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.
I'm sitting in a room
Made up of only big white walls
And in the halls
There are people looking through the window and the door
They know exactly what we're here for
Don't look up, just let them think
There's no place else you'd rather be
You're always on display
For everyone to watch and learn from
Don't you know by now
You can't turn back
Because this road is all you'll ever have
And it's obvious that you're dying, dying
Just living proof that the camera's lying
And oh, oh open wide
'Cause this is your night, so smile
'Cause you'll go out in style
You'll go out in style
If you let me I could
I'd show you how to build your fences
Set restrictions
Separate from the world
The constant battle that you hate to fight
Just blame the limelight
Don't look up just let them think
There's no place else you'd rather be in now
You can't turn back
Because this road is all you'll ever have
And it's obvious that you're dying, dying
Just living proof that the camera's lying
And oh, oh open wide
Cause this is your night, so smile
Yeah, yeah you're asking for it
With every breath that you breathe in
Just breathe it in
Yeah, yeah well you're just a mess
You do all this big talking
So now let's see you walking
I said let's see you walking
Yeah, yeah well you're just a mess
You do all this big talking
So now let's see you walking
I said let's see you walking
And it's obvious that you're dying, dying
Just living proof that the camera's lying
And oh, oh open wide
Yeah oh, oh open wide
Yeah oh, oh open wide
'Cause you'll go out in style
You'll go out in style
Made up of only big white walls
And in the halls
There are people looking through the window and the door
They know exactly what we're here for
Don't look up, just let them think
There's no place else you'd rather be
You're always on display
For everyone to watch and learn from
Don't you know by now
You can't turn back
Because this road is all you'll ever have
And it's obvious that you're dying, dying
Just living proof that the camera's lying
And oh, oh open wide
'Cause this is your night, so smile
'Cause you'll go out in style
You'll go out in style
If you let me I could
I'd show you how to build your fences
Set restrictions
Separate from the world
The constant battle that you hate to fight
Just blame the limelight
Don't look up just let them think
There's no place else you'd rather be in now
You can't turn back
Because this road is all you'll ever have
And it's obvious that you're dying, dying
Just living proof that the camera's lying
And oh, oh open wide
Cause this is your night, so smile
Yeah, yeah you're asking for it
With every breath that you breathe in
Just breathe it in
Yeah, yeah well you're just a mess
You do all this big talking
So now let's see you walking
I said let's see you walking
Yeah, yeah well you're just a mess
You do all this big talking
So now let's see you walking
I said let's see you walking
And it's obvious that you're dying, dying
Just living proof that the camera's lying
And oh, oh open wide
Yeah oh, oh open wide
Yeah oh, oh open wide
'Cause you'll go out in style
You'll go out in style
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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?
Step
Ministry
Ministry
Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
DUDE!!! did anyone watch them on Steven's Untitled Rockshow when they took steven into their recording studio? Steven pulled their song chart off the wall and this one was named Avril!!!! So, heh, im thinking thats who its about...
"If you let me I could I'd show you how to build your fences Set restrictions, separate from the world The constant battle that you hate to fight Just blame the limelight"
_Avril has always been all about letting everyone knwo whats going on in her private life. Don't look up
"Yeah, yeah, you're asking for it With every breath that you breathe in Just breathe it in" She used to be all , "oh im punk... i hate you... i hate pop stars" and WHAT IS SHE NOW WITH THAT STUPID GIRLFRIEND SONG!!
"You do all this big talk, yeah So now let's see you walk it I said let's see you walk it" I watched a TV interview of her saying that she like hilary duff and that they got along...pssssh load of crap is what that is...lol
LOVE U AVRIL!!! haha
Yeah, yeah, well, you're just a mess You do all this big talk, yeah So now let's see you walk it I said, let's see you walk it
And it's obvious that you're dying, dying Just living proof that the camera's lying And open wide, yeah open wide Yeah, open wide, cause you'll go out in style You'll go out in style