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.
(Let me tell you a story about a very special gift I received from a, from a man that I didn’t know very well. But he brightened up the night and made it one of the great shining moments of our long tour)
(Goes like this:)
Backstage in Detroit
And the room is full of smoke and apprehension
We'd been playing shows
As the warm-up and the band for Beck Hanson
In walks Jack, says, "How'd ya do?" (Howdy!)
Then he handed me this wonderful statue
And I said, "Thank you, Jack White
For the fiber-optic Jesus that you gave me"
It shined so bright
That I couldn't help believing it would save me
When I finally got it home
My whole neighborhood was aglow
And I said, "Thank you, Jack White
For the fiber-optic Jesus that you gave me"
(Here comes the pick)
(Oh, yeah)
Jack and Meg are funny
They got a modern backwards liberal family code
Brother and sister
Playing rock 'n' roll and doing it on the road
I bet that van begin to stink
But then I wonder, oh, what Christ would think
I said, "Thank you, Jack White
For the fiber-optic Jesus that you gave me"
It shined so bright
That I couldn't help believing it would save me
And when I finally got it home
My whole neighborhood was aglow
And I said, "Thank you, Jack White
For the fiber-optic Jesus that you gave me"
(Nice one)
(Goes like this:)
Backstage in Detroit
And the room is full of smoke and apprehension
We'd been playing shows
As the warm-up and the band for Beck Hanson
In walks Jack, says, "How'd ya do?" (Howdy!)
Then he handed me this wonderful statue
And I said, "Thank you, Jack White
For the fiber-optic Jesus that you gave me"
It shined so bright
That I couldn't help believing it would save me
When I finally got it home
My whole neighborhood was aglow
And I said, "Thank you, Jack White
For the fiber-optic Jesus that you gave me"
(Here comes the pick)
(Oh, yeah)
Jack and Meg are funny
They got a modern backwards liberal family code
Brother and sister
Playing rock 'n' roll and doing it on the road
I bet that van begin to stink
But then I wonder, oh, what Christ would think
I said, "Thank you, Jack White
For the fiber-optic Jesus that you gave me"
It shined so bright
That I couldn't help believing it would save me
And when I finally got it home
My whole neighborhood was aglow
And I said, "Thank you, Jack White
For the fiber-optic Jesus that you gave me"
(Nice one)
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
Thank You Jack White (For the Fiber-Optic Jesus That You Gave Me) song meanings
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