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.
Are you listening?
Hear the money talk
Said the screeching hawks
To the hand of God
When the colors change
Hear the TV set
Say, "No one's safe"
Say, "No one's safe"
There's no more time
Now you've stolen it
You can't give it back
Every coroner
Will be playing "Taps"
And the rich will weep
Like they did before
Say, "We want more"
Say, "We want more"
They won't take it laying down
You better get ready fast
Fuck war, I said fuck gas masks
Slay, rape, kill, now it's too late
We don't want to but we have to
Uniform, uniform squad
I want to fight in the war
I want to fight in the war
I want to fight in the war
I want it
Who's up for making some more
Who's up for making some more
Who's up for making some more
Blood money?
Slay, rape, kill, now it's too late
We don't want to but we have to
Uniform, uniform squad
I want to fight in the war
Who's up for making some more
Who's up for making some more
Blood money?
Hear the money talk
Said the screeching hawks
To the hand of God
When the colors change
Hear the TV set
Say, "No one's safe"
Say, "No one's safe"
There's no more time
Now you've stolen it
You can't give it back
Every coroner
Will be playing "Taps"
And the rich will weep
Like they did before
Say, "We want more"
Say, "We want more"
They won't take it laying down
You better get ready fast
Fuck war, I said fuck gas masks
Slay, rape, kill, now it's too late
We don't want to but we have to
Uniform, uniform squad
I want to fight in the war
I want to fight in the war
I want to fight in the war
I want it
Who's up for making some more
Who's up for making some more
Who's up for making some more
Blood money?
Slay, rape, kill, now it's too late
We don't want to but we have to
Uniform, uniform squad
I want to fight in the war
Who's up for making some more
Who's up for making some more
Blood money?
Lyrics submitted by Hunter
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Thank you. I've been wanting these lyrics for a year now!
This start of this songsong is obviously about a nuclear bomb, and the rest about war;soldiers.
Conor really does an amazing job on this song. You can really tell how much he abhors war with his sarcastic "I wanna fight in the war" screams, which to me are some of his best, and most emotional. I would love to hear this song live.
Conor really does an amazing job on this song. You can really tell how much he abhors war with his sarcastic "I wanna fight in the war" screams, which to me are some of his best, and most emotional. I would love to hear this song live.
"hear the teachers say"
is "hear the TV set"
and i'm pretty sure "when the colours change" is something different as well, but i can't figure out what he's really saying
I believe that this is one of the greatest songs Conor has even written. In a way, I am more of a disappered fan than a bright eyes fan. I just greatly respect that Conor is able to write about war, the economy, and the ugliness of America. Another great aspect of Desa songs is that most of the fans cannot relate to the lyrics. I'm sick of fans that listen to bands and say "i love this band, i know exactly what the band is going through". Why is it that we have experience (or claim that we've experienced) what a band goes through in order to love them? I just love and respect Conor because of his opinions, views, and messages on war and the state of the nation.
this is my fave desa song,i think.
if you're interested in learning more about the inspiration behind this song, you should try and track down a copy of the documentary "atomic cafe". it's made up of propaganda, radio broadcasts, footage from army recruitment videos, etc. from around the end of WWII/beginning of the cold war. the quotes that are used at the beginning and end of this song are all in the movie and the movie itself is actually really interesting. i had to watch it for my u.s. history class and my friend recognized the quotes and played the song for me; it was the first desaparecidos song i had ever heard even though i've been a big bright eyes fan forever, and now i'm hooked on desaparecidos as well.
I think it's:
when it covers change hear the TV set say no one's safe sayin' no one's safe
or
when it covers change hear the TV say no one's safe sayin' no one's safe
"When the colours change" is correct. It's referencing those ridiculous Security Alert levels.