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.
How can you call a man a man
When you treat him like a dog?
And how can you call a man a man
When you kill him like a hog?
How can you call him an eternal soul
And grind him in the dirt?
And how can you say a fella's free
Chained down and tied to work?
She's upside down, she's broke apart
And getting worse every day
A working man's hand is the hardest card
In the whole damn deck to play
She's upside down, she's broke apart
And getting worse every day
A working man's hand is the hardest card
In the whole damn deck to play
How can you talk about equal rights
And jail the man that uses them?
How can you worship the rich man
That sees poor folks and refuses them?
How can you talk of freedom
And jail the man that talks it?
You kiss the man's ass that rides the road
And you jail the old boy that walks it
She's upside down, she's broke apart
And getting worse every day
A working man's hand is the hardest card
In the whole damn deck to play
She's upside down, she's broke apart
And getting worse every day
A working man's hand is the hardest card
In the whole damn deck to play
A working man's hand is the hardest card
In the whole damn deck to play
How can you like the United States
And kill us for unitin'?
How can you accuse us of being violent
When you start all the fightin'?
Every time we organize
You rich guys pull a fast one
Oh, we might lose many a fight
But we'll damn sure win the last one
She's upside down, she's broke apart
And getting worse every day
A working man's hand is the hardest card
In the whole damn deck to play
She's upside down, she's broke apart
And getting worse every day
A working man's hand is the hardest card
In the whole damn deck to play
A working man's hand is the hardest card
In the whole damn deck to play
When you treat him like a dog?
And how can you call a man a man
When you kill him like a hog?
How can you call him an eternal soul
And grind him in the dirt?
And how can you say a fella's free
Chained down and tied to work?
She's upside down, she's broke apart
And getting worse every day
A working man's hand is the hardest card
In the whole damn deck to play
She's upside down, she's broke apart
And getting worse every day
A working man's hand is the hardest card
In the whole damn deck to play
How can you talk about equal rights
And jail the man that uses them?
How can you worship the rich man
That sees poor folks and refuses them?
How can you talk of freedom
And jail the man that talks it?
You kiss the man's ass that rides the road
And you jail the old boy that walks it
She's upside down, she's broke apart
And getting worse every day
A working man's hand is the hardest card
In the whole damn deck to play
She's upside down, she's broke apart
And getting worse every day
A working man's hand is the hardest card
In the whole damn deck to play
A working man's hand is the hardest card
In the whole damn deck to play
How can you like the United States
And kill us for unitin'?
How can you accuse us of being violent
When you start all the fightin'?
Every time we organize
You rich guys pull a fast one
Oh, we might lose many a fight
But we'll damn sure win the last one
She's upside down, she's broke apart
And getting worse every day
A working man's hand is the hardest card
In the whole damn deck to play
She's upside down, she's broke apart
And getting worse every day
A working man's hand is the hardest card
In the whole damn deck to play
A working man's hand is the hardest card
In the whole damn deck to play
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