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.
Look down from in high places
Lift off the ground
Without a sound, yeah
We move through open spaces
The wind, it pulls
The sky gets close, yeah
Could we get much higher?
Could we get much lighter?
Navigator to heaven
Check out, did you check your heart?
This cloudless blue
This starlight night, yeah
Shoot out into the shining
That devil moon. (That devil moon)
He sings of love, yeah
Can we get much higher?
Can we get much lighter?
Navigator to heaven
The stars, so close we touch them
They seem so small
They make me wonder
Far out in formation
Five thousand moons
Floating balloons
Couldn't get much higher
Couldn't get much lighter
Navigator to heaven
Lift off the ground
Without a sound, yeah
We move through open spaces
The wind, it pulls
The sky gets close, yeah
Could we get much higher?
Could we get much lighter?
Navigator to heaven
Check out, did you check your heart?
This cloudless blue
This starlight night, yeah
Shoot out into the shining
That devil moon. (That devil moon)
He sings of love, yeah
Can we get much higher?
Can we get much lighter?
Navigator to heaven
The stars, so close we touch them
They seem so small
They make me wonder
Far out in formation
Five thousand moons
Floating balloons
Couldn't get much higher
Couldn't get much lighter
Navigator to heaven
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@swellowl The truth is a lot more simple, as is the song. Mike has a pilots license and the song is simply describing his feelings when flying.