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.
As a child, I knew
That the stars could only get brighter
And we would get closer
Get closer
Mmh
As a child, I knew
That the stars could only get brighter
That we could get closer
Leaving this darkness
Behind
Now that I'm older
The stars should lie upon my face
When I find myself alone
Find myself alone
Ooh
Now that I'm older
The stars should lie upon my face
And when I find myself alone
I feel like I, I am blind
Feel it
Feel it
Feel it
Feel it
Like I, I am blind
I wish the stars could shine now
For they are closer, they are near
But they will not present my present
They will not present my present
I wish the light could shine now
For it is closer, it is near
But it will not present my present
It makes my past and future painfully clear
To hear you now
To see you now
I can look outside myself
And I must examine my breath and look inside
Ooh
To see you now
To hear you now
I can look outside myself
And I must examine my breath and look inside
Because I feel blind
Because I feel blind
I feel it
I feel it
I feel it
I feel it like I, I'm blind
And feel it
Mmh and feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
That the stars could only get brighter
And we would get closer
Get closer
Mmh
As a child, I knew
That the stars could only get brighter
That we could get closer
Leaving this darkness
Behind
Now that I'm older
The stars should lie upon my face
When I find myself alone
Find myself alone
Ooh
Now that I'm older
The stars should lie upon my face
And when I find myself alone
I feel like I, I am blind
Feel it
Feel it
Feel it
Feel it
Like I, I am blind
I wish the stars could shine now
For they are closer, they are near
But they will not present my present
They will not present my present
I wish the light could shine now
For it is closer, it is near
But it will not present my present
It makes my past and future painfully clear
To hear you now
To see you now
I can look outside myself
And I must examine my breath and look inside
Ooh
To see you now
To hear you now
I can look outside myself
And I must examine my breath and look inside
Because I feel blind
Because I feel blind
I feel it
I feel it
I feel it
I feel it like I, I'm blind
And feel it
Mmh and feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
Ooh, I feel it
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
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Andy Butler said this song is about growing up being gay. The gay folklore promises young gay kids that when they grow up, move to a big liberal city or school, they will find love, peace, acceptance, a community, and pride instead of the misery ("darkness") they experience now. These are the "stars", that are getting closer.
I'm pretty sure it's not "present my presence" but "present my present". The stars didn't give this "present". Instead, many gay people are still tormented and broken by their sometimes incredibly traumatizing experiences of bullying, self-loathing and not being accepted, and the gay meccas aren't all that they're cracked up to be. So, you need to look inside yourself.
@Wormsie That explanation makes me like this song more. It is a song of strength and hope.