- too bad this band didn't get big, but we got temple of the dog and pearl jam from it, so at least andy wood didn't die in vain...grunge blossomed basically because of him. The song is probably about how andy considered the stage his realm...follows the trend of bands having their first song on a major album be about their dedication to rockin. (hit the lights, we die young, its a long way to the top if ya wanna rock and roll, etc...)
Definitely think your right about the stage part. But We Die Young has nothing to do with rocking out-Jerry wrote it after seeing kids who were like 13 dealing drugs.
you missed a bit. its "an' I don' believe in smack or crack so dont you die on me babe"
This is mainly what everyone else is saying but, Shangri-La is the name of a Chinese place thats similar to the Garden of Eden, or somthing alone those lines. So what he's saying that his Heaven on Earth or his perfect place is up on stage doing his thing he doesn't care what people think and all the crap he's gone through is suddenly all worth it.
Good song, Mother Love Bone was best live, explaining this song. Andy Wood felt being on stage was Shangri-La, The Garden of Eden, simply, Heaven on Earth.
the stage was heaven to mr. wood, cleary. he was certainly at home there. btw, that riff and the solo are both thanks to a mr. stone gossard. he and andy were a real dream team...
I think it is about how basic things such as the feeling he gets playing music are what satisfy him. Traveling the world and writing a million songs was boring, but simply being on stage and expressing himself was what completed him, rather than the hype of the outside factors of touring or the music industry.
It's "no one ever grows, nothin' will ever sing." Listen closely.