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.
How are things on the west coast?
I hear you're moving real fine
You wear those shoes like a dove
Now strut those shoes, we'll go roaming in the night
Well, how are things on the west coast?
You keep it moving to your soul's delight
Now I've tried the brakes
I tried, but you know it's a lonely ride
How are things the west coast?
Oh, I'd move Heaven behind those eyes
Today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
But I don't want to take your heart
And I don't want a piece of history
No, I don't want to read your thoughts anymore
My god
'Cause today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
How are things on the west coast?
Hear you're moving real fine tonight
You wear those shoes side-to-side
Ah, strut those shoes, we'll go roaming in the night
Well, how are things on the west coast?
Yeah, but you're an actress and I don't identify
Today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
Say it
But I don't want to play the part
And I don't want a taste of victory
No, I don't want to read your thoughts anymore
My God
'Cause today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
Say it
'Cause today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
Let it come
'Cause I've got a chance for a sweet, sane life
I said, I've got a dance, and you'll do just fine
Well, I've got a plan with forward in my eyes
Let it come
Well, I've got a chance for a sweet, sane life
I said, I've got a dance, it moves into the night
Well, I've got a plan with forward in my eyes
But today my heart swings
I hear you're moving real fine
You wear those shoes like a dove
Now strut those shoes, we'll go roaming in the night
Well, how are things on the west coast?
You keep it moving to your soul's delight
Now I've tried the brakes
I tried, but you know it's a lonely ride
How are things the west coast?
Oh, I'd move Heaven behind those eyes
Today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
But I don't want to take your heart
And I don't want a piece of history
No, I don't want to read your thoughts anymore
My god
'Cause today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
How are things on the west coast?
Hear you're moving real fine tonight
You wear those shoes side-to-side
Ah, strut those shoes, we'll go roaming in the night
Well, how are things on the west coast?
Yeah, but you're an actress and I don't identify
Today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
Say it
But I don't want to play the part
And I don't want a taste of victory
No, I don't want to read your thoughts anymore
My God
'Cause today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
Say it
'Cause today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
Let it come
'Cause I've got a chance for a sweet, sane life
I said, I've got a dance, and you'll do just fine
Well, I've got a plan with forward in my eyes
Let it come
Well, I've got a chance for a sweet, sane life
I said, I've got a dance, it moves into the night
Well, I've got a plan with forward in my eyes
But today my heart swings
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Let's do this the mountain man way and analyzeit line by line. Overall, I'd say it's about a girl who has moved away and he once had feelings for. Perhaps the feelings were mutual, perhaps not, perhaps it seemed they were and he later found it was not so. Either way the girl has hurt him and led him down the wrong path one too many times and he is finally moving on. So let's take a look: "How are things on the West Coast? I hear you movin' real fine" -Clearly the girl has moved or at least been away for quite some time. It appears this may be the first time they have talked in quite some time as he begins with the usual awkward small talk one might experience with a former object of affection. He has heard she's doing well, whether "moving" is meant as literally changing location or is used as a metaphor for basically handling life.
"You wear those shoes like a dove Now strut those shoes We'll go roaming in the night" -He begins to feel those old feelings of attraction again. It's her shoes that spark this. He compares her to the grace and beauty of a dove. He starts to think about them dating (perhaps again), spending their nights together on the town as many couples do.
"Well how are things on the West Coast? You keep it movin' to your soul's delight" -He remembers that it's not right for them to be together and snaps himself back out of his infatuated daze by returning to the original subject. He realizes that she is doing what she wants and isn't restricted by his needs (or ever was?). There seems to be a bit of bitterness in this line, to me at least.
"Now I've tried the brakes I've tried but you know it's a lonely ride" -He's tried before to break himself away from her because she either (a) has hurt him too many times, (b) he can't have her, or (c) she is simply not right for him and leads him to do things that he doesn't see as good for him. All of them are possible motivations. I'm going to use (a) for the rest of the interpretation as it fits quite nicely.
"How are things on the West Coast? Oh and move heaven behind those eyes..." -Snap back once again to reality, but he can't help but be attracted to her. He puts this heavenly and wonderful aura about her and is overwhelmed by it when he looks into her eyes, even though he knows she's hurt him over and over. Perhaps he believes she doesn't mean to.
"Today my heart swings Yeah today my heart swings" -He regains his strength and begins to see the situation clearly. She's screwed around with his heart one too many times and he finally decides that it's time he moves on and swings his affections away from her.
"But I don't want to take your heart" -Obvious. He no longer feels the need to get the feelings he once had mutually as he's lost them. "And I don't want a piece of history" -He doesn't want back the past, in which perhaps they had had a better relationship. "No I don't want to read your thoughts any more My God" -He doesn't care how she feels about him anymore and is amazed/proud of himself.
"Yeah, but you're an actress I don't identify" -She has changed from the girl he had once loved. She's suddenly gained a false sense of superiority in her time away and is no longer the sweet girl he once knew. He's never seen her this way before and thus no longer identifies.
"Let it come" -Let life take it's course and let this mess of a relationship end. "'Cause I've got a chance for a sweet saint life" -He's got the chance to live a better life without the constant struggle and stress of trying to make her his. "I said I've gotta dance and you'll do just fine" -He has to leave her behind and move on happily. If she tries to stop, whether consciously or subconsciously, he knows she'll do alright without him. He says this smugly. "Well I've got a plan, look forward in my eyes" -He's finally got it all figured out and he has a new sense of anticipation for the future.
Sorry if it sounds like a story without much evidence to back it up, but I think you'll all be able to see the basic idea I'm communicating.
I think the beginning lines are less a questioning of his parting, but more like he's playing nice to try to get at that one more time, like he ran into her and now's he's trying to get laid.