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.
Planes on the downtown skyline is a sight to see for some
It ought to make a few reputations in the cult of number one
While these seconds turn these minutes into hours of the day
All these doubles drive the dollars and the light of day away
suffering jukebox such a sad machine
Your filled up with what other people need
And they never seem to turn you up loud
There are a lot of chatterboxes in this crowd
suffering jukebox in a happy town
You're over in the corner breaking down
They always seem to keep you way down low
The people in this town don't want to know
well I guess all that mad misery must make it seem to true to you
But money lights your world up, you're trapped what can you do?
You got Tennessee tendencies and chemical dependencies
You make the same old jokes and malaprops on cue
suffering jukebox such a sad machine
Your filled up with what other people need
Hardship, damnation and guilt
Make you wonder why you were even built
suffering jukebox in a happy town
You're over in the corner breaking down
They always seem to keep you way down low
The people in this town don't want to know
It ought to make a few reputations in the cult of number one
While these seconds turn these minutes into hours of the day
All these doubles drive the dollars and the light of day away
suffering jukebox such a sad machine
Your filled up with what other people need
And they never seem to turn you up loud
There are a lot of chatterboxes in this crowd
suffering jukebox in a happy town
You're over in the corner breaking down
They always seem to keep you way down low
The people in this town don't want to know
well I guess all that mad misery must make it seem to true to you
But money lights your world up, you're trapped what can you do?
You got Tennessee tendencies and chemical dependencies
You make the same old jokes and malaprops on cue
suffering jukebox such a sad machine
Your filled up with what other people need
Hardship, damnation and guilt
Make you wonder why you were even built
suffering jukebox in a happy town
You're over in the corner breaking down
They always seem to keep you way down low
The people in this town don't want to know
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yeah cool self portrait song.
The first verse is just the setting, commercial America - the audience he struggles to speak to. "Cult of #1's" being the upper class. Jaded stuff.