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.
Lay down
Lay down
Lay your sweet lovely on the ground
Lay your love on the track
We're gonna break the monster's back
Oh, oh, hey, hey
Lay down your treasure
Lay it down now, brother
You don't have time
For a jealous lover
As you enter this life
I pray you depart
With a wrinkled face
And a brand new heart
I don't know if I can take it
I'm not easy on my knees
Here's my heart, can't you break it?
I need some release, release, release
We need love and peace
Love, love and peace
Lay down
Lay down your guns
All you daughters of Zion
All you Abraham sons
I don't know if I can make it
I'm not easy on my knees
Here's my heart, I'll let you can break it
I need some release, release, release
We need love and peace
Love and peace
Baby don't fight, we can talk this thing through
You with me, me and you
I'll call on your phone, the TV is still on
But the sound is turned down
And the troops on the ground
Are about to dig in
I wonder where is the love?
Where is the love?
Love and peace
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Lay down
Lay your sweet lovely on the ground
Lay your love on the track
We're gonna break the monster's back
Oh, oh, hey, hey
Lay down your treasure
Lay it down now, brother
You don't have time
For a jealous lover
As you enter this life
I pray you depart
With a wrinkled face
And a brand new heart
I don't know if I can take it
I'm not easy on my knees
Here's my heart, can't you break it?
I need some release, release, release
We need love and peace
Love, love and peace
Lay down
Lay down your guns
All you daughters of Zion
All you Abraham sons
I don't know if I can make it
I'm not easy on my knees
Here's my heart, I'll let you can break it
I need some release, release, release
We need love and peace
Love and peace
Baby don't fight, we can talk this thing through
You with me, me and you
I'll call on your phone, the TV is still on
But the sound is turned down
And the troops on the ground
Are about to dig in
I wonder where is the love?
Where is the love?
Love and peace
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
It's got to be about the situation in the middle East, the Israel/Palestine thing.
"Lay down your guns All your daughters of Zion All your Abraham sons" Stop the fighting in Israel. I'm Jewish, and often in services Israel is referred to as Zion. Israel is even called Zion in the Israeli national anthem.
Totally, the break in the middle "and the troops on the ground are about to dig in, I wonder where is the love", this is definitely about the Israeli Palestinian conflict, and as you mentioned the reference to Abraham, the Father of all the tribes (Jews and Muslims) & Zion, the term for the spiritual Israel
Totally, the break in the middle "and the troops on the ground are about to dig in, I wonder where is the love", this is definitely about the Israeli Palestinian conflict, and as you mentioned the reference to Abraham, the Father of all the tribes (Jews and Muslims) & Zion, the term for the spiritual Israel
Totally, the break in the middle "and the troops on the ground are about to dig in, I wonder where is the love", this is definitely about the Israeli Palestinian conflict, and as you mentioned the reference to Abraham, the Father of all the tribes (Jews and Muslims) & Zion, the term for the spiritual Israel