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 got a call on a rainy Monday
Business was uneasy
so I flipped open a fresh packet of cigarettes
and considered the situation
Was her daddy bad?
Was it bullets for my baby?
But there's one thing bothering me
Who was the man in the jar?
The fog drifted down over the river
I turned up the collar of my coat
I gotta get over there fast, fast, fast
Call me a cab, call me a cab
I entered the study
Through the french windows
There on the floor was all that was left
Of the man with no face
Crazy
Was the name of the case
Of the man with no face
The man in the jar
Daisy
Was the name of the dame
with the fabulous frame
The man in the jar
Brother
I'm telling a tale
Of a beautiful frail
Whose daddy was bad
Buddy
Don't give me no jive
Just staying alive
The man in the jar, The man in the jar
He wanna get out, he wanna get out
Smashin' the glass, smashin' the glass, smashin' the glass
The man in the jar
I knew this was the grande finale
'Cos Hot City was too hot for Daisy
That was the name of the frail who ended in jail
Leaving me as a patsy
Honey take my gun
Sixteen guys entered the elevator at the same time
that can only mean that
I must be the man in the jar
Hot shot-
Give me the phone
Then leave me alone
I'm like the man in the jar
Sister
You got me all wrong
I'm stringing along
With the man in the jar
Zaba zaba zaba da ba baba da za zaba da ba
Zaba zaba zaba da ba baba da za zaba da ba
The man in the jar
The man in the jar
He wanna get out
He wanna get out
He's smashin' the glass
He's smashin' the glass
He's smashin' the glass
The man in the jar
Business was uneasy
so I flipped open a fresh packet of cigarettes
and considered the situation
Was her daddy bad?
Was it bullets for my baby?
But there's one thing bothering me
Who was the man in the jar?
The fog drifted down over the river
I turned up the collar of my coat
I gotta get over there fast, fast, fast
Call me a cab, call me a cab
I entered the study
Through the french windows
There on the floor was all that was left
Of the man with no face
Crazy
Was the name of the case
Of the man with no face
The man in the jar
Daisy
Was the name of the dame
with the fabulous frame
The man in the jar
Brother
I'm telling a tale
Of a beautiful frail
Whose daddy was bad
Buddy
Don't give me no jive
Just staying alive
The man in the jar, The man in the jar
He wanna get out, he wanna get out
Smashin' the glass, smashin' the glass, smashin' the glass
The man in the jar
I knew this was the grande finale
'Cos Hot City was too hot for Daisy
That was the name of the frail who ended in jail
Leaving me as a patsy
Honey take my gun
Sixteen guys entered the elevator at the same time
that can only mean that
I must be the man in the jar
Hot shot-
Give me the phone
Then leave me alone
I'm like the man in the jar
Sister
You got me all wrong
I'm stringing along
With the man in the jar
Zaba zaba zaba da ba baba da za zaba da ba
Zaba zaba zaba da ba baba da za zaba da ba
The man in the jar
The man in the jar
He wanna get out
He wanna get out
He's smashin' the glass
He's smashin' the glass
He's smashin' the glass
The man in the jar
Lyrics submitted by theribenakid
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I can't believe no one comments these songs! This is a work of genius. It wouldn't be as genius if he wasn't so Scottish, but he is, and it is, and I love it.