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.
Did I drive you away?
I know what you'll say
You say, "Oh, sing one we know"
But I promise you this
I'll always look out for you
Yeah, that's what I'll do
I say, oh
I say, oh
My heart is yours
It's you that I hold on to
That's what I do
And I know I was wrong
But I won't let you down
Oh yeah, I will, yeah, I will, yes, I will
I said, oh
I cry, oh
Yeah, I saw sparks
Yeah, I saw sparks
And I saw sparks
Yeah, I saw sparks
Sing it loud
La, la, la, la, oh
La, la, la, la, oh
La, la, la, la, oh
La, la, la, la, oh
I know what you'll say
You say, "Oh, sing one we know"
But I promise you this
I'll always look out for you
Yeah, that's what I'll do
I say, oh
I say, oh
My heart is yours
It's you that I hold on to
That's what I do
And I know I was wrong
But I won't let you down
Oh yeah, I will, yeah, I will, yes, I will
I said, oh
I cry, oh
Yeah, I saw sparks
Yeah, I saw sparks
And I saw sparks
Yeah, I saw sparks
Sing it loud
La, la, la, la, oh
La, la, la, la, oh
La, la, la, la, oh
La, la, la, la, oh
Lyrics submitted by Ice, edited by heartz4hailey
Sparks Lyrics as written by Jonathan Mark Buckland Guy Rupert Berryman
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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!
I love the way the song sounds, very mellow. Now then, let's get to the interpretation:
"Did I drive you away?" "I know what you'll say" "You say, "Oh, sing one we know" Most, if not all, songs on this album are about love, so that gives an idea to the theme. A relationship is breaking apart, but his partner still stays with him in order to have something stable in her life. The "one" she wants him to sing is the way things were before the dissolution of the relationship.
"But I promise you this I'll always look out for you That's what I'll do"
However, he can tell that she's not exactly satisfied with the relationship; she's just trying to keep things as they were. He feels her pain, but promises her that whatever happens, he'll look out for her.
"My heart is yours It's you that I hold on to That's what I do"
He's also holding onto her because she has his heart and he has hers. It reminds me of the movie "Annie Hall", and how the main character justifies relationships by saying (I'm paraphrasing here) "They're crazy and irrational, but some of us need the eggs"
"And I know I was wrong But I won't let you down (Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, yeah I will, yes I will)"
He realizes that he didn't make the best decisions, but he's not just going to let her down after the relationship ended. Despite these feelings, he is still unsure of his commitment and responsibility to her.
"Yeah I saw sparks"
Yet, he still feels they can work it out, the sparks being romantic attraction. Perhaps their love isn't dead after all? Either way, this is a really good, underrated Coldplay song.