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.
Madmen fry
This is bad for their health
In the midday sky
Everything has its appointed hour
Get down on their knees
Why should the devil have all the good tunes
BUt the sand won't freeze
Those that do you wrong will never forgive you
CHORUS
Deciding on decisions-deciding on decisions-a war between the ears
Laughing like a madman-laughing like a madman-laughing at the madman
On the barren waste
With the mind of roadworks full of parked cars
You will decorate
An incident of original sin
With skull and bone
An accident of true distinction
Your final home
You spoke too quick, now count the stars
CHORUS
Evaporation, dehydration
An innocent of original sin
With this skull and bones, dehydrating on the desert sands
Raised my height
took an all time low
Took away a little part of me
Sand castles in the snow
And everything you knew
Has turned its back on you
Sand castles in the snow
Deciding on decisions
Deciding on decisions
Well I raised my heights
Took an all time low
I'm laughing at this madman
And all these things
You did and said
All these things
Running through my head
Laughing at the madman
Deciding on decisions
This is bad for their health
In the midday sky
Everything has its appointed hour
Get down on their knees
Why should the devil have all the good tunes
BUt the sand won't freeze
Those that do you wrong will never forgive you
CHORUS
Deciding on decisions-deciding on decisions-a war between the ears
Laughing like a madman-laughing like a madman-laughing at the madman
On the barren waste
With the mind of roadworks full of parked cars
You will decorate
An incident of original sin
With skull and bone
An accident of true distinction
Your final home
You spoke too quick, now count the stars
CHORUS
Evaporation, dehydration
An innocent of original sin
With this skull and bones, dehydrating on the desert sands
Raised my height
took an all time low
Took away a little part of me
Sand castles in the snow
And everything you knew
Has turned its back on you
Sand castles in the snow
Deciding on decisions
Deciding on decisions
Well I raised my heights
Took an all time low
I'm laughing at this madman
And all these things
You did and said
All these things
Running through my head
Laughing at the madman
Deciding on decisions
Lyrics submitted by Major Valor
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