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.
Hey man, oh, leave me alone you know
Hey man, oh, Henry get off the phone I gotta
Hey man, I gotta straighten my face
This mellow thighed chick
Just put my spine out of place
Hey man, my schoolday's insane
Hey man, my work's down the drain
Hey man, she's a total blam, blam
She said she had to squeeze it
But she, well then she
Oh, don't lean on me man
'Cause, you can't afford the ticket
I'm back from Suffragette City
Oh, don't lean on me man
'Cause, you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Is outta sight, she's alright
Hey man, oh, Henry don't be unkind go away
Hey man, I can't take you this time no way
Hey man, Droogie don't crash here
There's only room for one
And here she comes, here she comes
Oh, don't lean on me man
'Cause, you can't afford the ticket
I'm back from Suffragette City
Oh, don't lean on me man
'Cause, you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Is outta sight, she's alright
Oh, don't lean on me man
'Cause, you can't afford the ticket
I'm back from Suffragette City
Oh, don't lean on me man
'Cause, you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Oh, don't lean on me man
'Cause, you can't afford the ticket
You know my Suffragette City
Oh, don't lean on me man
'Cause, you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Is outta sight, yeah, she's alright
Suffragette City, Suffragette City
Suffragette City, aha ha, Suffragette City
Oh, wham bam thank you ma'am
Suffragette City, aha, Suffragette City
Aha, Suffragette City, aha, Suffragette City
Suffragette
Hey man, oh, Henry get off the phone I gotta
Hey man, I gotta straighten my face
This mellow thighed chick
Just put my spine out of place
Hey man, my schoolday's insane
Hey man, my work's down the drain
Hey man, she's a total blam, blam
She said she had to squeeze it
But she, well then she
Oh, don't lean on me man
'Cause, you can't afford the ticket
I'm back from Suffragette City
Oh, don't lean on me man
'Cause, you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Is outta sight, she's alright
Hey man, oh, Henry don't be unkind go away
Hey man, I can't take you this time no way
Hey man, Droogie don't crash here
There's only room for one
And here she comes, here she comes
Oh, don't lean on me man
'Cause, you can't afford the ticket
I'm back from Suffragette City
Oh, don't lean on me man
'Cause, you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Is outta sight, she's alright
Oh, don't lean on me man
'Cause, you can't afford the ticket
I'm back from Suffragette City
Oh, don't lean on me man
'Cause, you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Oh, don't lean on me man
'Cause, you can't afford the ticket
You know my Suffragette City
Oh, don't lean on me man
'Cause, you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Is outta sight, yeah, she's alright
Suffragette City, Suffragette City
Suffragette City, aha ha, Suffragette City
Oh, wham bam thank you ma'am
Suffragette City, aha, Suffragette City
Aha, Suffragette City, aha, Suffragette City
Suffragette
Lyrics submitted by This.Is.Not.Emo
Suffragette City Lyrics as written by David Bowie
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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