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.
A little boy, alone, he relies on fairytales.
And the moon is his castle late tonight.
Smiling down upon our war,
It's funny when
you're far away.
But Mr. Moon why you laughing at me?
You cannot blame us for lying to you.
You cannot blame us for crying to you.
Why you laughing at me, Mr. Moon?
The wiser man roams the world.
Looks back upon his days
The moon is a wonder late tonight.
Smiling from above our world
It's easy when you're far away.
But Mr. Moon why you laughing at me?
You cannot blame us for lying to you.
You cannot blame us for crying to you.
Why you laughing at me, Mr. Moon?
You don't need me.
You don't want me.
Leave me be while I sleep.
You cannot blame us for lying to you.
And you run away, you run away.
Daytime.
But, the night just brings us back together.
You cannot blame us for crying to you no, no.
It's time we laughed at you, Mr. Moon.
And the moon is his castle late tonight.
Smiling down upon our war,
It's funny when
you're far away.
But Mr. Moon why you laughing at me?
You cannot blame us for lying to you.
You cannot blame us for crying to you.
Why you laughing at me, Mr. Moon?
The wiser man roams the world.
Looks back upon his days
The moon is a wonder late tonight.
Smiling from above our world
It's easy when you're far away.
But Mr. Moon why you laughing at me?
You cannot blame us for lying to you.
You cannot blame us for crying to you.
Why you laughing at me, Mr. Moon?
You don't need me.
You don't want me.
Leave me be while I sleep.
You cannot blame us for lying to you.
And you run away, you run away.
Daytime.
But, the night just brings us back together.
You cannot blame us for crying to you no, no.
It's time we laughed at you, Mr. Moon.
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Even thoug marc may have said it is political i can't really believe that such a beautiful song to be about something political. Personally i think the song is about being in destress in a real bad situation and just falling to your knees looking to the sky and asking why me why me??? I think you could easily chang e Mr. Moon to God. No matter how hard you try to get ahead in life something brings you back down. The tail end of the song says it all:
it's time we laughed at you mr. moon
it is time that we got ahead for a change!