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.
It's the common reactor
It's the long way out
It's the stream of a motion blur
That swirls around till you drown
But I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down
It's the colorless picture
In a heart-shaped frame
The silhouette of a doe-eyed girl
Who at one point had a name
But I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down
Let's break the windowpanes
And separate the walls from all the nails
And maybe if we're loud we'll stay alive
While everybody wants to join the fight
But now it's too late
Brush away all the memories
And keep the cries curbside
I'll be ashen on the images
That have all been caught inside
But I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down
Let's break the windowpanes
And separate the walls from all the nails
And maybe if we're loud we'll stay alive
While everybody wants to join the fight
But even if we barricade the door
And seal it with the blood found on the floor
We're always going to cross the finish line
While everybody wants to run and hide
But now it's too late
Let's break the windowpanes
And separate the walls from all the nails
And maybe if we're loud we'll stay alive
While everybody wants to join the fight
But even if we barricade the door
And seal it with the blood found on the floor
We're always going to cross the finish line
While everybody wants to run and hide
But now it's too late
It's the long way out
It's the stream of a motion blur
That swirls around till you drown
But I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down
It's the colorless picture
In a heart-shaped frame
The silhouette of a doe-eyed girl
Who at one point had a name
But I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down
Let's break the windowpanes
And separate the walls from all the nails
And maybe if we're loud we'll stay alive
While everybody wants to join the fight
But now it's too late
Brush away all the memories
And keep the cries curbside
I'll be ashen on the images
That have all been caught inside
But I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down
Let's break the windowpanes
And separate the walls from all the nails
And maybe if we're loud we'll stay alive
While everybody wants to join the fight
But even if we barricade the door
And seal it with the blood found on the floor
We're always going to cross the finish line
While everybody wants to run and hide
But now it's too late
Let's break the windowpanes
And separate the walls from all the nails
And maybe if we're loud we'll stay alive
While everybody wants to join the fight
But even if we barricade the door
And seal it with the blood found on the floor
We're always going to cross the finish line
While everybody wants to run and hide
But now it's too late
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