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.
They wanna corrupt me. They tried to corrupt me.
This ain't no Swan Song. This is for the ugly ducklings of my country.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE HERE!
'psst psst; conspiracy to riot.'
Peep the game, dummy. You can't keep the reign from me.
It's us who put in the over time, they who make the money.
Snickering at trickle down economy.
We got nickled and dimed? It's more like highway robbery.
Drive in the fast lane. Eyes on the gas gauge.
Listen to neo-cons cry about black rage.
It doesn't stop there.
They're the blowhards. They puff out their chest. They're full of hot air.
Providing entertainment for the status quo.
Then once every 4 years they pander to the black vote.
Oh, religion ain't a tool of control?
Then why they pull the God card once they're losing in the polls?
Foolish. I know. We're victims of circumstance.
It ain't coincidence we're children of the worker ants.
While those in power ain't never owned a pair of dirty pants
But they're quick to kill your health insurance plans.
The rich cheat death with their cheap survival.
They found more than one way to beat the Bible.
Street disciple... my beats are trifle mega.
Don't repeat the cycle, just live your life better.
I'm gonna defeat my rival. That's why I'm writing this letter
to let em know we ain't givin' up the fight ever.
'psst psst; conspiracy to riot'
They wanna corrupt me. They tried to corrupt me.
This ain't no Swan Song. This is for the ugly ducklings of my country.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE HERE!
'psst psst; conspiracy to riot.'
Oh yeah; I've got a weapon of mass destruction';
Parked in the back and it's a vessel of gas consumption.
Rebels of rap production never adapted to nothing.
Imagine my laugh whenever ask me for something.
Like I ain't gave it my all.
You came fashionably late to the headbanger's ball.
After the mob scene lost steam,
And after we spilled pig's blood on the prom queen.
I've been told with old age comes wisdom,
But I've found with old age comes old age.
We're stuck in our old ways like everything was done much better
in some forgotten era. Thumb sucking America.
I can't begin to name the ways I'd pin the blame
on an administration acting inhumane.
If it's killing season let's start within.
When the hunter becomes the hunted they outlaw hunting (ain't that something.)
Confiscate the ammunition!
Cuz there's a wolf in sheep's skin. A pit bull with lipstick.
A pig in a blanket. Some lame duck President
privatizing profit and socializing debt.
Collapsed credit. Journalists get arrested.
Watch the Blackwater operatives go domestic.
Oh, that's a problem? Well don't agonize.
Smoke 'em if you got 'em. A whole pack of lies.
Summer spring and autumn. Now bring the wintertime.
I don't protest snow. I shovel it with picket signs.
'psst psst; conspiracy to riot'
They wanna corrupt me. They tried to corrupt me.
This ain't no Swan Song. This is for the ugly ducklings of my country.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE HERE!
We have the right to assembly and it's the duty of the patriot
to protect his country from the government.
But when we try it; but when we try it;
But when we try it;
it's CONSPIRACY TO RIOT!
Peace rally with my friends. Conspiracy to riot.
When we have no defense. Conspiracy to riot.
Rubber bullets to our heads. Conspiracy to riot.
Conspiracy to riot. Conspiracy to riot.
When we find voter fraud. Conspiracy to riot.
When we defy overlords. Conspiracy to riot.
When we finally pull the cord. Conspiracy to riot.
Conspiracy to riot. Conspiracy to riot.
'Til the truth is revealed. Conspiracy to riot.
We ain't choosing to kneel. Conspiracy to riot.
Let me be the human shield. Conspiracy to riot.
Conspiracy to riot. Conspiracy to riot.
This ain't no Swan Song. This is for the ugly ducklings of my country.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE HERE!
'psst psst; conspiracy to riot.'
Peep the game, dummy. You can't keep the reign from me.
It's us who put in the over time, they who make the money.
Snickering at trickle down economy.
We got nickled and dimed? It's more like highway robbery.
Drive in the fast lane. Eyes on the gas gauge.
Listen to neo-cons cry about black rage.
It doesn't stop there.
They're the blowhards. They puff out their chest. They're full of hot air.
Providing entertainment for the status quo.
Then once every 4 years they pander to the black vote.
Oh, religion ain't a tool of control?
