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.
Alright, my love
Our time is up
I need you to be ready
The war is coming
The army's up and running
And you know I'll go too
The night is young yes
I'm watching you shift
Those stones inside your belly
And hiding my eyes
Sure you'd recognize
The mutiny in them swelling
See I gave my heart to some mad God
Never cared for the incision
And the prisons dark
As I slip between these bars and greet these visions
Just the stock brokers
And the monsignors chasing prostitutes through the Bowery
Past the Dow and Jones
Monday's junkie models bones feed the furnaces on Friday
And the climbers wake in the streets having fallen
Back down into town from the mountains surrounding
And a two dollar Staple Singers tape plays from somewhere
I think that it's 'Freedom Highway' but I ain't sure
And the vendors sell pride but what transfers is hate
Some lie that you're better or normal or safe
And terror's a sea that just swells inside each of us
Just within reach of us, keeping our peace from us
And the city's lit up like a fireworks display
Where tonight it's the head of this state on a plate
And Saint Francis, Zookeeper, minding the grave
Poor Jesus he just wanders round in that cage
Becoming all things
Becoming all things
Becoming all things
Becoming all things
Our time is up
I need you to be ready
The war is coming
The army's up and running
And you know I'll go too
The night is young yes
I'm watching you shift
Those stones inside your belly
And hiding my eyes
Sure you'd recognize
The mutiny in them swelling
See I gave my heart to some mad God
Never cared for the incision
And the prisons dark
As I slip between these bars and greet these visions
Just the stock brokers
And the monsignors chasing prostitutes through the Bowery
Past the Dow and Jones
Monday's junkie models bones feed the furnaces on Friday
And the climbers wake in the streets having fallen
Back down into town from the mountains surrounding
And a two dollar Staple Singers tape plays from somewhere
I think that it's 'Freedom Highway' but I ain't sure
And the vendors sell pride but what transfers is hate
Some lie that you're better or normal or safe
And terror's a sea that just swells inside each of us
Just within reach of us, keeping our peace from us
And the city's lit up like a fireworks display
Where tonight it's the head of this state on a plate
And Saint Francis, Zookeeper, minding the grave
Poor Jesus he just wanders round in that cage
Becoming all things
Becoming all things
Becoming all things
Becoming all things
Lyrics submitted by stopthebomb
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kierkegaardian existensialism?