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.
(Huh) my grandmomma was raised on a reservation
(Huh) my great-grandmama was from a plantation
They sang songs for inspiration
They sang songs for relaxation
They sang songs to take their minds up off that
Fucked up situation
I am, yes I am, the descendant (yes, yes)
Of those folks whose backs got broke
Who fell down inside the gun smoke
(Black people) chains on their ankles and feet
I am descendants of the builders of your street
(Black people) tenders to your cotton money
I am Hip Hop
(It's heavy metal for the black people)
I am Rock and Roll (Rock and Roll, rock 'n' roll)
Been here forever
They just ain't let you know (ha)
I said, Elvis Presley ain't got no soul (huh)
Chuck Berry is Rock and Roll (damn right)
You may dig on the Rolling Stones
But they ain't come up with that style on they own (uh-uh)
Elvis Presley ain't got no soul (hell nah)
Little Richard is Rock and Roll (damn right)
You may dig on the Rolling Stones
But they ain't come up with that shit on they own (nah-ah)
Guess that's just the way shit goes
You steal my clothes and try to say they yours (yes, they do)
'Cause it's a show filled with pimps and hoes
Trying to take everything that you made or control (there they go)
Elvis Presley ain't got no soul
Bo Diddley is Rock and Roll (damn right)
You may dig on the Rolling Stones
But they ain't the first place the credit belongs
Say whoa-oh (don't take it)
Oh-we-oh (black music)
Whoa-oh (don't take it)
Oh-we-oh (black music)
Whoa-oh (Jimi Hendrix say)
Oh-we-oh (black music)
Whoa-oh (Albert King and)
Oh-we-oh (and Motown)
I ain't trying to diss
But I don't be trying to fuck with Limp Bizkit
(The fuck is on your mind?)
When I get down in my zone
I be rockin' bad brains and fishbone
I ain't tryin to slow your groove
But that ain't the way I'm trying to move
I don't turn on Korn to get it on
I be playing Jimi Hendrix 'til the dawn
That's my word is bond
Sitting up on my front lawn
Got the volume turned to ten
Playing Albert King the best again (black)
When the morning in the cooker
Got to turn on some John Lee Hooker
When I want some Rock and Roll
Go to Otis Redding to get some soul (black)
Say, James Brown got plenty of soul
James Brown like to rock and roll
He can do all the shit fo' sho'
That Elvis Presley could never know (black people)
Said, Kenny G ain't got no soul
John Coltrane is Rock and Roll (uh-huh)
You may dig on the Rolling Stones
But they could never ever rock like Nina Simone
Say whoa-oh (don't take it)
Oh-wee-oh (black music)
Whoa-oh (don't take it)
Oh-we-oh (black music)
Whoa-oh (don't take it)
Oh-we-oh (black music)
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Who am I? Huh
Get your punk ass up
Elvis Presley ain't got no soul
Jimi Hendrix is Rock and Roll
You may dig on the Rolling Stones
But everything they did they stole
Elvis Presley ain't got no soul
Bo Diddley is Rock and Roll
You may dig on the Rolling Stones
But we send their punk ass home, said
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll, Rock and Roll)
Who am I?
Say, Rock and Roll
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Get your punk ass up
Company, move
For Harlem, Fort Greene, Compton
East St. Louis, Detroit (brrap, brrap)
Chicago (brrap, brrap), Bed-stuy (brrap, brrap)
Flatbush (brrap, brrap), Brownsville (brrap, brrap)
East New York (brrap, brrap), Newark, New Jersey (brrap, brrap)
Illadelphia, Cincinatti, Atlanta the dirty south
Oaktown, get your punk ass up
9Rock and Roll for the black people0
Hi, ma
Well, that was just wonderful
(Huh) my great-grandmama was from a plantation
They sang songs for inspiration
They sang songs for relaxation
They sang songs to take their minds up off that
Fucked up situation
I am, yes I am, the descendant (yes, yes)
Of those folks whose backs got broke
Who fell down inside the gun smoke
(Black people) chains on their ankles and feet
I am descendants of the builders of your street
(Black people) tenders to your cotton money
I am Hip Hop
(It's heavy metal for the black people)
I am Rock and Roll (Rock and Roll, rock 'n' roll)
Been here forever
They just ain't let you know (ha)
I said, Elvis Presley ain't got no soul (huh)
Chuck Berry is Rock and Roll (damn right)
You may dig on the Rolling Stones
But they ain't come up with that style on they own (uh-uh)
Elvis Presley ain't got no soul (hell nah)
Little Richard is Rock and Roll (damn right)
You may dig on the Rolling Stones
But they ain't come up with that shit on they own (nah-ah)
Guess that's just the way shit goes
You steal my clothes and try to say they yours (yes, they do)
'Cause it's a show filled with pimps and hoes
Trying to take everything that you made or control (there they go)
Elvis Presley ain't got no soul
Bo Diddley is Rock and Roll (damn right)
You may dig on the Rolling Stones
But they ain't the first place the credit belongs
Say whoa-oh (don't take it)
Oh-we-oh (black music)
Whoa-oh (don't take it)
Oh-we-oh (black music)
Whoa-oh (Jimi Hendrix say)
Oh-we-oh (black music)
Whoa-oh (Albert King and)
Oh-we-oh (and Motown)
I ain't trying to diss
But I don't be trying to fuck with Limp Bizkit
(The fuck is on your mind?)
When I get down in my zone
I be rockin' bad brains and fishbone
I ain't tryin to slow your groove
But that ain't the way I'm trying to move
I don't turn on Korn to get it on
I be playing Jimi Hendrix 'til the dawn
That's my word is bond
Sitting up on my front lawn
Got the volume turned to ten
Playing Albert King the best again (black)
When the morning in the cooker
Got to turn on some John Lee Hooker
When I want some Rock and Roll
Go to Otis Redding to get some soul (black)
Say, James Brown got plenty of soul
James Brown like to rock and roll
He can do all the shit fo' sho'
That Elvis Presley could never know (black people)
Said, Kenny G ain't got no soul
John Coltrane is Rock and Roll (uh-huh)
You may dig on the Rolling Stones
But they could never ever rock like Nina Simone
Say whoa-oh (don't take it)
Oh-wee-oh (black music)
Whoa-oh (don't take it)
Oh-we-oh (black music)
Whoa-oh (don't take it)
Oh-we-oh (black music)
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Who am I? Huh
Get your punk ass up
Elvis Presley ain't got no soul
Jimi Hendrix is Rock and Roll
You may dig on the Rolling Stones
But everything they did they stole
Elvis Presley ain't got no soul
Bo Diddley is Rock and Roll
You may dig on the Rolling Stones
But we send their punk ass home, said
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll, Rock and Roll)
Who am I?
Say, Rock and Roll
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Who am I? (Rock and Roll)
Get your punk ass up
Company, move
For Harlem, Fort Greene, Compton
East St. Louis, Detroit (brrap, brrap)
Chicago (brrap, brrap), Bed-stuy (brrap, brrap)
Flatbush (brrap, brrap), Brownsville (brrap, brrap)
East New York (brrap, brrap), Newark, New Jersey (brrap, brrap)
Illadelphia, Cincinatti, Atlanta the dirty south
Oaktown, get your punk ass up
9Rock and Roll for the black people0
Hi, ma
Well, that was just wonderful
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