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.
We're all living in America
America is wonderful
We're all living in America
America, America
When there's dancing I want to lead
even if you're whirling around alone
Let yourselves be controlled a little
I'll show you how it really goes
We'll make a nice round dance
Freedom will play on all violins
Music will come out of the White House
and Mickey Mouse will stand in front of Paris
We're all living in America
America is wonderful
We're all living in America
America, America
I know moves that are very useful
and I will protect you from missteps
And whoever doesn't want to dance at the end
doesn't know yet that they must
We'll make a nice round dance
I will show you the way
Santa Claus will come to Africa
and Mickey Mouse will stand in front of Paris
We're all living in America
America is wonderful
We're all living in America
America, America
We're all living in America
Coca-Cola, Wonderbra
We're all living in America
America, America
This is not a love song
This is not a love song
I don't sing my mother tongue
No, This is not a love song
We're all living in America
America is wonderful
We're all living in America
America, America
We're all living in America
Coca-Cola, sometimes war
We're all living in America
America, America
America is wonderful
We're all living in America
America, America
When there's dancing I want to lead
even if you're whirling around alone
Let yourselves be controlled a little
I'll show you how it really goes
We'll make a nice round dance
Freedom will play on all violins
Music will come out of the White House
and Mickey Mouse will stand in front of Paris
We're all living in America
America is wonderful
We're all living in America
America, America
I know moves that are very useful
and I will protect you from missteps
And whoever doesn't want to dance at the end
doesn't know yet that they must
We'll make a nice round dance
I will show you the way
Santa Claus will come to Africa
and Mickey Mouse will stand in front of Paris
We're all living in America
America is wonderful
We're all living in America
America, America
We're all living in America
Coca-Cola, Wonderbra
We're all living in America
America, America
This is not a love song
This is not a love song
I don't sing my mother tongue
No, This is not a love song
We're all living in America
America is wonderful
We're all living in America
America, America
We're all living in America
Coca-Cola, sometimes war
We're all living in America
America, America
Lyrics submitted by Shoot_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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This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone).
And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.
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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.
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Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
6th hit the nail right on the head :D