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.
You may now apply (you may now apply)
Your 3D glasses (your 3D glasses)
As we proceed, prepare for proceed
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000, 2000 (2000 flow)
Bass note, treble, stereo control, how low you go
Give 'em just enough to make your juices flow
Press play, don't stop, rotate, too hot
You feel I'm real
I'm everything you need, so tell me what's the deal
2000 watts, 8 ohms, 200 volts, real strong
Too much of that, fuse blown
Be careful what you say don't overload
2000 watts, 8 ohms, 200 volts, real strong
Too much of that, fuse blown
Be careful what you say don't overload
3D (we are now in 3D)
3D, high speed, feedback, Dolby
Release two or three
Can I reach? Can I can go 'til I hit my peak?
Compact steel o, chi-co, d-lo, high post lady
Shorty really want to be there for me
2000 watts, 8 ohms, 200 volts, real strong
Too much of that, fuse blown
Be careful what you say don't overload
2000 watts, 8 ohms, 200 volts, real strong
Too much of that, fuse blown
Be careful what you say don't overload
We're now prepared to take you to the next level (yeah)
2000 watts (2000) 8 ohms (alright now)
200 volts (are you ready?)
Voltage high
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000, 2000 (2000 flow)
3D, high speed, feedback, Dolby
Release two or three
Can I reach? Can I can go 'til I hit my peak?
Compact steel o, chi-co, d-lo, high post lady
Shorty really want to be there for me
2000 watts, 8 ohms, 200 volts, real strong
Too much of that, fuse blown
Be careful what you say don't overload
2000 watts, 8 ohms, 200 volts, real strong
Too much of that, fuse blown
Be careful what you say don't overload
2000 watts, 8 ohms, 200 volts, real strong
Too much of that, fuse blown
Be careful what you say don't overload
Dance (what?)
Don't you overload, baby (what?)
One
Your 3D glasses (your 3D glasses)
As we proceed, prepare for proceed
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000, 2000 (2000 flow)
Bass note, treble, stereo control, how low you go
Give 'em just enough to make your juices flow
Press play, don't stop, rotate, too hot
You feel I'm real
I'm everything you need, so tell me what's the deal
2000 watts, 8 ohms, 200 volts, real strong
Too much of that, fuse blown
Be careful what you say don't overload
2000 watts, 8 ohms, 200 volts, real strong
Too much of that, fuse blown
Be careful what you say don't overload
3D (we are now in 3D)
3D, high speed, feedback, Dolby
Release two or three
Can I reach? Can I can go 'til I hit my peak?
Compact steel o, chi-co, d-lo, high post lady
Shorty really want to be there for me
2000 watts, 8 ohms, 200 volts, real strong
Too much of that, fuse blown
Be careful what you say don't overload
2000 watts, 8 ohms, 200 volts, real strong
Too much of that, fuse blown
Be careful what you say don't overload
We're now prepared to take you to the next level (yeah)
2000 watts (2000) 8 ohms (alright now)
200 volts (are you ready?)
Voltage high
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000 watts (2000 watts)
2000, 2000 (2000 flow)
3D, high speed, feedback, Dolby
Release two or three
Can I reach? Can I can go 'til I hit my peak?
Compact steel o, chi-co, d-lo, high post lady
Shorty really want to be there for me
2000 watts, 8 ohms, 200 volts, real strong
Too much of that, fuse blown
Be careful what you say don't overload
2000 watts, 8 ohms, 200 volts, real strong
Too much of that, fuse blown
Be careful what you say don't overload
2000 watts, 8 ohms, 200 volts, real strong
Too much of that, fuse blown
Be careful what you say don't overload
Dance (what?)
Don't you overload, baby (what?)
One
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Ave Grave
Thee More Shallows
Thee More Shallows
Corpse I Fell In Love With
Gadjits, The
Gadjits, The
He reuses the verse melody from the previous album's "Dirty Little Religion", the topics of the verses are all over the place, and he packs too many words into one line (goes to show...) and too few in another (it's pretty hard to find), and rhymes "Henley Regatta" with "Persona non grata", but gets away with it all as only he could.
Step
Ministry
Ministry
Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Haha, I still can't imagine him having sang it either :)