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.
I'm spending my
I'm spending my days
I'm spending my
I'm spending my days
I'm spending my days
My day-mons yeah
They're taking up inside of my heart
They were trying to keep me entertained
But they were tearing me apart
Well my memory she was packing yeah
And I knew that she would never come back
She handed me a letter and then
Then she vanished in the black
And the letter said
(Things are what you make of them
Things are what you make of them
Let it be
And you know what I mean
Yeah you know what I mean
Things are what you make of them
Things are what you make of them
Let it be
And you know what I mean
Yeah you know what I mean)
Well I met up with my common sense
And I knew it by the way she stared
She said if you don't make a noise
I will never know your there
Ao I purchased me a ticket yeah
For a meeting with Jesus Christ
He shook my hand and offered me
Just this thimble of advice
He was telling me
Hello he-he-hello
Hey come on
Hello he-he-hello
Hey come on
Things are what you make of them
Things are what you make of them
Let be
Things are what you make of them
Things are what you make of them
Let be
Things are what you make of them
Things are what you make of them
You know what I mean
Yeah you know what I mean
I'm spending my days
I'm spending my
I'm spending my days
I'm spending my days
My day-mons yeah
They're taking up inside of my heart
They were trying to keep me entertained
But they were tearing me apart
Well my memory she was packing yeah
And I knew that she would never come back
She handed me a letter and then
Then she vanished in the black
And the letter said
(Things are what you make of them
Things are what you make of them
Let it be
And you know what I mean
Yeah you know what I mean
Things are what you make of them
Things are what you make of them
Let it be
And you know what I mean
Yeah you know what I mean)
Well I met up with my common sense
And I knew it by the way she stared
She said if you don't make a noise
I will never know your there
Ao I purchased me a ticket yeah
For a meeting with Jesus Christ
He shook my hand and offered me
Just this thimble of advice
He was telling me
Hello he-he-hello
Hey come on
Hello he-he-hello
Hey come on
Things are what you make of them
Things are what you make of them
Let be
Things are what you make of them
Things are what you make of them
Let be
Things are what you make of them
Things are what you make of them
You know what I mean
Yeah you know what I mean
Lyrics submitted by iagoAdmirer, edited by wronglyric
Things Are What You Make of Them Lyrics as written by Justin Rice Christian Rudder
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
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!
More Featured Meanings
Ave Grave
Thee More Shallows
Thee More Shallows
Jesse with the long hair....
Robert Earl Keen, Jr.
Robert Earl Keen, Jr.
Classic love story true to his western tx roots. One of my favorites as a story, but I think there are alot of songs that are amazing not even listed on this site. I guess I should figure out how to add them, because I have about 8 REK cd's.
Siberian Kiss
Glassjaw
Glassjaw
its amazing how far music can come.. 24 years after it released and its one of the most heartfelt songs ive heard
Spirit Within
Bertoldi Brothers
Bertoldi Brothers
Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
Step
Ministry
Ministry
Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
The chorus is pretty damn catchy. I LOVE IT.
love it, it's about a very very sour relationship.
you think? i think it could apply to anything. i mean. its basicalyl saying you could be in any postition right now, eather it be a sour realtionship, fired fmo a job, or whatever, and you can make the best or worse of the situation. lvoelovelove the song.
I love that Bishop Allen puts little life lessons in their songs.
oh what insight Bishop Allen.
you've done it again.
Hooray for my first BA song!
With a near-complete collection on Bishop Allen's officially (an nearly officially) released music, this song is still one of the first that I play for others.
this is my favorite (and only song) by bishop allen but cause of it i'm gonna buy their cd this is so good i think he mighta wrote it bout a relationship but made sure it also worked for everything like megisme said and if any1 has the tab for this i would LOVE for u to give it to me
I was supposed to spend my winter in sudan, and my visa wasn't processed in time. So I spent two weeks in a both physically and metaphorically icy Kansas City. this song was my story..
"My memory, she was packing" - saying goodbye to the rest of my team as they drove away to the airport
"My common sense" - A dear friend that I wasn't going to get to see, that I got to spend an evening with and who gave me advice and encouragement
"A meeting with Jesus Christ" - I went to the Cayman Islands on the last week of my break. I expected god to explain some grand reasoning behind what had just happened. I put my iPod on shuffle with the songs one of my friends had loaded onto it for me to listen to, and this wonderful song came up.
.... And that was how I became a Bishop Allen fan.
This song was in the movie Saved (which is awesome) and every time I get to that scene I get excited and start to sing along. It fits, considering the movie is about teen pregnancy.