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.
Sixteen military wives
Thirty-two softly focused brightly colored eyes
Staring at the natural tan of thirty-two gently clenching wrinkled little hands
Seventeen company men
Out of which only twelve will make it back again
Sergeant sends a letter to five
Military wives whose tears drip down from ten little eyes
Cheer them on to their rivals
'Cause America can, and America can't say no
And America does, if America says it's so
It's so
And the anchor person on TV
Goes la di da di da
Fifteen celebrity minds
Leading their fifteen sordid, wretched, checkered lives
Will they find the solution in time
Using their fifteen crispy moderate liberal minds
Eighteen academy chairs
Out of which only seven really even cares
Doling out the garland to five
Celebrity minds, they're humbly taken by surprise
Cheer them on to their rivals
'Cause America can, and America can't say no
And America does, if America says it's so
It's so
And the anchor person on TV
Goes la di da di da
La di da di da
Fourteen cannibal kings
Wondering blindly what the dinner bell will bring
Fifteen celebrity minds
Served on a leafy bed of sixteen military wives
Cheer them on to their rivals
'Cause America can, and America can't say no
And America does, if America says it's so
It's so
And the anchor person on TV
Goes la di da di da
La di da di da
La di da di da
La di da di da
Thirty-two softly focused brightly colored eyes
Staring at the natural tan of thirty-two gently clenching wrinkled little hands
Seventeen company men
Out of which only twelve will make it back again
Sergeant sends a letter to five
Military wives whose tears drip down from ten little eyes
Cheer them on to their rivals
'Cause America can, and America can't say no
And America does, if America says it's so
It's so
And the anchor person on TV
Goes la di da di da
Fifteen celebrity minds
Leading their fifteen sordid, wretched, checkered lives
Will they find the solution in time
Using their fifteen crispy moderate liberal minds
Eighteen academy chairs
Out of which only seven really even cares
Doling out the garland to five
Celebrity minds, they're humbly taken by surprise
Cheer them on to their rivals
'Cause America can, and America can't say no
And America does, if America says it's so
It's so
And the anchor person on TV
Goes la di da di da
La di da di da
Fourteen cannibal kings
Wondering blindly what the dinner bell will bring
Fifteen celebrity minds
Served on a leafy bed of sixteen military wives
Cheer them on to their rivals
'Cause America can, and America can't say no
And America does, if America says it's so
It's so
And the anchor person on TV
Goes la di da di da
La di da di da
La di da di da
La di da di da
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OK.... Well I kinda think that's the point, you know, showing that our society isn't really a democracy, it's a monarchy (yeah, I know, I sound paranoid, blah blah blah, whatever) and plus, The Decemberists are awesome!!