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.
I've heard all your reasons
I've heard all your plans
I have seen the seasons
Clutched up in your hands
You're the one-eyed feather
You're the lion's mane
Swear you've heard the weather
Calling out your name
There will be no more winter
There will be no more spring and
There will be no more dinner bells
Left for you to ring
There'll be no more dinner bells
Dinner bells to ring
The maestro learns the music
Musicians learn to dance
There'll be no more trumpets
There'll be no more flutes
No more clapping hands
I've heard all your reasons
I've heard all your plans
I've heard of your treasons
And I've heard all your pleas
And I've made friends with the big man
So there'll be no more winter
There'll be no more spring and
There'll be no more dinner bells
Left for you to ring
There'll be no more dinner bells
Dinner bells to ring
There'll be no more dinner bells
Dinner bells to ring
There'll be no more dinner bells
Dinner bells to ring
I've heard all your plans
I have seen the seasons
Clutched up in your hands
You're the one-eyed feather
You're the lion's mane
Swear you've heard the weather
Calling out your name
There will be no more winter
There will be no more spring and
There will be no more dinner bells
Left for you to ring
There'll be no more dinner bells
Dinner bells to ring
The maestro learns the music
Musicians learn to dance
There'll be no more trumpets
There'll be no more flutes
No more clapping hands
I've heard all your reasons
I've heard all your plans
I've heard of your treasons
And I've heard all your pleas
And I've made friends with the big man
So there'll be no more winter
There'll be no more spring and
There'll be no more dinner bells
Left for you to ring
There'll be no more dinner bells
Dinner bells to ring
There'll be no more dinner bells
Dinner bells to ring
There'll be no more dinner bells
Dinner bells to ring
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There's a sweet sadness, a meloncholy reminiscence that's at the core of this song. The writer is in the process of change, and thinking that things simply won't be the same any more. We do not now the circumstances. After all, this is not a story-song, and one great purpose a song can serve is to apply to many people in many places. So it's talking about change and the emotions around it in metaphors.