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.
Night falls and towns become circuit boards
We can beat the sun as long as we keep moving
From the air, stadium lights stand out like flares
And all I know is that you're sat here right next to me
We rarely see warning signs in the air we breathe
Right now I feel each and every fragment
This paper trail leads right back to you
You say you need me to step outside
You spent the evening unpacking books from boxes
You passed me up so as not to break a promise
Scattered polaroids and sprinkled words around your collar in the long run
Said you knew that this would happen
Well this is something new but it turns out it was borrowed too
Why does every let down have to be so thin?
Rain explodes at the moment that the cab door closed
I feel the weight upon your kiss ambiguous
You have to leave, I appreciate that
But I hate when conversation slips out of our grasp
You spent the evening unpacking books from boxes
You passed me up so as not to break a promise
Scattered polaroids and sprinkled words around your collar in the long run
Said you knew that this would happen
Two bodies in motion
This is a matter of fact
It wasn't built to last
Two bodies in motion
This is a matter of fact
It wasn't built to last
You spent the evening unpacking books from boxes
You passed me up so as not to break a promise
Scattered polaroids and sprinkled words around your collar in the long run
Said you knew that this would happen
The pounding rain continued it's bleak fall
And we decided just to write after all, after all
The pounding rain continued it's bleak fall
And we decided just to write after all
We can beat the sun as long as we keep moving
From the air, stadium lights stand out like flares
And all I know is that you're sat here right next to me
We rarely see warning signs in the air we breathe
Right now I feel each and every fragment
This paper trail leads right back to you
You say you need me to step outside
You spent the evening unpacking books from boxes
You passed me up so as not to break a promise
Scattered polaroids and sprinkled words around your collar in the long run
Said you knew that this would happen
Well this is something new but it turns out it was borrowed too
Why does every let down have to be so thin?
Rain explodes at the moment that the cab door closed
I feel the weight upon your kiss ambiguous
You have to leave, I appreciate that
But I hate when conversation slips out of our grasp
You spent the evening unpacking books from boxes
You passed me up so as not to break a promise
Scattered polaroids and sprinkled words around your collar in the long run
Said you knew that this would happen
Two bodies in motion
This is a matter of fact
It wasn't built to last
Two bodies in motion
This is a matter of fact
It wasn't built to last
You spent the evening unpacking books from boxes
You passed me up so as not to break a promise
Scattered polaroids and sprinkled words around your collar in the long run
Said you knew that this would happen
The pounding rain continued it's bleak fall
And we decided just to write after all, after all
The pounding rain continued it's bleak fall
And we decided just to write after all
Lyrics submitted by romanceisdead
Books From Boxes Lyrics as written by Duncan Robert Lloyd Archis Tiku
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Sentric Music
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I find my ideas are best described in a line by line method.
Night falls and towns become circuit boards (It’s a cold sterile world) We can beat the sun as long as we keep moving From the air, stadium lights stand out like flares (Everything is a show) And all I know is that you're sat here right next to me (He’s in love) We rarely see warning signs in the air we breathe (He usually doesn’t care about the consequences) Right now I feel each and every fragment *(but this is different)
This paper trail leads right back to you (He can’t escape how much he loves her) You say you need me to step outside (She doesn’t want anyone to know)
You spent the evening unpacking books from boxes (She’s moving) You passed me up so as not to break a promise (And they can’t be together) Scattered Polaroids and sprinkled words around your collar in the long run *(but they still had an affair) Said you knew that this would happen
Well this is something new but it turns out it was borrowed too (He thought is was true love, but it turns out it was a fling) Why does every let down have to be so thin? Rain explodes at the moment that the cab door closed (Rain symbolizes the end, like tears. When she drove off it was all over) I feel the weight upon your kiss ambiguous
You have to leave, I appreciate that (He knows she can’t stay forever in their imaginary world) But I hate when conversation slips out of our grasp (But he still wants to pretend they could work)
You spent the evening unpacking books from boxes You passed me up so as not to break a promise Scattered Polaroids and sprinkled words around your collar in the long run Said you knew that this would happen
Two bodies in motion This is a matter of fact It wasn't built to last *(It’s just empty sex)
Two bodies in motion This is a matter of fact It wasn't built to last
You spent the evening unpacking books from boxes You passed me up so as not to break a promise Scattered Polaroids and sprinkled words around your collar in the long run Said you knew that this would happen
The pounding rain continued its bleak fall (The tears are still coming down) And we decided just to write after all, after all (and the romance is turned to distance)
The pounding rain continued its bleak fall And we decided just to write after all