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.
(Hello, mirror, so glad to see you, my friend, it's been a while)
Staring at the empty page before me
All the years of wreckage run through my head
Patterns of my live have thawed and torn me
Revealing hurtful shame and deep lament
Overwhelming sorrow now absorbs me
As the pen begins to trace my darkest past
Signs throughout my life that should have warned me
Of all the wrongs I've done for which I must repent
I once thought it better to regret
Things that I have done, then haven't
Sometimes you've got to be wrong
Learn the hard way
Sometimes you've got to be strong
When you think it's too late
Staring at the finished page before me
All the damage now so clear and evident
Thinking 'bout the dreaded task in store for me
A bitter fear at the thought of my amends
Hoping that the step will help restore me
To face my past and ask for forgiveness
Cleaning up my dirty side of this un-swept street
Could this be the beginning of the end?
I once thought it better to regret
Things that I have done, then haven't
Sometimes you've got to be wrong
Learn the hard way
Just when you're through hanging on
You're saved
If we are painstaking about this phase of our development
We will be amazed before we are halfway through.
We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
We will comprehend the word serenity, and we will know peace
No matter how far down the scale we have gone.
We will see how our experience can benefit others.
That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.
We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.
Self-seeking will slip away.
Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
Fear of people and economic insecurity will leave us.
We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.
We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Are these extravagant promises? We think not.
They have been fulfilled amongst others
Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.
We will always be true to our principles.
You're only as sick as your secrets
But the truth shall set you free.
The truth is the truth.
That's all you can do is live with it.
Staring at the empty page before me
All the years of wreckage run through my head
Patterns of my live have thawed and torn me
Revealing hurtful shame and deep lament
Overwhelming sorrow now absorbs me
As the pen begins to trace my darkest past
Signs throughout my life that should have warned me
Of all the wrongs I've done for which I must repent
I once thought it better to regret
Things that I have done, then haven't
Sometimes you've got to be wrong
Learn the hard way
Sometimes you've got to be strong
When you think it's too late
Staring at the finished page before me
All the damage now so clear and evident
Thinking 'bout the dreaded task in store for me
A bitter fear at the thought of my amends
Hoping that the step will help restore me
To face my past and ask for forgiveness
Cleaning up my dirty side of this un-swept street
Could this be the beginning of the end?
I once thought it better to regret
Things that I have done, then haven't
Sometimes you've got to be wrong
Learn the hard way
Just when you're through hanging on
You're saved
If we are painstaking about this phase of our development
We will be amazed before we are halfway through.
We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
We will comprehend the word serenity, and we will know peace
No matter how far down the scale we have gone.
We will see how our experience can benefit others.
That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.
We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.
Self-seeking will slip away.
Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
Fear of people and economic insecurity will leave us.
We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.
We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Are these extravagant promises? We think not.
They have been fulfilled amongst others
Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.
We will always be true to our principles.
You're only as sick as your secrets
But the truth shall set you free.
The truth is the truth.
That's all you can do is live with it.
Lyrics submitted by 2006200720082009, edited by Idan, Octavarium64
Repentance Lyrics as written by Michael Portnoy John Petrucci
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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!
More Featured Meanings
Ave Grave
Thee More Shallows
Thee More Shallows
The Spy
Doors, The
Doors, The
Like a lot of the other comments are saying, I think this mainly about voyeurism. If the song was about his girlfriend, then why would he use the word spy. If you are a spy it means you shouldn't be caught, that is kind of the whole point, and if you are a voyeur, the whole point of the pleasure you get from it, is the fact that the other people don't know you are watching them. See a bit of a connection there?
Battle Royale
Word Alive, The
Word Alive, The
This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone).
And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.
Techno Ted
Audioslave
Audioslave
Techno Ted may be a person who caused Chris incredible emotional pain & trepidation as well as moments of peace & happiness but now is removed and awaiting his fate. Darling may be a different person who is also free of him and can live her life free of Ted's tyranny. "In between all the laughing, and daydreams ... lies: a desert of truth" Lies are like a desert or the omission of Truth: Where there were Lies then Truth was absent. The song, "Techno Ted", may be a cathartic celebration of the downfall of this person.
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
okay, everyone says this song isn't up-to-par with DT... but what they are doing is just portraying the emotions and mood that come with the 8th and 9th steps.... by making it lighter and slower....i mean, who goes through regret angry or full of super-fast energy?
I love this song...so...yeah... i think someone already said pretty much the same thing... EDIT:YtseJam said it....heh
-Zane-
My least favorite song on Systematic Chaos, but it's still pretty good.
Guest vocalists go as follows:
@Aniland I was 15 when I made that comment and now at 30 I like this song a lot more. Still can't get over what an all-star guest-list that is for the confessions portion.
My second favourite song from the AA Saga.
Well, if you take steps 8 and 9 which this song is about really, then in that context the mood that the song sets is exactly what it should be even though we all would like something else. :)
Once the the album is released, either Aniland or myself will update the lyrics here with the quotes.
Not my personal favorite Dt song :[ almost a let down. i was expecting another masterpiece in the saga....a ten minute song....ahhh. But like Mike portnoy said in his mirror interview, you can't please everyone. but i do love the guitar riff in the middle
It's true. The lyrics are set with the theme of the stages. If you guys did you're research then you'd know that.
i havent heard it yet, but i would have liked them to keep the heavy pattern with the AA saga. maybe ill like it.
The voice-over at the end of "Repentance", presumably done by Portnoy himself, is the following text:
"If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves. Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us—sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them."
Source- silkworth.net/ Scroll half-way down the page. It's that text, word-for-word.
Also, for "Repentance", I can clearly hear Neal Morse's voice, coming in at 6:52 saying "I'm sorry for what I did...". Can anyone else confirm that? The ending also has the following: "You're only as sick as your secrets, but the truth shall set you free." "The truth is the truth, it's all you can do is live with it."
-M.
Also:
"Patterns of my life I thought I don't ...?..."
Should be...
"Patterns of my life I thought adowned me"