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.
Scream out against the glass
The sound reflected unable to escape
Desperate to connect
Lashing out at words that fail to appear
Bound in silence
The failure of sound (never learned)
Instinct urges on
As the mind creates its own obstacles
Waging internal war
Between the objects and the abstract
Eloquence of the inner voice
The poetry of the condemned
A stream of consciousness
Never to be understood
The sound reflected unable to escape
Desperate to connect
Lashing out at words that fail to appear
Bound in silence
The failure of sound (never learned)
Instinct urges on
As the mind creates its own obstacles
Waging internal war
Between the objects and the abstract
Eloquence of the inner voice
The poetry of the condemned
A stream of consciousness
Never to be understood
Lyrics submitted by (shevanel)
Those Who Cannot Speak Lyrics as written by Jason Bittner Brian Fair
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
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beautiful song.. just beautiful.
I totally agree and was waiting for someone to say it. Def my fav track on the new cd. BEAUTIFULLLLLLLLLLLL :-)
I think the lead in this song is one of Jon's best so far.
I love the cybal crashes in this song. They really set the intro off. I agree with Dingleberry, the solo kicks ass! SF are the reigning kings of new metal!!!
...uh that's cymbal crashes, not cybal crashes.
this song pretty much ends the album off with a bang, much like it did at the start,
as for the meaning, this song is pretty much what the album is about, the war within ourselves, everyday we face new challenges in our lives and its up to us to overcome those obstacles,
i think the song is more about how so often we want to express ourselves but can't put how we feel into words, we're bound in silence, sound fails since we can't put our thoughts into words.
I think it's about telling someone how you truely feel, there is constant pressure on your mind but you can't let it out because you will be "condemned" as the lyrics say.
You can't begin to put this song into words... it's brilliant... sounds oddly like Metallica - To Live Is To Die though...
im digging, that.. i wish i could of hear this song before i heard what drives the weak..