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.
Kids get lost
Lands out wandering
Bigger, blacker, things go following
Then into a patch of forest
Somebody once planted for this
Songs not over, phone's still ringing
Eyes still rolling, eyes still clinging
Something in the air starts singing
Radio's switched on and buzzing
Something in the wind starts humming
Something in the field starts haunting
Kids grow up and kids get numb and
Kids it's coming, kid's it's going to come
Lands out wandering
Bigger, blacker, things go following
Then into a patch of forest
Somebody once planted for this
Songs not over, phone's still ringing
Eyes still rolling, eyes still clinging
Something in the air starts singing
Radio's switched on and buzzing
Something in the wind starts humming
Something in the field starts haunting
Kids grow up and kids get numb and
Kids it's coming, kid's it's going to come
Lyrics submitted by Way_AE, edited by undergrumpcast
Missing Children Lyrics as written by Rufus Wainwright Adam Teddy Thompson
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think this song is about a nuclear war. It's a concept album. The theme works all the way through. The radio picked up the reception of the coming bomb before it actually reached him here. His own ghost tries to warn him later on in the past but he breaks the mirror and can't escape the radio.
An important line in this song is "Kids grow up and kids get numb and". It is the apathy that allowed the next line to exist causally. It's for sure the most meaningful album I have com across.
I think I'm right about this all.