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.
Dear, Ron MacLean
Dear, Coach's Corner
I'm writing in order
For someone to explain
To my niece, the distinction
Between these mandatory pre-game group rites of submission
And the rallies at Nuremburg
Specifically the function
The ritual serves in conjunction
With what everybody knows
Is in the end a kid's game
I'm just appealing to your sense of fair play
When I say
She's puzzled by
This incessant pressure
For her to not defy
Collective will
Yellow-ribboned lapels
As the soldiers inexplicably rappel
Down from the arena rafters
If not so insane
Would be grounds for screaming laughter
Dear, Ron MacLean
I wouldn't bother with these questions
If I didn't sense some spiritual connection
We may not be the same
But it's not like we're from different planets
we both love this game so much
we can hardly fucking stand it
Alberta-born, prairie-raised
Ain't a sheet of ice north of Fargo I ain't played
From Penhold to the Gatineau
Every fond memory of childhood that I know
Is somehow connected
To the culture of this game, I can't just let it go
I guess it comes down to
What kind of world you want
To live in
If diversity is disagreement
Disagreement is treason
Well, don't be surprised if we find ourselves reaping
A strange and bitter fruit
That sad old man beside you
Keeps feeding to young minds as virtue
It takes a village to raise a child
A flag to raze the children
'Til they're nothing more than ballast for fulfilling
A madman's dream
Of a paradise
Complexity reduced to black and white
How do I
Protect her from
This cult of death?
Dear, Coach's Corner
I'm writing in order
For someone to explain
To my niece, the distinction
Between these mandatory pre-game group rites of submission
And the rallies at Nuremburg
Specifically the function
The ritual serves in conjunction
With what everybody knows
Is in the end a kid's game
I'm just appealing to your sense of fair play
When I say
She's puzzled by
This incessant pressure
For her to not defy
Collective will
Yellow-ribboned lapels
As the soldiers inexplicably rappel
Down from the arena rafters
If not so insane
Would be grounds for screaming laughter
Dear, Ron MacLean
I wouldn't bother with these questions
If I didn't sense some spiritual connection
We may not be the same
But it's not like we're from different planets
we both love this game so much
we can hardly fucking stand it
Alberta-born, prairie-raised
Ain't a sheet of ice north of Fargo I ain't played
From Penhold to the Gatineau
Every fond memory of childhood that I know
Is somehow connected
To the culture of this game, I can't just let it go
I guess it comes down to
What kind of world you want
To live in
If diversity is disagreement
Disagreement is treason
Well, don't be surprised if we find ourselves reaping
A strange and bitter fruit
That sad old man beside you
Keeps feeding to young minds as virtue
It takes a village to raise a child
A flag to raze the children
'Til they're nothing more than ballast for fulfilling
A madman's dream
Of a paradise
Complexity reduced to black and white
How do I
Protect her from
This cult of death?
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Once again, Propagandhi is here to say what many people don't want to hear, but this time it's about a Canadian icon. Anyone who lives in Canada or is educated on the sport of hockey knows Don Cherry.
Ron McLean and Don Cherry host the very popular CBC show Hockey Night in Canada which is a pregame show right before 'the' Saturday night hockey game every week. Don Cherry uses the airtime to ramble on about specific hockey players and plays, talks about the Canadian troops overseas, and gives advice specifically directed towards children.
Unfortunately, he's not the type of person who should be an icon for such a great sport, and especially not someone who should be a role model for children. He's infamous for xenophobic, racist comments, and has shown many examples of being closed-minded and extremely thick-headed (as the clip before the song would indicate).
This song is important to me, as it is to Propagandhi as described in the lyrics. Any hockey fan should be terrified of this man teaching their children morals and values. My time spent in Canada shows that a lot of Canadians wrap themselves cozily in the mindset that this man is respectable, and Propagandhi feels that's dangerous (as do I).
EDIT: Oh, and the reason the letter is being directed to Ron McLean specifically is because Don Cherry is impossible to get through. His response to criticism is usually loud-mouthed, immature banter and childish insults- and Ron McLean is always the 'voice of reason' that gets muted by Cherry's incessant yelling.
Awesome interpretation, but I believe the song is only half about Don Cherry, here's what I think:<br /> <br /> it's not really, entirely about Don Cherry, otherwise this hypothetical letter would be addressed to him and not Ron McLean. Don Cherry is often the unwitting tool of the establishment, and while I don't think he means any ill intent, his words carry a lot of weight and influence. Trouble is, his old timey "support the government, military and the status quo" does not mesh with the opinions of these modern times.<br /> <br /> But then you have Ron, playing second fiddle to this crazy old man. And you can tell Ron shares few of Don's world perspectives, and is just sort of sitting there going a long for the ride. The song isn't truly about Don Cherry in that it is more about how the hockey culture in Canada can and is used as a tool for the Canadian government to steer public opinions towards their espoused ideals and opinions, they've also used it as a venue to showcase their militant arm and making it seem like war, military, etc are an inescapable part of our culture.<br /> <br /> So he's asking Ron, how do you and "I" accept these truths and justify spending money and supporting a sporting league where the owners allow it to be used as a place to display "propaganda" (for lack of a better word) ? Clearly they both love hockey, but are uncomfortable with the fact that it can be used to sway public opinion in politics, war, and whatever else is on the docket. Yet Ron, is overshadowed by Don Cherry and often sits in silence while Don Rambles about governmental rhetoric.
I think Don is a good guy with some old thoughts, but I don't think that he's a racist. I think that many of his comments stem from his belief in old-time hockey more than anything, not society in general. He's not a great role model for kids, but he's not supposed to be (whether he thinks so or not), he's supposed to piss off some of us, and entertain the rest.