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.
If there was a single day I could live
A single breath I could take
I'd trade all the others away
The blood's on the wall
so you'd might as well just admit it
And bleach out the stains
commit to forgetting it
You're better off empty and blank
Than left with a single pathetic trace of this
Smother another failure, lay this to rest
Console yourself, you're better alone
Destroy yourself, see who gives a fuck
Absorb yourself, you're better alone
Destroy yourself
I'll chain you to the truth,
for the truth shall set you free
I'll turn the screws of vengeance and bury you with honesty
I'll make all your dreams come to life
And slay them as quickly as they came
Smother another failure, lay this to rest
Console yourself, you're better alone
Destroy yourself, see who gives a fuck
Absorb yourself, you're better alone
Destroy yourself
See who gives a fuck
See who gives a fuck
See who gives a fuck
Failure
If there was a day I could live
If there was a single breath I could take
I'd trade all the others away
I'd trade all the others away
A single breath I could take
I'd trade all the others away
The blood's on the wall
so you'd might as well just admit it
And bleach out the stains
commit to forgetting it
You're better off empty and blank
Than left with a single pathetic trace of this
Smother another failure, lay this to rest
Console yourself, you're better alone
Destroy yourself, see who gives a fuck
Absorb yourself, you're better alone
Destroy yourself
I'll chain you to the truth,
for the truth shall set you free
I'll turn the screws of vengeance and bury you with honesty
I'll make all your dreams come to life
And slay them as quickly as they came
Smother another failure, lay this to rest
Console yourself, you're better alone
Destroy yourself, see who gives a fuck
Absorb yourself, you're better alone
Destroy yourself
See who gives a fuck
See who gives a fuck
See who gives a fuck
Failure
If there was a day I could live
If there was a single breath I could take
I'd trade all the others away
I'd trade all the others away
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See WHO gives a FUCK!!!