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.
And she's a killer
And she's a keeper...
[Verse 1]
Am I blurry
In your vision
Was I just
A poor decision
Cut me open
With precision
& we'll finger
The incision
Tell me what have I done
(quid pro quo)
To watch you lose
Control
(tunnel)
I will give you sanctuary
In these hymns of Thanatos...
I will give you sanctuary!
[Verse 2]
You want to
See me burn
I am living fire!
You want to
See me burn
I am living fire!
You will know me
By the scars I bare
You will know me
By the hate I swear
You will know me
By the scars I bare
Shapeless vengeance!
(tunnel)
We are the 1000 children of death.
We're in-between, on the fence
Non-descript antagonists
I'm in-between, on the fence
Non-descript antagonist!
I'll split you open
& climb inside
Lose myself
Eaten alive
We are the 1000 children of death!
From seraphim!
To nephilim!
To exodus!
[Verse 3]
She's picking ghostflowers
From her soul
She's clipping the wings
Of fallen angels!
She's picking ghostflowers
From her soul
She's tonguing splinters
Of broken halos!
You will know me
By the scars I bare
You will know me
By the hate I swear
You will know me
By the scars I bare
You will know me
[Bridge]
From gelatin
To specimen
To emptiness
I will be avenged
I will be avenged
These are the secrets
That kill, that kill
That kill, that kill
That kill, that kill
That kill, that kill
We are the 1000 children of death
And she's a keeper...
[Verse 1]
Am I blurry
In your vision
Was I just
A poor decision
Cut me open
With precision
& we'll finger
The incision
Tell me what have I done
(quid pro quo)
To watch you lose
Control
(tunnel)
I will give you sanctuary
In these hymns of Thanatos...
I will give you sanctuary!
[Verse 2]
You want to
See me burn
I am living fire!
You want to
See me burn
I am living fire!
You will know me
By the scars I bare
You will know me
By the hate I swear
You will know me
By the scars I bare
Shapeless vengeance!
(tunnel)
We are the 1000 children of death.
We're in-between, on the fence
Non-descript antagonists
I'm in-between, on the fence
Non-descript antagonist!
I'll split you open
& climb inside
Lose myself
Eaten alive
We are the 1000 children of death!
From seraphim!
To nephilim!
To exodus!
[Verse 3]
She's picking ghostflowers
From her soul
She's clipping the wings
Of fallen angels!
She's picking ghostflowers
From her soul
She's tonguing splinters
Of broken halos!
You will know me
By the scars I bare
You will know me
By the hate I swear
You will know me
By the scars I bare
You will know me
[Bridge]
From gelatin
To specimen
To emptiness
I will be avenged
I will be avenged
These are the secrets
That kill, that kill
That kill, that kill
That kill, that kill
That kill, that kill
We are the 1000 children of death
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My opinion:
And she's a killer and she's a keeper.
[I think 'she's a killer' is talking about one of the parents trying to kill the unborn baby, more then likely the father because of her Wurd Becomes Flesh lyrics. However, the baby survives, so I'm thinking that's why 'she's a keeper' comes in...because the baby survived.]
am i blurry in your vision
was i just a poor decision
cut me open with precision
& we'll finger the incision
[She asks of her parents: Can you see me or are you going to pretend I'm not alive? Was I a bad decision, is that why you tried to kill me? Cut me open and finger the incision...she's in pain because of these questions and to her, it feels as if they are cutting her open.]
tell me what have i done (quid pro quo)
[what have I done, I'm just a child that you created. What did I do to deserve this pain?]
to watch you lose control
[I think she means watching them treat her like shit when they should be loving her.]
i will give you sanctuary in these hymns of Thanatos ...
i will give you sanctuary!
[The only way you will be protected, is through death, but it will be an easy death because you're my parent and a part of me does love you.]
you want to see me burn i am living fire!
you want to see me burn i am LIVING FIRE!
[You wanted me to die, but I am living...and I am raging.]
you will know me by the scars i bare
you will know me by the hate i swear
you will know me by the scars i bare
shapeless vengeance!
[I would rather decipher this backwards because it would be quicker and easier. She's going to come back to them for vengeance, vengeance without a shape...meaning no time and no specific way, so if it be years later, she's going to look very different to them, but they will know who she is by the scars she bears and the hate...because they are the ones that inflicted it.]
we are the 1000 children of death.
[I will get to this later, and becausae my comment will be long, I will post it in two parts.]
Perfect. I like it.