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.
Lying like needles on forest earth
Euphoric rush trees bend to pray for us
I'm sputtering like cold machines?
Late for the birth ritual
Ritual
Ritual
Ritual
You can drive my tail to watch the circus
A birth ritual, a birth of idiots
Now I woke up blessed and good strives for heartache
Marked for the death ritual
Ritual
Ritual
As you start the song and face this garden
I light a cigarette before the execution
Now you see your crime for every miracle
Add another drug at every birth ritual
I took the drug to make me stay
And now everything dies in shyness
The snake retreats admits defeat
And waits for the birth ritual
Ritual
Ritual
As you start the song and face this garden
I light a cigarette before the execution
Now you see your crime for every miracle
Add another drug at every birth ritual
Shining light
Child's highs
Mark his sides
Bright until the newness wears off
As you start the song and face this garden?
I light a cigarette before the execution
Now you see your crime for every miracle
Add another drug at every birth ritual
Ritual
Ritual
Ritual
Euphoric rush trees bend to pray for us
I'm sputtering like cold machines?
Late for the birth ritual
Ritual
Ritual
Ritual
You can drive my tail to watch the circus
A birth ritual, a birth of idiots
Now I woke up blessed and good strives for heartache
Marked for the death ritual
Ritual
Ritual
As you start the song and face this garden
I light a cigarette before the execution
Now you see your crime for every miracle
Add another drug at every birth ritual
I took the drug to make me stay
And now everything dies in shyness
The snake retreats admits defeat
And waits for the birth ritual
Ritual
Ritual
As you start the song and face this garden
I light a cigarette before the execution
Now you see your crime for every miracle
Add another drug at every birth ritual
Shining light
Child's highs
Mark his sides
Bright until the newness wears off
As you start the song and face this garden?
I light a cigarette before the execution
Now you see your crime for every miracle
Add another drug at every birth ritual
Ritual
Ritual
Ritual
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sorry mate but i am not getting much from this i think it may be a personal joke or personal phrase, i think he is talking about sex as a birth ritual and he is describing our culture in a disturbing way. i hate to say it but lines like 'you can drive my tail' and 'Euphoric rush', I'm sputtering it really suggests sex and then saying that we are just tools(Like cold machines) in reproduction when all that is going to happen to us is death 'And good strives for heart ache Marked for the death ritual, ritual, ritual" it seems purposely clear as mud i don't think it is made for an easy or linear interpretation