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.
People all get ready
'Cause we're tearing down the stand
Rebuild what's gotten unsteady
And see it through with newer hands
What has gone between us
Is a lot, is a lot
And who'll be there to clean us
When you're not, when you're not
And people all get ready
'Cause we're breaking down again
Rebuild what's gotten unsteady
And see it through with wiser hands
And what has gone before us
Is a lot, is a lot
And who'll be there to ignore us
When you're not, when you're not
And we have all the time in the world
To get it right, to get it right
And we have all the love in the world
To set alight, to set alight
People all get ready
'Cause we're breaking down the band
Rewrite what's gone already
And see it through with angry hands
And what has gone before us
Is a lot, is a lot
And who'll be there to ignore us
When you're not, when you're not, oh
And we have all the time in the world
To get it right, to get it right
And we have all the love in the world
To set alight, to set alight
Just look up, just look up
Just look up
And we have all the time in the world
To get it right, to get it right
And we have all the love in the world
To set alight, to set alight
Just look up, just look up
People all get ready
'Cause we're coming to a stop
'Cause we're tearing down the stand
Rebuild what's gotten unsteady
And see it through with newer hands
What has gone between us
Is a lot, is a lot
And who'll be there to clean us
When you're not, when you're not
And people all get ready
'Cause we're breaking down again
Rebuild what's gotten unsteady
And see it through with wiser hands
And what has gone before us
Is a lot, is a lot
And who'll be there to ignore us
When you're not, when you're not
And we have all the time in the world
To get it right, to get it right
And we have all the love in the world
To set alight, to set alight
People all get ready
'Cause we're breaking down the band
Rewrite what's gone already
And see it through with angry hands
And what has gone before us
Is a lot, is a lot
And who'll be there to ignore us
When you're not, when you're not, oh
And we have all the time in the world
To get it right, to get it right
And we have all the love in the world
To set alight, to set alight
Just look up, just look up
Just look up
And we have all the time in the world
To get it right, to get it right
And we have all the love in the world
To set alight, to set alight
Just look up, just look up
People all get ready
'Cause we're coming to a stop
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its amazing how far music can come.. 24 years after it released and its one of the most heartfelt songs ive heard
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This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone).
And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.
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Ebba Grön
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Glen explains that this song is about that feeling whereby you know everything is wrong, completely. But one day you kind of see through that, and realise "yeah it's all wrong now - but you know, it'll all be alright in the end.."
It's about making peace with your demons.
There's also a few lines relating to the criticism the band get at times from the media :
"People all get ready 'Cos we're breaking down the band Rewrite what's gone already And see it through with wiser hands And what has gone between us Is a lot, is a lot And who'll be there to ignore us When you're not, when you're not"
That verse deals with the changes to the band's sound and attitude. That now they're doing things the way they want to do them, and that they have learnt from the mistakes of the past.
Alternatively, in the past Glen has explained that he wrote this song after picking up The Old Testament in a hotel room, and reading through it. He got to the Book of Luke and though that Luke was the coolest of the disciples. Whilst everyone was fawning over Jesus, Luke was the one who'd be like "Yeah, that Jesus....he was alright like.....".
Glen also explained that when Jesus stormed the Temple, he has more in common with a Michael Collins or Ché Guevara sort of figure, a revolutionary, far removed from a supposed "perfect being".
In additon to niteflites second explanation: Glen said at Lowlands-Festival that the song is not meant in any religious way, but that he wrote the song after reading a part of the bible, the Book of Luke. He said that it's this part in the Bible where Jesus goes and distroys the temple because they're doing business in the House of God. And he thought that that was an interesting part and that Luke was the one guy of all the apostles who didn't take Jesus too seriously. You can listen to the part where he explains it at: 3voor12.vpro.nl/3voor12/festivals/media/index.jsp
Jesus didn't destroy the temple, but he turned over the tables of the money changers and drove the merchants out of the temple. Saying: My Father's house is to be a house of prayer. But you have turned it into a den of thieves.
I love this song, especially the drums in it. During Lollapalooza, Glen at one point just sort of shouted an incomprehensible chant during the chorus that reminded me of some native American singers. I think they might have been inspired by Native American drumming when they did the percussion for this song, and I think Glen was sort of channeling that (although, Native American singers are actually singing in a recognizable language and not just sort of chanting nonsense like Glen does.)
Every time I hear this song...I swear, it just gives me so much hope and strength...Glen Hansard is one of the most incredible songwriters today...
i dont neccesarily feel like explaining the meaning of this song but it is freaking amazing.you havnt lived until youve seen it preformed live.seriously man.at the swell season concert eveyone just started to sing along with the chorus and it was so beautiful with everyones voice together like one...