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.
Should have seen this coming
Should have known this, shouldn't have let it happen
My mistake alright, stuck again
Doing my thing
To alike, yet far apart
what felt so good once is breaking me, and tearing us apart again...
Don't you see, we're in this together
You and me
one on one forever...
Don't you see, we're in this together
You and me
one on one forever...
I know it's self inflicted
we're way too desperate,
way too addicted
But I can't help the way I feel
I know it's time to be strong
now when all hope is gone
and what felt so good once is breaking me, and tearing us apart again...
Don't you see, we're in this together
You and me
one on one forever...
Don't you see, we're in this together
You and me
one on one forever...
And in your troubled eyes i see
someone who carried me somehow
like footprints in the sand,
you've been behind me all along.
we got it wrong from the sart
now it's you and me, lets hit it on
Don't you see it's you and me...
Against the world
Don't you see, we're in this together
You and me
one on one forever...
Don't you see, we're in this together
You and me
one on one forever...
Should have known this, shouldn't have let it happen
My mistake alright, stuck again
Doing my thing
To alike, yet far apart
what felt so good once is breaking me, and tearing us apart again...
Don't you see, we're in this together
You and me
one on one forever...
Don't you see, we're in this together
You and me
one on one forever...
I know it's self inflicted
we're way too desperate,
way too addicted
But I can't help the way I feel
I know it's time to be strong
now when all hope is gone
and what felt so good once is breaking me, and tearing us apart again...
Don't you see, we're in this together
You and me
one on one forever...
Don't you see, we're in this together
You and me
one on one forever...
And in your troubled eyes i see
someone who carried me somehow
like footprints in the sand,
you've been behind me all along.
we got it wrong from the sart
now it's you and me, lets hit it on
Don't you see it's you and me...
Against the world
Don't you see, we're in this together
You and me
one on one forever...
Don't you see, we're in this together
You and me
one on one forever...
Lyrics submitted by dark_redemption
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In case you don't realize, it makes reference to the "Footprints in the Sand" poem, a religious decoration often displayed in the bathroom ;) While I don't see this song as a religious song, but a song about a broken relationship, I take this reference to mean that he somehow took this girl for granted, or thought that she wasn't there for him, when in reality she was.
Here is the text of the poem:
Footprints in the Sand
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky. In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there were one set of footprints.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints.
So I said to the Lord, “You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there have only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?”
The Lord replied, “The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand, is when I carried you.”
Mary Stevenson