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 was tired of being drunk
My face cracked like a joke
So I swung through here like a brace of jackrabbits
With their necks all broke
I stumbled at the door with my boot
And I knocked against the jamb
And I scrabbled at your chest like a mute
With my fists of ham
Trying to tell you that I am
Telling you I can
I can love you again
Love you again
I'm squinting towards the East
My faith makes me a dope
But you can take my hand in the darkness, darling
Like a length of rope
I shaped up overnight, you know
The day after she died
When I saw my heart, and I tell you, darling
It was open wide
What with telling you I am
Telling I can
I can love you again
Love you again
And it can have no bounds, you know
It can have no end
You can take my hand in the darkness, darling
When you need a friend
And it can change in shape and form
But never change in size
Well, the water, it runs deep, my darling
Where it don't run wide
The feather of a hawk was bound
Bound around my neck
A poultice made of fig
The eager little vultures peck
And the verse I read in jest
In Matthew spoke to me
Said, there's a flame that moves like a low-down pest
That says, "you will be free"
Only tell me that I can
Tell me that I can
I can love you again
Love you again
Love you again
Love you again
Love you again
Love you again
Love you again
Love you again
Love you again
Love you again
Love you again
Love you
My face cracked like a joke
So I swung through here like a brace of jackrabbits
With their necks all broke
I stumbled at the door with my boot
And I knocked against the jamb
And I scrabbled at your chest like a mute
With my fists of ham
Trying to tell you that I am
Telling you I can
I can love you again
Love you again
I'm squinting towards the East
My faith makes me a dope
But you can take my hand in the darkness, darling
Like a length of rope
I shaped up overnight, you know
The day after she died
When I saw my heart, and I tell you, darling
It was open wide
What with telling you I am
Telling I can
I can love you again
Love you again
And it can have no bounds, you know
It can have no end
You can take my hand in the darkness, darling
When you need a friend
And it can change in shape and form
But never change in size
Well, the water, it runs deep, my darling
Where it don't run wide
The feather of a hawk was bound
Bound around my neck
A poultice made of fig
The eager little vultures peck
And the verse I read in jest
In Matthew spoke to me
Said, there's a flame that moves like a low-down pest
That says, "you will be free"
Only tell me that I can
Tell me that I can
I can love you again
Love you again
Love you again
Love you again
Love you again
Love you again
Love you again
Love you again
Love you again
Love you again
Love you again
Love you
Lyrics submitted by mutinyinheaven_x
Jackrabbits Lyrics as written by Joanna Newsom
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
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!
This sounds to me like she is singing about being Born Again.
I completely agree. It sounds to me like God is bringing her to a point where she is ready to accept His love and grace.