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.
New world order out of hand
Bloodbath slaughter on the hot white sand
Roman orgy a burning stake
The head of the Baptist wiggling on a plate
New world order for a Texas god
Bloodbath slaughter black crude jihad
Blacks and Hispanics poor white trash
Snug in the plastic of a bodybag
No no not one senator's son
Will die in the glory of the desert sun
The mother of all battle
Bodies, crippled bodies, butchered bodies
In a dry river in a dead river
Bloodbath slaughter on the hot white sand
Roman orgy a burning stake
The head of the Baptist wiggling on a plate
New world order for a Texas god
Bloodbath slaughter black crude jihad
Blacks and Hispanics poor white trash
Snug in the plastic of a bodybag
No no not one senator's son
Will die in the glory of the desert sun
The mother of all battle
Bodies, crippled bodies, butchered bodies
In a dry river in a dead river
Lyrics submitted by Zichadoo
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