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.
Oh my friends, I've begun to worry, right
Where I should be grateful
I should be satisfied
Oh my heart, I would clap and dance in place
With my friends
I have so much pleasure to embrace
But my heart is returned to sister winter
But my heart is as cold as ice
Oh my thoughts, I return to summertime
When I kissed your ankle
I kissed you through the night
All my gifts, I gave everything to you
Your strange imagination
You threw it all away
Now my heart is returned to sister winter
Now my heart is as cold as ice
All my friends
I've returned to sister winter
All my friends, I apologize, apologize
All my friends
I've returned to sister winter
All my friends, I apologize, apologize
All my friends
I've returned to sister winter
All my friends, I apologize, apologize
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la
And my friends, I've
Returned to wish you all the best
And my friends, I've
Returned to wish you all the best
And my friends, I've
Returned to wish you all the best
And my friends, I've
Returned to wish you a happy Christmas
To wish you a happy Christmas
To wish you a happy Christmas
To wish you a happy Christmas
To wish you a happy Christmas
Where I should be grateful
I should be satisfied
Oh my heart, I would clap and dance in place
With my friends
I have so much pleasure to embrace
But my heart is returned to sister winter
But my heart is as cold as ice
Oh my thoughts, I return to summertime
When I kissed your ankle
I kissed you through the night
All my gifts, I gave everything to you
Your strange imagination
You threw it all away
Now my heart is returned to sister winter
Now my heart is as cold as ice
All my friends
I've returned to sister winter
All my friends, I apologize, apologize
All my friends
I've returned to sister winter
All my friends, I apologize, apologize
All my friends
I've returned to sister winter
All my friends, I apologize, apologize
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la
And my friends, I've
Returned to wish you all the best
And my friends, I've
Returned to wish you all the best
And my friends, I've
Returned to wish you all the best
And my friends, I've
Returned to wish you a happy Christmas
To wish you a happy Christmas
To wish you a happy Christmas
To wish you a happy Christmas
To wish you a happy Christmas
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I love Mendie's interpretation. This is one of the great songs of loss.