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.
All along the river I ran in weald
As the autumn flower burning into
Blackberries, redberries
William, where is the tower?
I crawled through these hours
Begging the resurrection
My needs, my wants, my powers
Are thickets, tall and deathly
William, where is the tower?
I want to crawl inside
My lover lies at home
Sick and deadly, wanting
Blackberries, redberries
As the autumn flower burning into
Blackberries, redberries
William, where is the tower?
I crawled through these hours
Begging the resurrection
My needs, my wants, my powers
Are thickets, tall and deathly
William, where is the tower?
I want to crawl inside
My lover lies at home
Sick and deadly, wanting
Blackberries, redberries
Lyrics submitted by MaritheGreat
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This song's never really bothered me. He can do better, obviously. But its ... tranquilising?