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.
Everybody here
Comes from somewhere
But they would just as soon forget
And disguise
At the summer camp where you volunteered
No one saw your face, no one saw your fear
If that apparition had just appeared
Took you up and away from this place
And sheer humiliation
Of your teenage station
Nobody cares, no one remembers and nobody cares
How you cried and you cried
"He's alive, he's alive"
How you cried and cried
And you cried and you cried
If you call out "safe"
Then I'll stop right away
If the premise buckles
And the ropes start to chafe
The details smart
But the story's the same
You don't have to explain
You don't have to explain
Humiliation
Of your teenage station
Yeah, you cried and you cried
"He's alive, he's alive"
How you cried and you cried
And you cried and you
Realized your fantasies
Are dressed up in travesties
Enjoy yourself with no regrets
Everybody here
Comes from somewhere
That they would just as soon forget
And disguise
Yeah, you cried and you cried
"He's alive, he's alive"
Yeah, you cried and you cried
And you cried and you cried
(Oh, you cried and you cried)
(Oh, you cried and you cried)
Now there's nothing dark
And there's nothing weird
Don't be afraid, I will hold you near
From the seance where you first betrayed
An open heart on a darkened stage
A celebration
Of your teenage station
It's an experience, sweet, delirious
Supernatural, super serious
An experience, sweet, delirious
Supernatural, super serious
Wow
Comes from somewhere
But they would just as soon forget
And disguise
At the summer camp where you volunteered
No one saw your face, no one saw your fear
If that apparition had just appeared
Took you up and away from this place
And sheer humiliation
Of your teenage station
Nobody cares, no one remembers and nobody cares
How you cried and you cried
"He's alive, he's alive"
How you cried and cried
And you cried and you cried
If you call out "safe"
Then I'll stop right away
If the premise buckles
And the ropes start to chafe
The details smart
But the story's the same
You don't have to explain
You don't have to explain
Humiliation
Of your teenage station
Yeah, you cried and you cried
"He's alive, he's alive"
How you cried and you cried
And you cried and you
Realized your fantasies
Are dressed up in travesties
Enjoy yourself with no regrets
Everybody here
Comes from somewhere
That they would just as soon forget
And disguise
Yeah, you cried and you cried
"He's alive, he's alive"
Yeah, you cried and you cried
And you cried and you cried
(Oh, you cried and you cried)
(Oh, you cried and you cried)
Now there's nothing dark
And there's nothing weird
Don't be afraid, I will hold you near
From the seance where you first betrayed
An open heart on a darkened stage
A celebration
Of your teenage station
It's an experience, sweet, delirious
Supernatural, super serious
An experience, sweet, delirious
Supernatural, super serious
Wow
Lyrics submitted by Karkian, edited by sirludwigvanbiffington, kgz12
Supernatural Superserious Lyrics as written by Mike Mills Peter Buck
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Thanks for the nice reply, Iana. Makes me happy to hear that people agree on my take.
And Walkabout, no, Bill Berry isn't back, but the other Bill sure knows how to beat the drums. I think he has grown a lot as an additional member of the band. And this song sure proves how they're still on track. I've listened to it over 100 times, probably 120, and it still sounds good, and that's always a good thing.