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.
We've drained full confession booths
Polluted drinking wells with our repentances and then stood
Grinning with our arm around shoulders of a rotting child
Hold that pose
Provisional, arrogant little pigs who devour their siblings
Shoot that dog if we can't afford to feed
Shoot that dog if we can't afford to feed
Famine fathered a moth. Famine fathered a moth
That begot our fathers
Keep your voices down I'm sneaking out
Hey, what's the big idea?
Keep your fucking hands off the insight
That rat has got its mother's eyes
That rat has got its mother's eyes
Breeding ad nauseam, they are ouring themselves into the sea
Stop, thief
Stop, thief
Stop, thief
Stop, thief
Stop, thief
Stop, thief
Stop, thief
Leave your drunken accident at the prom
It'll grow to mend your broken heart
Don't sign the dotted line (Every house is a little bit of Hollywood)
The world is too incredible to bring such ugliness into it
The artist is sneaking down the hall to impregnate the last of its kin
Indiscernible mute in a swarm of derivatives
And I deny any part. I deny any part of a
Deadbeat godfather
Deadbeat godfather
Deadbeat godfather
Bite your tongue. Who taught you those words?
Blaspheme! When you are under my roof
Don't ever say "Rock and Roll"
Don't ever say "Rock and Roll"
Polluted drinking wells with our repentances and then stood
Grinning with our arm around shoulders of a rotting child
Hold that pose
Provisional, arrogant little pigs who devour their siblings
Shoot that dog if we can't afford to feed
Shoot that dog if we can't afford to feed
Famine fathered a moth. Famine fathered a moth
That begot our fathers
Keep your voices down I'm sneaking out
Hey, what's the big idea?
Keep your fucking hands off the insight
That rat has got its mother's eyes
That rat has got its mother's eyes
Breeding ad nauseam, they are ouring themselves into the sea
Stop, thief
Stop, thief
Stop, thief
Stop, thief
Stop, thief
Stop, thief
Stop, thief
Leave your drunken accident at the prom
It'll grow to mend your broken heart
Don't sign the dotted line (Every house is a little bit of Hollywood)
The world is too incredible to bring such ugliness into it
The artist is sneaking down the hall to impregnate the last of its kin
Indiscernible mute in a swarm of derivatives
And I deny any part. I deny any part of a
Deadbeat godfather
Deadbeat godfather
Deadbeat godfather
Bite your tongue. Who taught you those words?
Blaspheme! When you are under my roof
Don't ever say "Rock and Roll"
Don't ever say "Rock and Roll"
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!
my apologies-i commented before i listened to the song, and i figured that was just a spelling mistake.