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.
Hold them down, our bleeding suspects
Just because
Just cause?
Just who are you
By candlelight burn, burn, burn baby
Burn, burn whose turn
Who gets a taste today?
We've done nothing wrong
But we've done nothing
We can't look away but we're just looking
It's second nature to say,
We've done nothing wrong
Turn them off, our blacklist singers
Don't ask why
Don't cry; don't make a scene
On 45 spin, spin, spin give in
Spin, spin, who wins?
Who's not afraid to play?
We've done nothing wrong
But we've done nothing
We can't look away
But we're just looking
It's second nature to say,
We've done nothing
Done nothing but take what's handed down,
Said nothing but what's approved to shout
We want to know that we can own the cake we're eating,
Then spit it out
Out
Hold them down, our bleeding suspects
Turn them off, our blacklist singers
We've done nothing wrong
But we've done nothing
We can't look away
But we're just looking
It's second nature to say:
We've done nothing wrong
Just because
Just cause?
Just who are you
By candlelight burn, burn, burn baby
Burn, burn whose turn
Who gets a taste today?
We've done nothing wrong
But we've done nothing
We can't look away but we're just looking
It's second nature to say,
We've done nothing wrong
Turn them off, our blacklist singers
Don't ask why
Don't cry; don't make a scene
On 45 spin, spin, spin give in
Spin, spin, who wins?
Who's not afraid to play?
We've done nothing wrong
But we've done nothing
We can't look away
But we're just looking
It's second nature to say,
We've done nothing
Done nothing but take what's handed down,
Said nothing but what's approved to shout
We want to know that we can own the cake we're eating,
Then spit it out
Out
Hold them down, our bleeding suspects
Turn them off, our blacklist singers
We've done nothing wrong
But we've done nothing
We can't look away
But we're just looking
It's second nature to say:
We've done nothing wrong
Lyrics submitted by _valerie, edited by Mellow_Harsher, damienpearse
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I think this song is about the media. It's about the people watching the news and reading headlines about the war in Iraq, and they aren't doing anything wrong, but they aren't doing anything at all. We can't look away from the media as the war rages on, but we're just looking.