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.
You don't know what you've put me through
It's okay, I've forgiven you
But in some way
Hope it fucks with you
Hope it fucks with you
That I'm okay and I've made it through
But who's to say what you're going through
I'll say no names, though I've wanted to
Isn't it strange how it seems like
Yesterday
A boy and already afraid
Locked deep inside
My place to hide
To hide from how you made me feel
And I wonder
How's your brother
Did he end up fucked up like me?
Lost in himself
Crying for help
It's safe to say
I learned to live without pride
Just a shell, with me stuck on the inside
A prison, not a place to hide
Not a place to hide
That I'm okay and I've made it through
But who's to say what you gonna do
I'll say no names, though I've wanted to
Isn't it strange how it seems like
Yesterday
A boy and already afraid
Locked deep inside
My place to hide
To hide from how you made me feel
And I wonder
How's your brother
Did he end up fucked up like me?
Lost in himself
Crying for help
It's safe to say
Yesterday
A boy and already afraid
Locked deep inside
My place to hide
To hide from how you made me feel
And I wonder
How's your brother
Did he finally pull through like me?
Finding himself
Not needing help
I'd like to say
It's okay, I've forgiven you
But in some way
Hope it fucks with you
Hope it fucks with you
That I'm okay and I've made it through
But who's to say what you're going through
I'll say no names, though I've wanted to
Isn't it strange how it seems like
Yesterday
A boy and already afraid
Locked deep inside
My place to hide
To hide from how you made me feel
And I wonder
How's your brother
Did he end up fucked up like me?
Lost in himself
Crying for help
It's safe to say
I learned to live without pride
Just a shell, with me stuck on the inside
A prison, not a place to hide
Not a place to hide
That I'm okay and I've made it through
But who's to say what you gonna do
I'll say no names, though I've wanted to
Isn't it strange how it seems like
Yesterday
A boy and already afraid
Locked deep inside
My place to hide
To hide from how you made me feel
And I wonder
How's your brother
Did he end up fucked up like me?
Lost in himself
Crying for help
It's safe to say
Yesterday
A boy and already afraid
Locked deep inside
My place to hide
To hide from how you made me feel
And I wonder
How's your brother
Did he finally pull through like me?
Finding himself
Not needing help
I'd like to say
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!
Arron Lewis is one of the best song writers of the current rock scene. Chapter V is quality but still screams to me that they are of HEAVY grunge influence, which is quality. there seems to be a theme similar to Alice in Chains, Soundgarden etc