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.
Doing alright
A little jiving on a Saturday night
And come what may
Gonna dance the day away
Jenny was sweet
She always smiled for the people she'd meet
On trouble and strife
She had another way of looking at life
The news is blue (the news is blue)
Has its own way to get to you (ooh)
What can I do (what can I do?)
I'll not remember my time with you
Pick up your feet
You've got to move to the trick of the beat
There is no elite
Just take your place in the driver's seat
Driver's seat, ooh
Driver's seat, yeah
We're doing alright (ooh)
A little jiving on a Saturday night (yeah)
And come what may (ooh)
Gonna dance the day away (yeah)
Driver's seat, ooh
Driver's seat, yeah
Jenny was sweet (ooh)
There is no elite (yeah)
Pick up your feet (ooh)
Pick up, pick up (yeah)
Pick up your feet (ooh)
Gonna dance the day away (yeah)
Driver's seat, ooh
Driver's seat, yeah
Driver's seat, ooh
Driver's seat, yeah
Yeah
Driver's seat
A little jiving on a Saturday night
And come what may
Gonna dance the day away
Jenny was sweet
She always smiled for the people she'd meet
On trouble and strife
She had another way of looking at life
The news is blue (the news is blue)
Has its own way to get to you (ooh)
What can I do (what can I do?)
I'll not remember my time with you
Pick up your feet
You've got to move to the trick of the beat
There is no elite
Just take your place in the driver's seat
Driver's seat, ooh
Driver's seat, yeah
We're doing alright (ooh)
A little jiving on a Saturday night (yeah)
And come what may (ooh)
Gonna dance the day away (yeah)
Driver's seat, ooh
Driver's seat, yeah
Jenny was sweet (ooh)
There is no elite (yeah)
Pick up your feet (ooh)
Pick up, pick up (yeah)
Pick up your feet (ooh)
Gonna dance the day away (yeah)
Driver's seat, ooh
Driver's seat, yeah
Driver's seat, ooh
Driver's seat, yeah
Yeah
Driver's seat
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This song is perfection and I feel, in my life, understanding it is key.
Hearing it puts me in a mood where i contemplate those things in life. Breakups and moving on.
The instrumentation is great. I love the snare coming in after the initial chords. Not many songs make me stop and just think about life. This is one of those.
Paul Roberts, an artist in many capacities, is to be commended. The cover art for 'Fickle Heart' speaks volumes.
For me this some is about love and loss. I know the origin of the tune, Paul had a killer riff he wanted to work into it, but didn't (for reasons he explained on his site). curious what that was.