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.
Hello I'm here to invite you
To things you cannot feel
and if you push me too far
You might believe I'm real
Teeth scrape beneath the sweater
To when you hate and steal
Or do you think it better
To obsess and not reveal
I know your secret
It scrapes you way down
Everything was clean
Now everything's brown
Don't try to hide it
Know you cannot feel
What you are is something
that I won't reveal
Hello I'm here to invite you
To things you cannot feel
and if you fall apart
You'll pretend I'm not real
You can't erase what you are
So don't even try
and how can I be truthful
When everything I am is a lie
I know your secret
It scrapes you way down
Everything came clean
Now everything's brown
Don't try to hide it
When you dig to feel
When it falls apart
I hope I won't reveal
Hello, remember
Hello, remember
Hello, remember
Hello
I'm real real real
You think I'm not real
To things you cannot feel
and if you push me too far
You might believe I'm real
Teeth scrape beneath the sweater
To when you hate and steal
Or do you think it better
To obsess and not reveal
I know your secret
It scrapes you way down
Everything was clean
Now everything's brown
Don't try to hide it
Know you cannot feel
What you are is something
that I won't reveal
Hello I'm here to invite you
To things you cannot feel
and if you fall apart
You'll pretend I'm not real
You can't erase what you are
So don't even try
and how can I be truthful
When everything I am is a lie
I know your secret
It scrapes you way down
Everything came clean
Now everything's brown
Don't try to hide it
When you dig to feel
When it falls apart
I hope I won't reveal
Hello, remember
Hello, remember
Hello, remember
Hello
I'm real real real
You think I'm not real
Lyrics submitted by Catatonik
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I defiantly think its about anorexia as well! coz anorexics normally see "Ana" as a voice telling them what to do. So its like from Ana's point of view. My favorite line of the song is "how can I be truthful When everything I am is a lie" because that so somes up anorexia for me. Brilliant song.