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.
Wake up everyone! It's not too late
To save the remnants of our hearts,
So stop giving up our last shot at love,
Our only chance to find the meaning of
The beat beneath the blood
We laugh at honor and are shocked to
Find knives in our backs
We follow those who cheat and steal
Men without chests are making a comeback
Our only compass smashed under our own heels
Reason abandoned to appetites and addicts arms
Shotguns and silence have always been the best of charms
Wake up everyone! it's not too late
To save the remnants of our hearts
So stop giving up our last shot at love
Our only chance to find the meaning of
The beat beneath the blood
We laugh at honor and are shocked to
Find knives in our backs
We champion those who cheat and steal
Men without chests are making a comeback
Our only compass smashed under our own heels, under our iron will
The abolition of man is within the reach of science
But are we so far gone that we'll try it?
To save the remnants of our hearts,
So stop giving up our last shot at love,
Our only chance to find the meaning of
The beat beneath the blood
We laugh at honor and are shocked to
Find knives in our backs
We follow those who cheat and steal
Men without chests are making a comeback
Our only compass smashed under our own heels
Reason abandoned to appetites and addicts arms
Shotguns and silence have always been the best of charms
Wake up everyone! it's not too late
To save the remnants of our hearts
So stop giving up our last shot at love
Our only chance to find the meaning of
The beat beneath the blood
We laugh at honor and are shocked to
Find knives in our backs
We champion those who cheat and steal
Men without chests are making a comeback
Our only compass smashed under our own heels, under our iron will
The abolition of man is within the reach of science
But are we so far gone that we'll try it?
Lyrics submitted by ruben, edited by as.I.fall.up
The Abolition of Man Lyrics as written by Edward Carrington Breckenridge Dustin Michael Kensrue
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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!
anyone who wants to know what this song's about, read CS Lewis' essay "Abolition of Man"(you can google it to read free online)--it's a bit wordy, especially the first chapters--but once you get through it, it begins to make sense. I personally don't like how Lewis took a neutral stance, but it's still a solid truth behind the view on subjectivity/objectivity and the need for it... without God, one could not know anything, as Christ said "I am the way, the truth, and the light"---if it weren't for truth, you wouldn't know error---if it weren't for light, you wouldn't know darkness... God Bless