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.
Old yellow bricks
Love's a risk
Quite the little escapologist
Looked so miffed
When you wished
For a thousand places better than this
You are the fugitive
But you don't know what you're runnin' from
You can't kid us
And you couldn't trick anyone
Houdini, love you don't know what you're runnin' away from
Who wants to sleep in the city that never wakes up?
Blinded by nostalgia
Who wants to sleep in the city that never wakes up?
She was enraged by the way
That the emperor put traps in the cage
And the days she been dull
Lead to nights readin' beer bottles
You're such a fugitive
But you don't know what you're runnin' from
You can't kid us
And you couldn't trick anyone
Houdini, love you don't know what you're runnin' away from
Who wants to sleep in the city that never wakes up?
Blinded by nostalgia
Who wants to sleep in a city that never wakes up?
You're at a loss
Just because
It wasn't all that you thought it was
You are a fugitive, but you don't know what you're runnin' away from
She said, "I want to sleep in the city that never wakes up
And revel in nostalgia"
I know I said he wants to sleep in the city that never wakes up, but
Dorothy was right though
Love's a risk
Quite the little escapologist
Looked so miffed
When you wished
For a thousand places better than this
You are the fugitive
But you don't know what you're runnin' from
You can't kid us
And you couldn't trick anyone
Houdini, love you don't know what you're runnin' away from
Who wants to sleep in the city that never wakes up?
Blinded by nostalgia
Who wants to sleep in the city that never wakes up?
She was enraged by the way
That the emperor put traps in the cage
And the days she been dull
Lead to nights readin' beer bottles
You're such a fugitive
But you don't know what you're runnin' from
You can't kid us
And you couldn't trick anyone
Houdini, love you don't know what you're runnin' away from
Who wants to sleep in the city that never wakes up?
Blinded by nostalgia
Who wants to sleep in a city that never wakes up?
You're at a loss
Just because
It wasn't all that you thought it was
You are a fugitive, but you don't know what you're runnin' away from
She said, "I want to sleep in the city that never wakes up
And revel in nostalgia"
I know I said he wants to sleep in the city that never wakes up, but
Dorothy was right though
Lyrics submitted by woulduhvtheguts, edited by ChipperSpiff, peacealovelyheart, julj
Old Yellow Bricks Lyrics as written by Alex Turner Jon Mcclure
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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