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.
(Oh no)
As he came into the window
Was a sound of a crescendo
He came into her apartment
Left the bloodstains on the carpet
She was sitting at the table
He could see she was unable
So she ran into the bedroom
She was struck down
It was her doom
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
Would you tell us that you're okay?
There's a sign at a window
That he struck you
A crescendo, Annie
Came into her apartment
Left the bloodstains on the carpet
And then you ran into the bedroom
You were struck down, it was your doom
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
You've been hit by
You've been struck by
A smooth criminal
So they came into the outway
It was Sunday, but a black day
I could make a salutation
Sounding heartbeat, intimidation
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
Would you tell us that you're okay?
There's a sign at a window
That he struck you
A crescendo, Annie
Came into her apartment
Left the bloodstains on the carpet
And then you ran into the bedroom
You were struck down, it was your doom
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
You've been hit by
You've been struck by
A smooth criminal
Annie, are you okay? (Oh no)
Would you tell us that you're okay? (Oh no)
There's a sign at a window (oh no)
That he struck you
A crescendo, Annie (oh no)
Came into her apartment (oh no)
Left the bloodstains on the carpet (oh no)
And then you ran into the bedroom (oh no)
You were struck down, it was your doom
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
As he came into the window
Was a sound of a crescendo
He came into her apartment
Left the bloodstains on the carpet
She was sitting at the table
He could see she was unable
So she ran into the bedroom
She was struck down
It was her doom
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
Would you tell us that you're okay?
There's a sign at a window
That he struck you
A crescendo, Annie
Came into her apartment
Left the bloodstains on the carpet
And then you ran into the bedroom
You were struck down, it was your doom
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
You've been hit by
You've been struck by
A smooth criminal
So they came into the outway
It was Sunday, but a black day
I could make a salutation
Sounding heartbeat, intimidation
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
Would you tell us that you're okay?
There's a sign at a window
That he struck you
A crescendo, Annie
Came into her apartment
Left the bloodstains on the carpet
And then you ran into the bedroom
You were struck down, it was your doom
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
You've been hit by
You've been struck by
A smooth criminal
Annie, are you okay? (Oh no)
Would you tell us that you're okay? (Oh no)
There's a sign at a window (oh no)
That he struck you
A crescendo, Annie (oh no)
Came into her apartment (oh no)
Left the bloodstains on the carpet (oh no)
And then you ran into the bedroom (oh no)
You were struck down, it was your doom
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay, you okay, you okay, Annie?
Lyrics submitted by thewhitepony33
Smooth Criminal Lyrics as written by Michael Jackson
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Wow...lots of crap going on here in the comments for this song. The meaning in pretty clear, I don't think anyone can argue against it being about a murder.
And, in my own personal opinion, AAF did an amazing job on thiis cover. MJ's original is horrible. The rhythym is all over the place and AAF really took this song to a whole new level. They did an AMAZING job on this.