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.
You were right
There was never reason to worry
Money made your eyesight all blurry
Making lists of pacifists
Recalcitrant poses
Can't you see how dangerous
The one you chose is
Which brings us back to
Might makes right
So we learn from Wars of the Roses
Pain was only fear kneading (?) your toeses
Making haste to spite your face to cut off your noses
Convince yourself and others that these
Fish smell like roses
Can't you see how dangerous
When you're too content to make a fuss
Can't you see how dangerous
Squint your eyes and see
Elephants, sycophants, elephants (x 4)
Squint your ears and hear red-faced rants
Pleated pants
Sycophants
That's what you are
Can't you see how dangerous
When you're too content to make a fuss
There was never reason to worry
Money made your eyesight all blurry
Making lists of pacifists
Recalcitrant poses
Can't you see how dangerous
The one you chose is
Which brings us back to
Might makes right
So we learn from Wars of the Roses
Pain was only fear kneading (?) your toeses
Making haste to spite your face to cut off your noses
Convince yourself and others that these
Fish smell like roses
Can't you see how dangerous
When you're too content to make a fuss
Can't you see how dangerous
Squint your eyes and see
Elephants, sycophants, elephants (x 4)
Squint your ears and hear red-faced rants
Pleated pants
Sycophants
That's what you are
Can't you see how dangerous
When you're too content to make a fuss
Lyrics submitted by Quisquilloso
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Chimcham: "I will absolutely guarantee you this song had nothing to do with the 2008 election"
I agree. Although I didn't realize it was written during the 2004 election (and the first entry doesn't give a date for the election in the text of the post, though I should have noticed the date it was posted), I was in fact providing a counter-example to those who I thought were interpreting the song in the context of the 2008 election. (Me: "This is the line that really messes with the 2008 scenario" and "you might want to think twice before permanently tying it to the 2008 presidential election") Although I'm embarrassed for missing the posting dates in the first several posts, I feel in a way justified to discover that the song continues to stand on its own when removed from its specific temporal context (and does not in fact have to do with the 2008 elections).
If you read my post as claiming that the song was about the 2008 election, then I'm afraid we've had a gross misunderstanding.
Like I said before (and for which I apparently received a negative rating), it's a good song; I hate to see its interpretation overly laden with partisanship...especially considering the vitriol with which some persons discuss current politics.
:)