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.
Death to my will
Oh, can I fill this hole in my heart?
What will ever fill?
I've fallen way too far, I wanted only you
Tell me what we are when I'm hurting you
And you're hurting me
And why are we in love?
Nothing is ever new and we both can see that
Death to your will, oh, can I fill this hole in your heart?
Swallow me as a pill and stand with me in the dark
Oh, I only wanted you
Winter has lasted too long, oh, it's always cold here
We can't see right or see wrong
Oh, it always snows dear
Winter has lasted too long, oh, it's always cold here
We can't see right or see wrong
Oh, it's always cold my dear
With crumbling, ripping, and failing
You'd think that we'd get the point
God and the devils are saying
"The well has rejected your coins"
Oh, can I fill this hole in my heart?
What will ever fill?
I've fallen way too far, I wanted only you
Tell me what we are when I'm hurting you
And you're hurting me
And why are we in love?
Nothing is ever new and we both can see that
Death to your will, oh, can I fill this hole in your heart?
Swallow me as a pill and stand with me in the dark
Oh, I only wanted you
Winter has lasted too long, oh, it's always cold here
We can't see right or see wrong
Oh, it always snows dear
Winter has lasted too long, oh, it's always cold here
We can't see right or see wrong
Oh, it's always cold my dear
With crumbling, ripping, and failing
You'd think that we'd get the point
God and the devils are saying
"The well has rejected your coins"
Lyrics submitted by AdamBurnsRed
It's Always Cold in Paris Lyrics as written by Chad Daniel Ackerman Brian Mcternan
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Ave Grave
Thee More Shallows
Thee More Shallows
Step
Ministry
Ministry
Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Welp being that Destroy the Runner is a christian band and this album was more prophetic than "Saints" here is what I feel the song is talking about.
First versus is talking to God "Death to my will" Following God is to put his will first "Oh, can I fill this hole in my heart?" The song is more about his falling away, backslide if you will, this is where it started and he is looking for something to fill his heart but not looking to God at this point, "What will ever fill?" Still looking outside of Grace. "I've fallen way too far, I wanted only you." Acknowledges that he has fallen but still wants God just has lost his way.
"Tell me what we are when I'm hurting you, you're hurting me." God is a jealous God and by putting himself first he feels like he has let God down, and that since he is letting God down, he feels he is being punished for it. "And why are we in love? Nothing is ever new and we both can see that." Has lost his "flame" and doesn't feel like he is growing in his relationship, could even be that he feels his prayers are unanswered and nothing seems to help.
Second verse is God responding. "Death to your will" Acknowledge that he chose God first but.. "Oh can I fill this whole in your heart?" God asking the duality to the first asking to this question. "Swallow me as a pill and stand with me in the dark." God telling him to trust in him and in the dark he will be the light. "oh I wanted only you" God claims to want us and loves us.
"Winter has lasted too long. Oh, it's always cold here. We can't see right or see wrong. Oh, it always snows dear." The world is a cold place full of sin and distractions from God. easiest way to put it.
"With crumbling, ripping, and failing, you'd think that we'd get the point." The world is falling apart yet we just let it happen "God and the devils are saying, "'The well has rejected your coins.'" So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth Rev. 3:16
Simple, it's a love song where two people are lost. They are both hurting each other and don't know why.
Kinda doubt that azthe1k - There are illusions to staying in a abusive relationship between two people and how they can't seem to learn each time they fail.
soccero15, I think you mean allusions, not illusions.
Hey, the only thing i found different was "Tell me what we are when I'm hurting you and you're hurting me." -no "and" i fixed that and made it into a more "reader-friendly" version. haha good job though! I love this song.
Death to my will. Oh, can I fill this hole in my heart? What will ever fill? I've fallen way too far, I wanted only you.
Tell me what we are when I'm hurting you, you're hurting me. And why are we in love? Nothing is ever new and we both can see that.
Death to your will. Oh, can I fill this hole in your heart? Swallow me as a pill and stand with me in the dark. Oh, I only wanted you.
Winter has lasted too long. Oh, it's always cold here. We can't see right or see wrong. Oh, it always snows dear. Winter has lasted too long. Oh, it's always cold here. We can't see right or see wrong. Oh, it's always, always cold my dear.
Tell me what we are when I'm hurting you, you're hurting me. And why are we in love? Nothing is ever new and we both can see that.
With crumbling, ripping, and failing, you'd think that we'd get the point. God and the devils are saying, "The well has rejected your coins."
i cant get away from thinking that this song is about a gay couple "the well has rejected your coins" to me seems like another way of saying that the world doesnt accept gay couples