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.
Pack up
I'm straight
Enough
Oh say, say, say
Oh say, say, say
Oh say, say, say
Oh say, say, say
Oh say, say, say
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Maps
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Made off
Don't stray
Well, my kind's your kind
I'll stay the same
Pack up
Don't stray
Oh say, say, say
Oh say, say, say
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Maps
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Maps
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Maps
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Maps
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
I'm straight
Enough
Oh say, say, say
Oh say, say, say
Oh say, say, say
Oh say, say, say
Oh say, say, say
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Maps
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Made off
Don't stray
Well, my kind's your kind
I'll stay the same
Pack up
Don't stray
Oh say, say, say
Oh say, say, say
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Maps
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Maps
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Maps
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
Maps
Wait, they don't love you like I love you
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I finally understand the song!
She goes traveling ("I stray") and comes back to find that the one she loves is under the impression that someone else or other friends love him/her more than 'she' does ("but they don't like you like I love you"
the idea of travel also works with the title of the song, Maps and the way she sings it reinstates the conflict that she has with herself in that she keeps going between Maps (or getting away) and "they don't love you like I love you" (or the frustration she feels with how things have ended up between them)