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.
Anna and ollie they were roasting up a tofu pup the backyard
Says ollie, "Oh, we're all out of buns but, isn't this fun?"
They they they they were spread upon the lawn drinking lemonade and eating cheese
And later on, beneath the black sky the night erupted there for free
Oh Anna, take me in with water arms surround me, blow your breezy charms around me
Oh Anna, you're a house of many rooms and all the secrets deep entombed within you,
i know a few
Says Anna "Ollie, oh, I know a place where you can dive between my peaks into the blue.
You take the red dot-dot-to-dot trail there.
It's sweet for you."
Oh ba ba black sheep have you any wool?
Yes dear yes dear you know the fridge is always full, for you
Oh Anna, take me to your eerie heights above paint white letters I you love
Oh Anna, drop me off a cliff
I fall
Says Anna "Ollie oh, you know it's old, it's old, it's old it's true
Ollie, Ollie, Ollie take me far away, show me something new"
And they do
Oh Anna, take me in with water arms surround me, blow your breezy charms around me
Oh Anna, you're a house of many rooms and all the secrets deep entombed within you
I know a few
Ollie Ollie in come free,
The doors are locked and you can come and stay with me
Says ollie, "Oh, we're all out of buns but, isn't this fun?"
They they they they were spread upon the lawn drinking lemonade and eating cheese
And later on, beneath the black sky the night erupted there for free
Oh Anna, take me in with water arms surround me, blow your breezy charms around me
Oh Anna, you're a house of many rooms and all the secrets deep entombed within you,
i know a few
Says Anna "Ollie, oh, I know a place where you can dive between my peaks into the blue.
You take the red dot-dot-to-dot trail there.
It's sweet for you."
Oh ba ba black sheep have you any wool?
Yes dear yes dear you know the fridge is always full, for you
Oh Anna, take me to your eerie heights above paint white letters I you love
Oh Anna, drop me off a cliff
I fall
Says Anna "Ollie oh, you know it's old, it's old, it's old it's true
Ollie, Ollie, Ollie take me far away, show me something new"
And they do
Oh Anna, take me in with water arms surround me, blow your breezy charms around me
Oh Anna, you're a house of many rooms and all the secrets deep entombed within you
I know a few
Ollie Ollie in come free,
The doors are locked and you can come and stay with me
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He reuses the verse melody from the previous album's "Dirty Little Religion", the topics of the verses are all over the place, and he packs too many words into one line (goes to show...) and too few in another (it's pretty hard to find), and rhymes "Henley Regatta" with "Persona non grata", but gets away with it all as only he could.
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He certainly did earn that reputation.
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
I like when it gets quicker, towards the end, then slower, then quicker again. It's great.
Anyway, I like this song.
This is definitely my favorite microphones song
This was the first Microphones song I ever heard and it made me fall in love. siiiighh. Oh, the Microphones.
This is actually more of a khaela maricich song than a microphones song. Another version of it called "ana & ollie" is on one of her albums. I'm not sure which was released first.
its magical & lovely & i can't sit still.
Such a great song. The fast part at the end makes such a great low-fi dance tune.
Another classic! This is an awesome song. Need to dig up my old CD's!!!
great song, i loved it back then, like i was instantly in love with the female singer...