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.
Cassius is over!
Cassius away!
Cassius these daydreams, these daydreams decay!
Cassius an accident!
Cassius an accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Cassius it's over!
Cassius away!
Cassius these daydreams, these daydreams decay!
Lighthouse (Life) is an accident!
The lighthouse (Love) is an accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Wish you've gone-a, wish you've gone away, what you've gone-a
What you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! At best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
The wind is in, the wind is in my heart, the wind is in-
Now what you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! At best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
Cassius, is over! You're second best!
Cassius, it's over! You're second best!
It's over! You're second best!
Second best!
Second best!
Second best!
Cassius is over!
Cassius away!
Cassius these daydreams, these daydreams decay!
Lighthouse (Life) is an accident!
The lighthouse (Love) is an accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Wish you've gone-a, wish you've gone away, what you've gone-a
What you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! at best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
The wind is in, the wind is in my heart, the wind is in-
Now what you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! At best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
Cassius, is over! You're second best!
Cassius, it's over! You're second best!
It's over! You're second best!
Second best!
Second best!
Second best!
Wish you've gone-a, wish you've gone away, what you've gone-a
What you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! At best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
The wind is in, the wind is in my heart, the wind is in-
Now what you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! At best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
Cassius away!
Cassius these daydreams, these daydreams decay!
Cassius an accident!
Cassius an accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Cassius it's over!
Cassius away!
Cassius these daydreams, these daydreams decay!
Lighthouse (Life) is an accident!
The lighthouse (Love) is an accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Wish you've gone-a, wish you've gone away, what you've gone-a
What you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! At best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
The wind is in, the wind is in my heart, the wind is in-
Now what you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! At best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
Cassius, is over! You're second best!
Cassius, it's over! You're second best!
It's over! You're second best!
Second best!
Second best!
Second best!
Cassius is over!
Cassius away!
Cassius these daydreams, these daydreams decay!
Lighthouse (Life) is an accident!
The lighthouse (Love) is an accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Wish you've gone-a, wish you've gone away, what you've gone-a
What you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! at best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
The wind is in, the wind is in my heart, the wind is in-
Now what you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! At best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
Cassius, is over! You're second best!
Cassius, it's over! You're second best!
It's over! You're second best!
Second best!
Second best!
Second best!
Wish you've gone-a, wish you've gone away, what you've gone-a
What you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! At best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
The wind is in, the wind is in my heart, the wind is in-
Now what you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! At best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
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He reuses the verse melody from the previous album's "Dirty Little Religion", the topics of the verses are all over the place, and he packs too many words into one line (goes to show...) and too few in another (it's pretty hard to find), and rhymes "Henley Regatta" with "Persona non grata", but gets away with it all as only he could.
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The way this song speaks to me🥺🥺when I sing it I feel like I relate
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This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone).
And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.
it's not here, but the part about "cassius you're second best" is really reminiscent of shakespeare's julius caesar, lqtm. but i certainly have to agree with you kele, especially due to the "lighthouse was an accident" part...