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.
Antarctica winter 1982
Research was going steady
And there was nothing much to do
In the distance a lone wolf flees
But no one knows
The carnage that this animal will bring
VIOLENCE UNFOLDS
Assaulted by Norwegian guests
They'll have to die like all the rest
SEARCHING THROUGH SNOW
Discovering the frozen corpse
Of something that's not of this earth
THE CREATURE COMES FORTH
An evil makes its presence known
Attempting to create a clone
NOWHERE TO GO
And something grim is at hand
Something in this artic land
The Thing
No one knows the hell it will bring
It's got you from the inside
It's taking over your life
Intentions so unexplained
Until it gets a hold of your brain
Hiding till the damage is done
Killing them off one by one
The sense of fear begins to grow
No one has protection
From this dangerous infection
Their fates in the hands of the unknown
And nerves are quickly blowing
While the thing is steadily growing
Whom to trust they'll never know
And nothing can contain
A creature unexplained
Half the crews dead more to go
Somehow it's got to stop
And now McReadys getting pissed off
Now there's nothing left to do
Discovering who's human
Is what this final test will prove
Deadly results are what this test brings
But it's the final hope
To unveil his gruesome being
VIOLENCE UNFOLDS
The test was the solution
Now its time for execution
SEARCHING THROUGH THE SNOW
And now Blair is the last Thing left
He'll fight until his dying breath
THE CREATURE COMES FORTH
But this will be the final clash
And kills it with a giant blast
NOWHERE TO GO
Our hero's fate is finally sealed
The camp is lost The Thing is killed (or is it?)
Lyrics submitted by grindfatherclock
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