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.
I said, 'darlin', why so blue?'
She told me, 'I've been missin' you.'
We's a-leaving
She said, stay
She kissed my lips and quickly ran away
Lost some buttons to my overcoat
Pull your knife away from my throat
She said, 'smoke your cigarette, I hope you choke'
Kissed my lips and quickly ran away
I shake, I shake
I can never see
How good a young love could really be
I know, I know
It's not that bad
Take a look at what we had
Walked you home from the park
I held your hand, it was after dark
Hold me closer, she'll always stay
She kissed my lips and quickly ran away
Lost some buttons to my overcoat
Pull your knife away from my throat
She said, 'smoke your cigarette, I hope you choke'
Kissed my lips and quickly ran away
You shake, you shake
I could never see
How good young love could really be
I know, I know
It's not that bad
Take a look at what we had
She told me, 'I've been missin' you.'
We's a-leaving
She said, stay
She kissed my lips and quickly ran away
Lost some buttons to my overcoat
Pull your knife away from my throat
She said, 'smoke your cigarette, I hope you choke'
Kissed my lips and quickly ran away
I shake, I shake
I can never see
How good a young love could really be
I know, I know
It's not that bad
Take a look at what we had
Walked you home from the park
I held your hand, it was after dark
Hold me closer, she'll always stay
She kissed my lips and quickly ran away
Lost some buttons to my overcoat
Pull your knife away from my throat
She said, 'smoke your cigarette, I hope you choke'
Kissed my lips and quickly ran away
You shake, you shake
I could never see
How good young love could really be
I know, I know
It's not that bad
Take a look at what we had
Lyrics submitted by zomg_aubrie
Buttons Lyrics as written by Cyle Barnes Cain Barnes
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
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!
I think this is about a break up, but it's not the breakup the man wants, but that he thinks they need. They both care for each other a lot, and she still is in love with him, and although the guy loves her back, he doesn't feel like he's in love with her anymore.
The first part, he notices her really down so he asks her what's wrong and she was missing him a lot. Something he doesn't really notice. The "We's a leaving" part means that he knows they're going to break up. When she says stay, it means she still wants to try to get the relationship to work. She kisses his lips and runs away to try to get him to chase her again. Maybe it'll bring back the affection.
The second line is likely when he's trying to break up with her. It's hard for him so he tries to put his mind somewhere else, he notices his buttons are missing. Something that sticks with him as a memory of the break up, likely why the name of the song is Buttons. He tells her to "Pull your knife away from my throat". This is likely her anger towards him for giving up on the relationship without trying harder, but he tries to tell her that it was inevitable and it was going to happen one way or another. Her anger flows over into the next line, likely cigarettes are something she's been wanting him to quit. Again, she kisses his lips and runs away. Something to remind him of her, and maybe get him to chase her.
The line after is most likely the middle of the break up. He's shaking because he's nervous. He claims he can never see how good young love can be. It's present tense. The last three lines, she's trying to convince him that it isn't bad. He agrees that it's not that bad, and reminds himself of the good times they had. You can tell there's doubt in his break up, but he feels like it needs to be done, even if there were good times.
The line after, I think is the setting of the breakup. He takes her to a park, a neutral area, to break up with her. It's only fitting that as they walk in together, they walk out together. She's likely all broken up, so he holds her hand to support her as they walk out of the park. He knows that she loves him enough that she'll always be there, whether or not he wants it. Her kiss is another sign of her constant affection and devotion towards their relationship.
Same lines as second part.
I feel like this line is after the break up. He feels all torn up about the whole situation and maybe even realizes his mistake. He's less selfish and more selfless as he realizes what he put her through. He was focusing on how he was shaking during the breakup but never quite realized how she was feeling. She was shaking just as he was. Now the words are past tense. He realizes that at the time, he could never see how good young love could be. He's starting to realize what he's missing. Again, the doubt flows in as he says he knows its not that bad, look at what they had. His doubt again sounds itself when he repeats the last line.
I guess this is my interpretation of it, maybe because I'm hurting from my own break up. But whatever.