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.
Some say it was a warning
Some say it was a sign
I was standing right there
When it came down from the sky
The way it spoke to us
You felt it from inside
Said it was up to us
Up to us to decide
You've become a virus
That's killing off his host
We been watching you with all of our eyes
And what you seem to value most
So much potential
Or so we used to say
Your greed, self-importance and your arrogance
You piss it all away
We heard her cry
We have come to intervene
You will change your ways and you will make amends
Or we will wipe this place clean
Your time is tick, tick, ticking away
Your time is tick, tick, ticking away
Your time is tick, tick, ticking away
Your time is tick, tick, ticking away
Your time is tick, tick, ticking away
Your time is tick, tick, ticking away
Ticking away
Some say it was a sign
I was standing right there
When it came down from the sky
The way it spoke to us
You felt it from inside
Said it was up to us
Up to us to decide
You've become a virus
That's killing off his host
We been watching you with all of our eyes
And what you seem to value most
So much potential
Or so we used to say
Your greed, self-importance and your arrogance
You piss it all away
We heard her cry
We have come to intervene
You will change your ways and you will make amends
Or we will wipe this place clean
Your time is tick, tick, ticking away
Your time is tick, tick, ticking away
Your time is tick, tick, ticking away
Your time is tick, tick, ticking away
Your time is tick, tick, ticking away
Your time is tick, tick, ticking away
Ticking away
Lyrics submitted by not_for_real, edited by Loliam
The Warning Lyrics as written by Trent Reznor
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
The new song Satellite on Hesitation Marks reminded me of this.
This song is also about a Satellite. A human satellite.