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 got myself in a masochistic hold
Why don't you let go?
Shake it off just to redirect my flow
Come on, let's go
Sit up straight, I'm on a double date
I've got to find my way into the light, heavy, middleweight
We don't stop, rock around the clock
Motor-mouthing off in front of every other road block
Come again and tell me what you're going through
Like a girl who only knew her child was due
Memories of everything of lemon trees on Mercury and
Come to me with remedies from five or six of seven seas and
You always took me with a smile when I was down
Memories of everything that blew through
Looking up into a reverse vertigo
What an undertow
Give it up, another stubborn Scorpio
Come on, let's go
Sit up straight, I'm on a double date
I've got to find my way into the light, heavy, middleweight
We don't stop, rock around the clock
Motor-mouthing off in front of every other road block
Come again and tell me what you're going through
Like a girl who only knew her child was due
To the moon, she gave another good review
Turn around and look at me, it's really, really you
Memories of everything, of lemon trees on Mercury and
Come to me with remedies from five or six of seven seas and
You always took me with a smile when I was down
Memories of everything that blew through
Sit up straight, I'm on a double date
I've got to find my way into the light, heavy, middleweight
We don't stop, rock around the clock
Motor-mouthing off in front of every other road block
Memories of everything, of lemon trees on Mercury and
Come to me with remedies from five or six of seven seas and
You always took me with a smile when I was down
Memories of everything that blew through
Memories of everything, of lemon trees on Mercury and
Come to me with remedies from five or six of seven seas and
You always took me with a smile when I was down
Memories of everything that blew through
Why don't you let go?
Shake it off just to redirect my flow
Come on, let's go
Sit up straight, I'm on a double date
I've got to find my way into the light, heavy, middleweight
We don't stop, rock around the clock
Motor-mouthing off in front of every other road block
Come again and tell me what you're going through
Like a girl who only knew her child was due
Memories of everything of lemon trees on Mercury and
Come to me with remedies from five or six of seven seas and
You always took me with a smile when I was down
Memories of everything that blew through
Looking up into a reverse vertigo
What an undertow
Give it up, another stubborn Scorpio
Come on, let's go
Sit up straight, I'm on a double date
I've got to find my way into the light, heavy, middleweight
We don't stop, rock around the clock
Motor-mouthing off in front of every other road block
Come again and tell me what you're going through
Like a girl who only knew her child was due
To the moon, she gave another good review
Turn around and look at me, it's really, really you
Memories of everything, of lemon trees on Mercury and
Come to me with remedies from five or six of seven seas and
You always took me with a smile when I was down
Memories of everything that blew through
Sit up straight, I'm on a double date
I've got to find my way into the light, heavy, middleweight
We don't stop, rock around the clock
Motor-mouthing off in front of every other road block
Memories of everything, of lemon trees on Mercury and
Come to me with remedies from five or six of seven seas and
You always took me with a smile when I was down
Memories of everything that blew through
Memories of everything, of lemon trees on Mercury and
Come to me with remedies from five or six of seven seas and
You always took me with a smile when I was down
Memories of everything that blew through
Lyrics submitted by on_a_plain_11
On Mercury Lyrics as written by John Anthony Frusciante Michael Balzary
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I totally agree with FreeofInsanity, Anthony Keidis writes words to fit in with the music, sings to make music rather than tell a story. But anyone who writes songs knows that you have to have some theme in mind or you cant even write. I reckon he is just writing about trippin, hallucinating maybe. Many many references to drugs in the song if you read them with it in mind.
We don't stop rock around the clock (E)
You always took me with a smile When I was down