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 have been here before at least a thousand times
Laboratory coats encoding matching minds
Anesthetize, unplug the telephone
A billion little tubes infused with pheromones
Well I’m out of my mind
Let the record show
Well you know she can’t dance
Until she’s in control
Something to fall back on
When the membranes break
Learning how to give ‘cause the world she takes
Tally the chalk, give my hands a rest
There’s something I can do to get it off her chest
(repeat chorus)
Baby can’t dance, baby can’t dance
Laboratory coats encoding matching minds
Anesthetize, unplug the telephone
A billion little tubes infused with pheromones
Well I’m out of my mind
Let the record show
Well you know she can’t dance
Until she’s in control
Something to fall back on
When the membranes break
Learning how to give ‘cause the world she takes
Tally the chalk, give my hands a rest
There’s something I can do to get it off her chest
(repeat chorus)
Baby can’t dance, baby can’t dance
Lyrics submitted by IamMajosha
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