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.
Save me from drowning in the sea
Beat me up on the beach
What a lovely holiday
There's nothing funny left to say
This somber song would drain the sun
But it won't shine until it's sung
No water running in the stream
The saddest place we've ever seen
Everything I touched was golden
Everything I loved got broken
On the road to Mandalay
Every mistake I've ever made
Has been rehashed and then replayed
As I got lost along the way
Bum bum bum ba da dum bum bum
Bum bum bum ba da dum bum bum
Bum bum bum ba da dum bum bum
Bum ba dum
There's nothing left for you to give
The truth is all that you're left with
Twenty paces then at dawn
We will die and be reborn
I like to sleep beneath the trees
Have the universe at one with me
Look down the barrel of a gun
And feel the moon replace the sun
Everything we've ever stolen
Has been lost returned or broken
No more dragons left to slay
Every mistake I've ever made
Has been rehashed and then replayed
As I got lost along the way
Bum bum bum ba da dum bum bum
Bum bum bum ba da dum bum bum
Bum bum bum ba da dum bum bum
Bum ba dum
Bum bum bum ba da dum bum bum
Ba da da da da dum bum bum
Ba da da da da dum bum bum
Bum ba dum
Save me from drowning in the sea
Beat me up on the beach
What a lovely holiday
There's nothing funny left to say
Beat me up on the beach
What a lovely holiday
There's nothing funny left to say
This somber song would drain the sun
But it won't shine until it's sung
No water running in the stream
The saddest place we've ever seen
Everything I touched was golden
Everything I loved got broken
On the road to Mandalay
Every mistake I've ever made
Has been rehashed and then replayed
As I got lost along the way
Bum bum bum ba da dum bum bum
Bum bum bum ba da dum bum bum
Bum bum bum ba da dum bum bum
Bum ba dum
There's nothing left for you to give
The truth is all that you're left with
Twenty paces then at dawn
We will die and be reborn
I like to sleep beneath the trees
Have the universe at one with me
Look down the barrel of a gun
And feel the moon replace the sun
Everything we've ever stolen
Has been lost returned or broken
No more dragons left to slay
Every mistake I've ever made
Has been rehashed and then replayed
As I got lost along the way
Bum bum bum ba da dum bum bum
Bum bum bum ba da dum bum bum
Bum bum bum ba da dum bum bum
Bum ba dum
Bum bum bum ba da dum bum bum
Ba da da da da dum bum bum
Ba da da da da dum bum bum
Bum ba dum
Save me from drowning in the sea
Beat me up on the beach
What a lovely holiday
There's nothing funny left to say
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Really, the "Everything I touched was golden, everything I loved got broken" part is so beautiful. Maybe it means that while he makes so much money and is so fameous, real love is somehow always lost. It's such a sad song with a lively melody, the contrast is perfect if you ask me. By the way, harrieparrie, I've noticed that - really the greatest songs of Robbie Williams have always not been his most famous ones. There are some genius pieces of music around his discs, but however, most people never get to hear them and can't understand his real talent :/