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.
Got a picture of your house and you're standing by the door
It's black and white and faded and it's looking pretty worn
I see the factory that I worked silhouetted in the back
The memories are gray but, man, they're really coming back
I don't need to be the king of the world
As long as I'm the hero of this little girl
Heaven isn't too far away
Closer to it every day
No matter what your friends might say
How I love the way you move and the sparkle in your eyes
There's a color deep inside them like a blue suburban sky
When I come home late at night and you're in bed asleep
I wrap my arms around you so I can feel you breath
I don't need to be a superman
As long as you will always be my biggest fan
Heaven isn't too far away
Closer to it every day
No matter what your friends might say
We'll find our way, yeah
Now the lights are going out, along the boulevard
Memories come rushing back and it makes it pretty hard
I've got nowhere left to go, no one really cares
I don't know what to do but I'm never giving up on you
Heaven isn't too far away
Closer to it every day
No matter what your friends say
I know we're gonna find a way
Heaven, oh, oh, oh
Heaven, oh, oh, oh
Heaven, it's not too far away
Oh, oh, oh, yeah
It's black and white and faded and it's looking pretty worn
I see the factory that I worked silhouetted in the back
The memories are gray but, man, they're really coming back
I don't need to be the king of the world
As long as I'm the hero of this little girl
Heaven isn't too far away
Closer to it every day
No matter what your friends might say
How I love the way you move and the sparkle in your eyes
There's a color deep inside them like a blue suburban sky
When I come home late at night and you're in bed asleep
I wrap my arms around you so I can feel you breath
I don't need to be a superman
As long as you will always be my biggest fan
Heaven isn't too far away
Closer to it every day
No matter what your friends might say
We'll find our way, yeah
Now the lights are going out, along the boulevard
Memories come rushing back and it makes it pretty hard
I've got nowhere left to go, no one really cares
I don't know what to do but I'm never giving up on you
Heaven isn't too far away
Closer to it every day
No matter what your friends say
I know we're gonna find a way
Heaven, oh, oh, oh
Heaven, oh, oh, oh
Heaven, it's not too far away
Oh, oh, oh, yeah
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