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.
Have you ever wanted to disappear
And join a monastery
Go out and preach on Manic Street?
Who will I be when I wake up next to a stranger
On a passenger plane?
(Passenger plane)
Oh,
Permanent jet lag
Please take me back (please take be back)
Please take be back
(Oh) I'm a stray dog sick
Please let me in (please let me in)
The mad keys tripping
Singing vows before we exchange smoke rings
Give me a pen
Call me Mr. Benzedrine
But don't let the doctor in
I wanna blow off steam and
Call me Mr. Benzedrine (Mr. Benzedrine)
But don't let the doctor, don't let the doctor in
It feels like fourteen karats but no clarity
When I look at the man who would be king
The man who would be king goes to the
Desert to sing war his dad rehearsed
Came back with flags on coffins and said
We won, oh, we won
Permanent jet lag
Please take me back (please take be back)
Please take be back
(Oh) I'm a stray dog sick
Please let me in (please let me in)
The mad keys tripping
Singing vows before we exchange smoke rings
Give me a pen
Call me Mr. Benzedrine
But don't let the doctor in
I wanna blow off steam and
Call me Mr. Benzedrine (Mr. Benzedrine)
But don't let the doctor, don't let the doctor in
Benzedrine
My, my, my Benzedrine
My Benzedrine now
My Benzedrine now
Only one more thing and that is the rest of the proof
Is on the television, on the
Call me Mr. Benzedrine
But don't let the doctor in
I wanna blow off steam and
Call me Mr. Benzedrine (Mr. Benzedrine)
But don't let the doctor, don't let the doctor in
Have you ever wanted to disappear?
It's not me, it's you
Actually, it's the taxidermy of you and me
Untie the balloons from around my neck and ground me
I'm just a racehorse on the track
Send me back to the glue factory
Always thought I'd float away
And never come back
But I've got enough miles on my card
To fly the boys home on my own
But you know me: I like being all alone
And keeping you all alone
And the charts are boring
And the kids are snoring
And the eagles in a sling
You say you're not listening
And I said I'm wishing
And I said, I said
And join a monastery
Go out and preach on Manic Street?
Who will I be when I wake up next to a stranger
On a passenger plane?
(Passenger plane)
Oh,
Permanent jet lag
Please take me back (please take be back)
Please take be back
(Oh) I'm a stray dog sick
Please let me in (please let me in)
The mad keys tripping
Singing vows before we exchange smoke rings
Give me a pen
Call me Mr. Benzedrine
But don't let the doctor in
I wanna blow off steam and
Call me Mr. Benzedrine (Mr. Benzedrine)
But don't let the doctor, don't let the doctor in
It feels like fourteen karats but no clarity
When I look at the man who would be king
The man who would be king goes to the
Desert to sing war his dad rehearsed
Came back with flags on coffins and said
We won, oh, we won
Permanent jet lag
Please take me back (please take be back)
Please take be back
(Oh) I'm a stray dog sick
Please let me in (please let me in)
The mad keys tripping
Singing vows before we exchange smoke rings
Give me a pen
Call me Mr. Benzedrine
But don't let the doctor in
I wanna blow off steam and
Call me Mr. Benzedrine (Mr. Benzedrine)
But don't let the doctor, don't let the doctor in
Benzedrine
My, my, my Benzedrine
My Benzedrine now
My Benzedrine now
Only one more thing and that is the rest of the proof
Is on the television, on the
Call me Mr. Benzedrine
But don't let the doctor in
I wanna blow off steam and
Call me Mr. Benzedrine (Mr. Benzedrine)
But don't let the doctor, don't let the doctor in
Have you ever wanted to disappear?
It's not me, it's you
Actually, it's the taxidermy of you and me
Untie the balloons from around my neck and ground me
I'm just a racehorse on the track
Send me back to the glue factory
Always thought I'd float away
And never come back
But I've got enough miles on my card
To fly the boys home on my own
But you know me: I like being all alone
And keeping you all alone
And the charts are boring
And the kids are snoring
And the eagles in a sling
You say you're not listening
And I said I'm wishing
And I said, I said
Lyrics submitted by blinxbcr, edited by starriie, AlexzaE, mrtrashcan367
20 Dollar Nose Bleed Lyrics as written by Joseph Trohman Andrew Hurley
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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*Have you ever wanted to disappear? and join a monestary Go out and preach on manic street
I'm pretty sure it's 'Go out and preach young addicts straight'