Then why they pull the God card once they're losing in the polls?
Foolish. I know. We're victims of circumstance.
It ain't coincidence we're children of the worker ants.
While those in power ain't never owned a pair of dirty pants
But they're quick to kill your health insurance plans.
The rich cheat death with their cheap survival.
They found more than one way to beat the Bible.
Street disciple... my beats are trifle mega.
Don't repeat the cycle, just live your life better.
I'm gonna defeat my rival. That's why I'm writing this letter
to let em know we ain't givin' up the fight ever.
'psst psst; conspiracy to riot'
They wanna corrupt me. They tried to corrupt me.
This ain't no Swan Song. This is for the ugly ducklings of my country.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE HERE!
'psst psst; conspiracy to riot.'
Oh yeah; I've got a weapon of mass destruction';
Parked in the back and it's a vessel of gas consumption.
Rebels of rap production never adapted to nothing.
Imagine my laugh whenever ask me for something.
Like I ain't gave it my all.
You came fashionably late to the headbanger's ball.
After the mob scene lost steam,
And after we spilled pig's blood on the prom queen.
I've been told with old age comes wisdom,
But I've found with old age comes old age.
We're stuck in our old ways like everything was done much better
in some forgotten era. Thumb sucking America.
I can't begin to name the ways I'd pin the blame
on an administration acting inhumane.
If it's killing season let's start within.
When the hunter becomes the hunted they outlaw hunting (ain't that something.)
Confiscate the ammunition!
Cuz there's a wolf in sheep's skin. A pit bull with lipstick.
A pig in a blanket. Some lame duck President
privatizing profit and socializing debt.
Collapsed credit. Journalists get arrested.
Watch the Blackwater operatives go domestic.
Oh, that's a problem? Well don't agonize.
Smoke 'em if you got 'em. A whole pack of lies.
Summer spring and autumn. Now bring the wintertime.
I don't protest snow. I shovel it with picket signs.
'psst psst; conspiracy to riot'
They wanna corrupt me. They tried to corrupt me.
This ain't no Swan Song. This is for the ugly ducklings of my country.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE HERE!
We have the right to assembly and it's the duty of the patriot
to protect his country from the government.
But when we try it; but when we try it;
But when we try it;
it's CONSPIRACY TO RIOT!
Peace rally with my friends. Conspiracy to riot.
When we have no defense. Conspiracy to riot.
Rubber bullets to our heads. Conspiracy to riot.
Conspiracy to riot. Conspiracy to riot.
When we find voter fraud. Conspiracy to riot.
When we defy overlords. Conspiracy to riot.
When we finally pull the cord. Conspiracy to riot.
Conspiracy to riot. Conspiracy to riot.
'Til the truth is revealed. Conspiracy to riot.
We ain't choosing to kneel. Conspiracy to riot.
Let me be the human shield. Conspiracy to riot.
Conspiracy to riot. Conspiracy to riot.
Lyrics submitted by IAmBatman07
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Sage actually has talked about this song when he was talking about the arrests for misdemeanor rioting at the "Taking Back Labor Day" celebration and the conspiracy riot arrests and raids made around the time of the Republican National Convention. Here is his blog page talking about it: strangefamousrecords.com/conspiracy/
"We have the right to assembly and it's the duty of the patriot to protect his country from the government. But when we try it; but when we try it; But when we try it; it's CONSPIRACY TO RIOT!" This I think is very very true. Without people picketing the stuff done buy our government America doesn't work. Those who are truly Patriotic are those who attempt to change that which happens through stuff such as demonstrating.
"Journalists get arrested. Watch the Blackwater operatives go domestic." This lyric is probably in reference to his friend Jared Paul who got arrested during the "Taking Back Labor Day" celebration.
"You came fashionably late to the headbanger's ball. After the mob scene lost steam," Jared Paul was headed to the music part of this where Mos Def and Atmosphere were performing when he got arrested.
The title is probably in reference to the organizers who got arrested, such as though who got arrested n the Food Not Bombs raid, most of whom got arrested for Conspiracy to Riot.
My favorite part: "Summer spring and autumn. Now bring the wintertime. I don't protest snow. I shovel it with picket signs."