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.
He's not sure what he should do
She's seventeen, he's twenty-two
Is that too much of a difference?
So instead look what he's done
He's found a girl who's thirty-one
Is that too much of a difference?
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got a mate who says behave
You're not too bad but twice her age
Does that really make any difference?
He's had a few, we've all been there
Just seventeen but he don't care
I don't think he knows the difference
'Cause she's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
His mates found out, he feels a fool
They saw her on the bus to school
Should that really make any difference?
What would her dad say if he knew
She's on her knees, he's twenty-two
I don't think he'd like the difference
Does that really make any difference?
'Cause she's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
'Cause she's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's seventeen, he's twenty-two
Is that too much of a difference?
So instead look what he's done
He's found a girl who's thirty-one
Is that too much of a difference?
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got a mate who says behave
You're not too bad but twice her age
Does that really make any difference?
He's had a few, we've all been there
Just seventeen but he don't care
I don't think he knows the difference
'Cause she's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
His mates found out, he feels a fool
They saw her on the bus to school
Should that really make any difference?
What would her dad say if he knew
She's on her knees, he's twenty-two
I don't think he'd like the difference
Does that really make any difference?
'Cause she's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
'Cause she's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
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