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.
Riding in the bus down the boulevard
And the place was pretty packed (yeah!)
Couldn't find a seat so I had to stand
With the perverts in the back
It was smelling like a locker room
There was junk all over the floor
We're already packed in like sardines
But we're stopping to pick up more, look out
Another one rides the bus
Another one rides the bus
Another comes on and another comes on
Another one rides the bus
Hey, he's gonna sit by you
Another one rides the bus
There's a suitcase poking me in the ribs
There's an elbow in my ear
There's a smelly old bum standing next to me
Hasn't showered in a year
I think I'm missing a contact lens
I think my wallet's gone
And I think this bus is stopping again
To let a couple more freaks get on look out
Another one rides the bus
Another one rides the bus
Another comes on and another comes on
Another one rides the bus
Hey, he's gonna sit by you
Another one rides the bus
Another one rides the bus
Another one rides the bus ow
Another one rides the bus hey hey
Another one rides the bus hey-ey-ey-ey
The window doesn't open and the fan is broke
And my face is turning blue (yeah)
I haven't been in a crowd like this
Since I went to see the who
Well I should've got off a couple miles ago
But I couldn't get to the door
There isn't any room for me to breathe
And now we're gonna pick up more
Another one rides the bus
Another one rides the bus
Another comes on and another comes on
Another one rides the bus
Hey, he's gonna sit by you
Another one rides the bus
And the place was pretty packed (yeah!)
Couldn't find a seat so I had to stand
With the perverts in the back
It was smelling like a locker room
There was junk all over the floor
We're already packed in like sardines
But we're stopping to pick up more, look out
Another one rides the bus
Another one rides the bus
Another comes on and another comes on
Another one rides the bus
Hey, he's gonna sit by you
Another one rides the bus
There's a suitcase poking me in the ribs
There's an elbow in my ear
There's a smelly old bum standing next to me
Hasn't showered in a year
I think I'm missing a contact lens
I think my wallet's gone
And I think this bus is stopping again
To let a couple more freaks get on look out
Another one rides the bus
Another one rides the bus
Another comes on and another comes on
Another one rides the bus
Hey, he's gonna sit by you
Another one rides the bus
Another one rides the bus
Another one rides the bus ow
Another one rides the bus hey hey
Another one rides the bus hey-ey-ey-ey
The window doesn't open and the fan is broke
And my face is turning blue (yeah)
I haven't been in a crowd like this
Since I went to see the who
Well I should've got off a couple miles ago
But I couldn't get to the door
There isn't any room for me to breathe
And now we're gonna pick up more
Another one rides the bus
Another one rides the bus
Another comes on and another comes on
Another one rides the bus
Hey, he's gonna sit by you
Another one rides the bus
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
Another One Rides the Bus [Live] Lyrics as written by John Richard Deacon
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"Weird Al" didn't used to be so squeeky clean with his lyrics, because he was writing music for a college audience. He went cleaner with them when his audience expanded because he recognized that his popularity will be as much (if not more so) with children as with adults.