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 don't wanna work in a building downtown
No, I don't wanna work in a building downtown
I don't know what I'm gonna do
Cause the planes keep crashing always two by two
I don't wanna work in a building downtown
No, I don't wanna see when the planes hit the ground
I don't wanna work in a building downtown
I don't wanna work in a building downtown
Parking their cars in the underground
Their voices when they scream, they make no sound
I wanna see the cities rust
And the trouble makers riding on the back of the bus
Dear God, I'm a good Christian man
In your glory, I know you understand
That you gotta work hard and you gotta get paid
My girl's thirteen, but she don't act her age
She can sing like a bird in a cage
Oh Lord, if you could see her when she's up on that stage
You know that I'm a God fearing man
You know that I'm a God fearing man
But I just gotta know if it's part of your plan
To seat my daughters there by your right hand
I know that you'll do what is right, Lord
For they are the lanterns, and you are the light
Now I'm overcome
By the light of day
My lips are near, but my heart is far away
Tell me what to say
I'll be your mouthpiece!
Into the light of a bridge that burns
As I drive from the city with the money that I earned
Into the black of a starless sky
I'm staring into nothing, and I'm asking you why
Lord, will you make her a star?
So the world can see who you really are
Little girl, you're old enough to understand
That you'll always be a stranger in a strange, strange land
The men are gonna come while you're fast asleep
So you better just stay close and hold on to me
If my little mocking bird don't sing
Then daddy won't buy her no diamond ring
Dear God, would you send me a child?
Oh God, would you send me a child?
Cause I wanna put it up on the TV screen
So the world can see what your true word means
Lord, would you just send me a sign?
Cause I just gotta know if I'm wasting my time
Now I'm overcome
By the light of day
My lips are near, but my heart is far away
Now the war is won
How come nothing tastes good?
You're such a sensitive child
Oh, you're such a sensitive child
I know you're tired, but it's alright
I just need you to sing for me tonight
You're gonna have your day in the sun
You know God loves the sensitive ones
Oh, my little bird in a cage
Oh, my little bird in a cage
I need you to get up for me, up on that stage
And show the men that you're old for your age
Now ain't the time for fear
But if you don't take it, it'll disappear
Oh, my little mockingbird, sing
Oh, my little mockingbird, sing
I need you to get up on that stage for me, honey
And show the men it's not about the money
Wanna hold a mirror up to the world
So that they can see themselves inside my little girl
Do you know where I was at your age?
Any idea where I was at your age?
I was working downtown for the minimum wage
And I'm not gonna let you just throw it all away
I'm through being cute, I'm through being nice
Oh, tell me, Lord, am I the Antichrist?
No, I don't wanna work in a building downtown
I don't know what I'm gonna do
Cause the planes keep crashing always two by two
I don't wanna work in a building downtown
No, I don't wanna see when the planes hit the ground
I don't wanna work in a building downtown
I don't wanna work in a building downtown
Parking their cars in the underground
Their voices when they scream, they make no sound
I wanna see the cities rust
And the trouble makers riding on the back of the bus
Dear God, I'm a good Christian man
In your glory, I know you understand
That you gotta work hard and you gotta get paid
My girl's thirteen, but she don't act her age
She can sing like a bird in a cage
Oh Lord, if you could see her when she's up on that stage
You know that I'm a God fearing man
You know that I'm a God fearing man
But I just gotta know if it's part of your plan
To seat my daughters there by your right hand
I know that you'll do what is right, Lord
For they are the lanterns, and you are the light
Now I'm overcome
By the light of day
My lips are near, but my heart is far away
Tell me what to say
I'll be your mouthpiece!
Into the light of a bridge that burns
As I drive from the city with the money that I earned
Into the black of a starless sky
I'm staring into nothing, and I'm asking you why
Lord, will you make her a star?
So the world can see who you really are
Little girl, you're old enough to understand
That you'll always be a stranger in a strange, strange land
The men are gonna come while you're fast asleep
So you better just stay close and hold on to me
If my little mocking bird don't sing
Then daddy won't buy her no diamond ring
Dear God, would you send me a child?
Oh God, would you send me a child?
Cause I wanna put it up on the TV screen
So the world can see what your true word means
Lord, would you just send me a sign?
Cause I just gotta know if I'm wasting my time
Now I'm overcome
By the light of day
My lips are near, but my heart is far away
Now the war is won
How come nothing tastes good?
You're such a sensitive child
Oh, you're such a sensitive child
I know you're tired, but it's alright
I just need you to sing for me tonight
You're gonna have your day in the sun
You know God loves the sensitive ones
Oh, my little bird in a cage
Oh, my little bird in a cage
I need you to get up for me, up on that stage
And show the men that you're old for your age
Now ain't the time for fear
But if you don't take it, it'll disappear
Oh, my little mockingbird, sing
Oh, my little mockingbird, sing
I need you to get up on that stage for me, honey
And show the men it's not about the money
Wanna hold a mirror up to the world
So that they can see themselves inside my little girl
Do you know where I was at your age?
Any idea where I was at your age?
I was working downtown for the minimum wage
And I'm not gonna let you just throw it all away
I'm through being cute, I'm through being nice
Oh, tell me, Lord, am I the Antichrist?
Lyrics submitted by thiagozero, edited by Woot100, Mellow_Harsher
(Antichrist Television Blues) Lyrics as written by Regine Chassagne Jeremy Gara
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Putting this passage into context, Matthew 15 is Jesus using the words of Isaiah to call out the teachers of the law on their hypocrisy:
Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' he is not to 'honor his father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: " 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'"
So this is on the flip side (focus on the child not the parent)...I can see the man in the song, in his twisted way, thinking that his using his daughter is honoring God somehow...when he's really not honoring God by it at all. Another example of humanity misusing/misinterpreting religion/faith for their own ends.