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.
I spent 20 years trying to get out of this place
I was lookin' for something I couldn't replace
I was runnin' away from the only thing I've ever known
And like a blind dog without a bone
I was a gypsy lost in the twilight zone
I hijacked a rainbow and crashed into a pot of gold
I've been there, done that, I ain't lookin' back
The seeds I've sown, saving dimes, spending too much time on the telephone
Who says you can't go home
Who says you can't go home
There's only one place they call me one of their own
Just a hometown boy, born a Rolling Stone
Who says you can't go home
Who says you can't go back, been all around the world and as a matter of fact
There's only one place left I want to go
Who says you can't go home
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright
I went as far as I could, I tried to find a new face
There isn't one of these lines that I would erase
I left a million miles of memories on that road
And every step I take, I know that I'm not alone
You take the home from the boy, but not the boy from his home
These are my streets, the only life I've ever known
Who says you can't go home
Who says you can't go home
There's only one place they call me one of their own
Just a hometown boy, born a Rolling Stone
Who says you can't go home
Who says you can't go back, been all around the world and as a matter of fact
There's only one place left I want to go
Who says you can't go home
[Guitar Solo]
It doesn't matter where you are, doesn't matter where you go
If it's a million miles aways or just a mile up the road
Take it in, take it with you when you go
Who says you can't go home
Who says you can't go back, been all around the world and as a matter of fact
There's only one place left I want to go
Who says you can't go home
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright,it's alright
Who says you can't go home
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright,it's alright
Who says you can't go home
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright.it's alright
Who says you can't go home
I was lookin' for something I couldn't replace
I was runnin' away from the only thing I've ever known
And like a blind dog without a bone
I was a gypsy lost in the twilight zone
I hijacked a rainbow and crashed into a pot of gold
I've been there, done that, I ain't lookin' back
The seeds I've sown, saving dimes, spending too much time on the telephone
Who says you can't go home
Who says you can't go home
There's only one place they call me one of their own
Just a hometown boy, born a Rolling Stone
Who says you can't go home
Who says you can't go back, been all around the world and as a matter of fact
There's only one place left I want to go
Who says you can't go home
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright
I went as far as I could, I tried to find a new face
There isn't one of these lines that I would erase
I left a million miles of memories on that road
And every step I take, I know that I'm not alone
You take the home from the boy, but not the boy from his home
These are my streets, the only life I've ever known
Who says you can't go home
Who says you can't go home
There's only one place they call me one of their own
Just a hometown boy, born a Rolling Stone
Who says you can't go home
Who says you can't go back, been all around the world and as a matter of fact
There's only one place left I want to go
Who says you can't go home
[Guitar Solo]
It doesn't matter where you are, doesn't matter where you go
If it's a million miles aways or just a mile up the road
Take it in, take it with you when you go
Who says you can't go home
Who says you can't go back, been all around the world and as a matter of fact
There's only one place left I want to go
Who says you can't go home
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright,it's alright
Who says you can't go home
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright,it's alright
Who says you can't go home
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright.it's alright
Who says you can't go home
Lyrics submitted by joe1982_york
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