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.
Howling in rememberance, an animal has died
I'm hollowed out but resonant, a void is amplified
And abandoned shy
My animus was lost I found, when I looked back in time
I can see the where and how, but I don't know the why
Or if it's right to try
The best advice I ever had was leave what was behind
But did i see some value there, or am i going blind?
Is it all in my mind?
Like when you want it easy and you've got an uphill climb
Why would you give power to the ones who robbed you blind
Yet another time?
You've got a choice: it's the toro or the toreador
Your brides are not all as weak as what you take them for
This mean arena is all the things it seems and more
Well that final day will come, it comes to everyone
The accidents of birth can make it hard to speak one's mind
But I believe there's power here, just not that I can find
And I'm not aimed on dying
You're in a dance and you must maintain unil it's done
You've got a chance to retake a bit of innocence
You didn't choose to commit, but you're committed
So put some passion in the play, because we all go anyway
Trying to find a fact to frame, a fully righteous fire
Everyone wants body counts, and not just want to cry
Is it alright?
I'm hollowed out but resonant, a void is amplified
And abandoned shy
My animus was lost I found, when I looked back in time
I can see the where and how, but I don't know the why
Or if it's right to try
The best advice I ever had was leave what was behind
But did i see some value there, or am i going blind?
Is it all in my mind?
Like when you want it easy and you've got an uphill climb
Why would you give power to the ones who robbed you blind
Yet another time?
You've got a choice: it's the toro or the toreador
Your brides are not all as weak as what you take them for
This mean arena is all the things it seems and more
Well that final day will come, it comes to everyone
The accidents of birth can make it hard to speak one's mind
But I believe there's power here, just not that I can find
And I'm not aimed on dying
You're in a dance and you must maintain unil it's done
You've got a chance to retake a bit of innocence
You didn't choose to commit, but you're committed
So put some passion in the play, because we all go anyway
Trying to find a fact to frame, a fully righteous fire
Everyone wants body counts, and not just want to cry
Is it alright?
Lyrics submitted by undreamt
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great song
but I think where you have "and abandoned shy", it might be "an abandoned shrine" (at least that's what it sounds like to me)
and "aimed on dying" might be "anodyne"
I could be wrong
great song though