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.
Thought we were going
And go up the field away
And join all the other living souls
But you never came
Robbed of your fortune
You get disappointments in life
You're probably poisoning your body
I hope you're alright
In a moment of fear
You dig in your heels
The pills won't help you now
Once you're crying
Thought we were going
Go up the field away
Join all the other living souls
But you never came
Robbed of your fortune
You get disappointments in life
You're probably poisoning your body
I hope you're alright
In a moment of fear
You dig in your heels
The pills won't help you now
Once you cry
Robbed of your fortune
You get disappointments in life
You're probably poisoning your body
I hope you're alright
In a moment of fear
You dig in your heels
The pills won't help you now
Once you cry
In a moment of fear
You dig in your heels
The pills won't help you now
Once you cry
And go up the field away
And join all the other living souls
But you never came
Robbed of your fortune
You get disappointments in life
You're probably poisoning your body
I hope you're alright
In a moment of fear
You dig in your heels
The pills won't help you now
Once you're crying
Thought we were going
Go up the field away
Join all the other living souls
But you never came
Robbed of your fortune
You get disappointments in life
You're probably poisoning your body
I hope you're alright
In a moment of fear
You dig in your heels
The pills won't help you now
Once you cry
Robbed of your fortune
You get disappointments in life
You're probably poisoning your body
I hope you're alright
In a moment of fear
You dig in your heels
The pills won't help you now
Once you cry
In a moment of fear
You dig in your heels
The pills won't help you now
Once you cry
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If I recall correctly, the Chems mentioned in an interview that this song is about being old and in a rest home, and there definitely seems to be grounds for that in the lyrics, which definitely sound like they're about drugs but fit this interpretation really well (i.e. "they gave disappointments in life", as in, your life is nearing its end and you've been abandoned here by the ones you love). The "pills" in this case would be the residents' daily meds, which may help with their physical ailments, but which can never alleviate the sadness they feel being alone in their last years.
It's they gave disappointments and lies.