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.
Blue gene baby
Skinny white sailor, the chances were slender
The beauties were brief
Shall I mourn you decline with some Thunderbird wine
And a black handkerchief?
I miss your sad Virginia whisper
I miss the voice that called my heart
Sweet gene Vincent
Young and old and gone
Sweet gene Vincent
Who, who, who slapped john?
White face, black shirt
White socks, black shoes
Black hair, white star
Bled white, died black
Sweet gene Vincent
Let the blue roll tonight
At the sock hop ball in the union hall
Where the bop is there delight
Here come duck-tailed Danny dragging Uncanny Annie
She's tehone with the flying feet
You can break the peace daddy sickle grease
The beat is reet complete
And you jump back honey in the dungarees
Tight sweater and a pony tail
Will you guess her age when she comes back stage?
The hoodlums bite their nails
Black gloves, white frost
Black crepe, white lead
White sheet, black knight
Jet black, dead white
Sweet gene Vincent
There's one in every town
And the devil drives 'till the hearse arrives
And you lay that pistol down
Sweet gene Vincent
There's nowhere left to hide
With lazy skin and ash-tray eyes
A perforated pride
So farewell mademoiselle, knicker-bocker hotel
Farewell to money owed
But when your leg still hurts and you need more shirts
You got to get back on the road
Skinny white sailor, the chances were slender
The beauties were brief
Shall I mourn you decline with some Thunderbird wine
And a black handkerchief?
I miss your sad Virginia whisper
I miss the voice that called my heart
Sweet gene Vincent
Young and old and gone
Sweet gene Vincent
Who, who, who slapped john?
White face, black shirt
White socks, black shoes
Black hair, white star
Bled white, died black
Sweet gene Vincent
Let the blue roll tonight
At the sock hop ball in the union hall
Where the bop is there delight
Here come duck-tailed Danny dragging Uncanny Annie
She's tehone with the flying feet
You can break the peace daddy sickle grease
The beat is reet complete
And you jump back honey in the dungarees
Tight sweater and a pony tail
Will you guess her age when she comes back stage?
The hoodlums bite their nails
Black gloves, white frost
Black crepe, white lead
White sheet, black knight
Jet black, dead white
Sweet gene Vincent
There's one in every town
And the devil drives 'till the hearse arrives
And you lay that pistol down
Sweet gene Vincent
There's nowhere left to hide
With lazy skin and ash-tray eyes
A perforated pride
So farewell mademoiselle, knicker-bocker hotel
Farewell to money owed
But when your leg still hurts and you need more shirts
You got to get back on the road
Lyrics submitted by twotonepoet
Sweet Gene Vincent [Live] Lyrics as written by Ian Robins Dury Charles Jeremy Jankel
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
Gene Vincent was from Norfolk, Virginia and enlisted in the US Navy - hence the reference to the "Skinny White Sailor" with the "Virginia whisper".
"Who slapped John" was Dury's favourite Gene Vincent song.