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.
When I go to sleep I pray
I'm waking up to I got you babe
Like the guy from Groundhog Day
Just wanna live forever this way
Flash back to seventeen
Got my ass kicked by the football team
Another Loser on the scene
Every Guy With A Chick I Fancy
I asked you out for losing truth or dare
The guys were cracking up 'til you said yeah
Pinch me, is this real?
I'm on a one way ticket out of loserville
Now I'm off the social flat line
Things are so good that I'm
Taking down my star trek shrine
And you're more than just my valentine
You're my ticket outta loserville
She gives me butterflies
Says I'm not like all the other guys
Doesn't care what car I drive
She still enjoys the ride
When I got to sleep I know
That you'll be there tomorrow
And it gives me vertigo
It was just a week ago that
I asked you out for losing truth or dare
The guys were cracking up 'til you said yeah
Pinch me, is this real?
I'm on a one way ticket out of loserville
Now I'm off the social flat line
Things are so good that I'm
Taking down my star-trek shrine
You blew me out on a Sunday night
You were bored to tears pretending
Knew what you wanted and I'm nothing like the
Guy in your happy ending
Well you were wrong to lead me on
Now in the night I wake up screaming
Where the hell did I go wrong?
Where's Scotty when you need him?
Pinch me, is this real?
I'm on a one way ticket back to loserville
Heading for the social flat line
Things are so that bad
I'm dusting off my star trek shrine
This is where it ends and I can taste the glory
How can I depend
On a better story?
Made it, blew it, couldn't save it
Think about her all the time
It's like I never had her valentine
So I guess I better kiss goodbye to my ticket outta loserville
I'm waking up to I got you babe
Like the guy from Groundhog Day
Just wanna live forever this way
Flash back to seventeen
Got my ass kicked by the football team
Another Loser on the scene
Every Guy With A Chick I Fancy
I asked you out for losing truth or dare
The guys were cracking up 'til you said yeah
Pinch me, is this real?
I'm on a one way ticket out of loserville
Now I'm off the social flat line
Things are so good that I'm
Taking down my star trek shrine
And you're more than just my valentine
You're my ticket outta loserville
She gives me butterflies
Says I'm not like all the other guys
Doesn't care what car I drive
She still enjoys the ride
When I got to sleep I know
That you'll be there tomorrow
And it gives me vertigo
It was just a week ago that
I asked you out for losing truth or dare
The guys were cracking up 'til you said yeah
Pinch me, is this real?
I'm on a one way ticket out of loserville
Now I'm off the social flat line
Things are so good that I'm
Taking down my star-trek shrine
You blew me out on a Sunday night
You were bored to tears pretending
Knew what you wanted and I'm nothing like the
Guy in your happy ending
Well you were wrong to lead me on
Now in the night I wake up screaming
Where the hell did I go wrong?
Where's Scotty when you need him?
Pinch me, is this real?
I'm on a one way ticket back to loserville
Heading for the social flat line
Things are so that bad
I'm dusting off my star trek shrine
This is where it ends and I can taste the glory
How can I depend
On a better story?
Made it, blew it, couldn't save it
Think about her all the time
It's like I never had her valentine
So I guess I better kiss goodbye to my ticket outta loserville
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