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 swapped my innocence for pride
Crushed the end within my stride
Said I'm strong, now I know that I'm a leaver
I love the sound of you walking away, you walking away
Mascara bleeds the blackened tear, oh
And I am cold
Yes I'm cold
But not as cold as you are
I love the sound of you walking away
You walking away
I love the sound of you walking away
Walking away, hey, hey
Why don't you walk away?
Why don't you walk away?
Why don't you walk away?
No buildings will fall down
Don't you walk away
No quake will split the ground
Won't you walk away
The sun won't swallow the sky
Won't you walk away
Statues will not cry
Don't you walk away
Why don't you walk away?
Why don't you walk away?
Why don't you walk away?
I cannot stand to see those eyes
As apologies may rise
I must be strong, stay an unbeliever
And love the sound of you walking away
You walking away
Mascara bleeds into my eye, oh
And I'm not cold, I am old
At least as old as you are
And as you walk away
Oh as you walk away
And as you walk away
My headstone crumbles down
As you walk away
The Hollywood wind's a howl
As you walk away
The Kremlin's falling
As you walk away
Radio Four is static
As you walk away
Oh as you walk away
Oh as you walk away
Oh as you walk away, hey
The stab of stiletto
On a silent night
Stalin smiles and Hitler laughs
Churchill claps Mao Tse-Tung on the back
Crushed the end within my stride
Said I'm strong, now I know that I'm a leaver
I love the sound of you walking away, you walking away
Mascara bleeds the blackened tear, oh
And I am cold
Yes I'm cold
But not as cold as you are
I love the sound of you walking away
You walking away
I love the sound of you walking away
Walking away, hey, hey
Why don't you walk away?
Why don't you walk away?
Why don't you walk away?
No buildings will fall down
Don't you walk away
No quake will split the ground
Won't you walk away
The sun won't swallow the sky
Won't you walk away
Statues will not cry
Don't you walk away
Why don't you walk away?
Why don't you walk away?
Why don't you walk away?
I cannot stand to see those eyes
As apologies may rise
I must be strong, stay an unbeliever
And love the sound of you walking away
You walking away
Mascara bleeds into my eye, oh
And I'm not cold, I am old
At least as old as you are
And as you walk away
Oh as you walk away
And as you walk away
My headstone crumbles down
As you walk away
The Hollywood wind's a howl
As you walk away
The Kremlin's falling
As you walk away
Radio Four is static
As you walk away
Oh as you walk away
Oh as you walk away
Oh as you walk away, hey
The stab of stiletto
On a silent night
Stalin smiles and Hitler laughs
Churchill claps Mao Tse-Tung on the back
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I relate to this song all too well.
no more 9/11 stuff, your ruining a beautiful song.