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.
In the suburbs I
I learned to drive
And you told me we'd never survive
Grab your mother's keys we're leaving
You always seemed so sure
That one day we'd be fighting in a suburban war
Your part of town against mine
I saw you standing on the opposite shore
But by the time the first bombs fell
We were already bored
We were already, already bored
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm moving past the feeling
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm moving past the feeling again
The kids wanna be so hard
But in my dreams, we're still screaming and running through the yard
And all of the walls that they built in the seventies finally fall
And all of the houses they built in the seventies finally fall
Meant nothing at all
Meant nothing at all
It meant nothing
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm moving past the feeling
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm moving past the feeling and into the night
So can you understand?
Why I want a daughter while I'm still young
I wanna hold her hand
Show her some beauty before this damage is done
But if it's too much to ask, if it's too much to ask
Then send me a son
Under the overpass
In the parking lot, we're still waiting
It's already passed
So move your feet from hot pavement and into the grass
'Cause it's already passed
It's already, already passed
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm moving past the feeling
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm moving past the feeling again
I'm moving past the feeling
I'm moving past the feeling
In my dreams, we're still screaming
We're still screaming
We're still screaming
I learned to drive
And you told me we'd never survive
Grab your mother's keys we're leaving
You always seemed so sure
That one day we'd be fighting in a suburban war
Your part of town against mine
I saw you standing on the opposite shore
But by the time the first bombs fell
We were already bored
We were already, already bored
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm moving past the feeling
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm moving past the feeling again
The kids wanna be so hard
But in my dreams, we're still screaming and running through the yard
And all of the walls that they built in the seventies finally fall
And all of the houses they built in the seventies finally fall
Meant nothing at all
Meant nothing at all
It meant nothing
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm moving past the feeling
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm moving past the feeling and into the night
So can you understand?
Why I want a daughter while I'm still young
I wanna hold her hand
Show her some beauty before this damage is done
But if it's too much to ask, if it's too much to ask
Then send me a son
Under the overpass
In the parking lot, we're still waiting
It's already passed
So move your feet from hot pavement and into the grass
'Cause it's already passed
It's already, already passed
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm moving past the feeling
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm moving past the feeling again
I'm moving past the feeling
I'm moving past the feeling
In my dreams, we're still screaming
We're still screaming
We're still screaming
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A pretty serious lyric correction that I'm surprised hasn't been made yet: "In a suburban world" should be "In the suburban war", and "gets minor" should be "against mine". I also think "So your standing" should be "I saw you standing". This makes a lot more sense and also perfectly sets up Suburban War, song number 9 on the album.
Seriously, somebody change this.