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.
Martin calls to say he's sending old electrical equipment
That's good we can always use some more electrical equipment
In the cold clear light of day down here
Everyone's a monster
That's cool with all of us
We've been past the point of help since early April
Susan and her notebook
Freehand drawings of Lon Chaney
Blueprints for geodesic domes
Recipes for cake
Yeah we're all here
Chewing our tongues off
Waiting for the fever to break
When we walk out in the sunlight we tell every we know it hurts our eyes
When the real reason we don't like it is that it makes us wonder if we're dying
And Martin's found an old trunk full of stage makeup in the basement
And he's sending it along
We can always use more makeup
Yeah more creams and powders
And Carrie's got the feeling
That the people next door
Will close in like a wolf pack
Should we make one small mistake
Yeah we're all here
Chewing our tongues off
Waiting for the fever to break
That's good we can always use some more electrical equipment
In the cold clear light of day down here
Everyone's a monster
That's cool with all of us
We've been past the point of help since early April
Susan and her notebook
Freehand drawings of Lon Chaney
Blueprints for geodesic domes
Recipes for cake
Yeah we're all here
Chewing our tongues off
Waiting for the fever to break
When we walk out in the sunlight we tell every we know it hurts our eyes
When the real reason we don't like it is that it makes us wonder if we're dying
And Martin's found an old trunk full of stage makeup in the basement
And he's sending it along
We can always use more makeup
Yeah more creams and powders
And Carrie's got the feeling
That the people next door
Will close in like a wolf pack
Should we make one small mistake
Yeah we're all here
Chewing our tongues off
Waiting for the fever to break
Lyrics submitted by I'm a Pirate
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Worth noting that, Your Belgian Things later in the album refers to the components of a meth lab that blows up, causing the events in Mole. Therefore, in addition to trading electrical equipment for meth, or electrical equipment being a code for the drug in this song, or just something to do tweeking - it could actually be part of the lab. The creams and powders might contain necessary ingredients for their recipe. Of course, crushed crystal meth is powder too.