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.
Go back to those gold sounds
And keep my advent to yourself
Because it's nothing I don't like
Is it a crisis or a boring change?
When it's central, so essential
It has a nice ring when you laugh
At their low life opinions
And they're coming to the chorus now
I keep my address to yourself
'Cause we need secrets
We need secret, 'crets, 'crets, 'crets, 'crets, 'crets
Back right now
Because I never wanna make you feel
That you're social, never ignorant soul
Believe in what you wanna do
And do you think that is a major flaw
When they rise up in the falling rain
And if you stay around
With your knuckles ground down
The trial's over, weapon's found
Keep my address to myself because it's secret
'Cause it's secret, 'cret, 'cret, 'cret
'Cret, 'cret, 'cret, 'cret, 'cret
'Cret, 'cret, 'cret, 'cret, 'cret
Back right now
So drunk in the August sun
And you're the kind of girl I like
Because you're empty and I'm empty
And you can never quarantine the past
Did you remember in December
That I won't eat you when I'm gone
And if I go there, I won't stay there
Because I'm sitting here too long
I've been sitting here too long
And I've been wasted
Advocating that word for the last word
Last words come up, all you've got to waste
And keep my advent to yourself
Because it's nothing I don't like
Is it a crisis or a boring change?
When it's central, so essential
It has a nice ring when you laugh
At their low life opinions
And they're coming to the chorus now
I keep my address to yourself
'Cause we need secrets
We need secret, 'crets, 'crets, 'crets, 'crets, 'crets
Back right now
Because I never wanna make you feel
That you're social, never ignorant soul
Believe in what you wanna do
And do you think that is a major flaw
When they rise up in the falling rain
And if you stay around
With your knuckles ground down
The trial's over, weapon's found
Keep my address to myself because it's secret
'Cause it's secret, 'cret, 'cret, 'cret
'Cret, 'cret, 'cret, 'cret, 'cret
'Cret, 'cret, 'cret, 'cret, 'cret
Back right now
So drunk in the August sun
And you're the kind of girl I like
Because you're empty and I'm empty
And you can never quarantine the past
Did you remember in December
That I won't eat you when I'm gone
And if I go there, I won't stay there
Because I'm sitting here too long
I've been sitting here too long
And I've been wasted
Advocating that word for the last word
Last words come up, all you've got to waste
Lyrics submitted by wheaties409, edited by PinkFloydrulez, cbiird, twinfountain, mdznr, Skillstad
Gold Soundz Lyrics as written by Stephen Malkmus
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
"It has a nice ring when you laugh At the lowlife opinions"
I just looked at that line in a bit of a different light. I started imagining the song from the point of view of a secret relationship that these two people have as a shared memory. So I don't think that line necessarily means that she's snobby or full of herself. Rather, I think it means that she, or they, don't really care about anyone's "lowlife" opinions on their relationship, and he likes that. It'd explain why "it has a nice ring" when she laughs rather than a not-so-nice one.