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.
God bless us, everyone
We're a broken people living under loaded gun
And it can't be outfought
It can't be outdone
It can't be outmatched
It can't be outrun
No
God bless us, everyone
We're a broken people living under loaded gun
And it can't be outfought
It can't be outdone
It can't be outmatched
It can't be outrun
No
And when I close my eyes tonight
To symphonies of blinding light
(God bless us, everyone
We're a broken people living under loaded gun, oh)
Like memories in cold decay
Transmissions echoing away
Far from the world of you and I
Where oceans bleed into the sky
God save us, everyone
Will we burn inside the fires of a thousand suns?
For the sins of our hand
The sins of our tongue
The sins of our father
The sins of our young
No
God save us, everyone
Will we burn inside the fires of a thousand suns?
For the sins of our hand
The sins of our tongue
The sins of our father
The sins of our young
No
And when I close my eyes tonight
To symphonies of blinding light
(God save us, everyone
Will we burn inside the fires of a thousand suns? Oh)
Like memories in cold decay
Transmissions echoing away
Far from the world of you and I
Where oceans bleed into the sky
Oh, like memories in cold decay
Transmissions echoing away
Far from the world of you and I
Where oceans bleed into the sky
Lift me up
Let me go
Lift me up
Let me go
Lift me up
Let me go
Lift me up
Let me go
Lift me up
Let me go
Lift me up
Let me go
Lift me up
Let me go
Lift me up
Let me go
Lift me up
Let me go
Lift me up (it can't be outfought, it can't be outdone)
Let me go (it can't outmatched, it can't be outrun now)
God bless us, everyone
We're a broken people living under loaded gun
And it can't be outfought
It can't be outdone
It can't outmatched
It can't be outrun
No
God bless us, everyone
We're a broken people living under loaded gun
And it can't be outfought
It can't be outdone
It can't outmatched
It can't be outrun
We're a broken people living under loaded gun
And it can't be outfought
It can't be outdone
It can't be outmatched
It can't be outrun
No
God bless us, everyone
We're a broken people living under loaded gun
And it can't be outfought
It can't be outdone
It can't be outmatched
It can't be outrun
No
And when I close my eyes tonight
To symphonies of blinding light
(God bless us, everyone
We're a broken people living under loaded gun, oh)
Like memories in cold decay
Transmissions echoing away
Far from the world of you and I
Where oceans bleed into the sky
God save us, everyone
Will we burn inside the fires of a thousand suns?
For the sins of our hand
The sins of our tongue
The sins of our father
The sins of our young
No
God save us, everyone
Will we burn inside the fires of a thousand suns?
For the sins of our hand
The sins of our tongue
The sins of our father
The sins of our young
No
And when I close my eyes tonight
To symphonies of blinding light
(God save us, everyone
Will we burn inside the fires of a thousand suns? Oh)
Like memories in cold decay
Transmissions echoing away
Far from the world of you and I
Where oceans bleed into the sky
Oh, like memories in cold decay
Transmissions echoing away
Far from the world of you and I
Where oceans bleed into the sky
Lift me up
Let me go
Lift me up
Let me go
Lift me up
Let me go
Lift me up
Let me go
Lift me up
Let me go
Lift me up
Let me go
Lift me up
Let me go
Lift me up
Let me go
Lift me up
Let me go
Lift me up (it can't be outfought, it can't be outdone)
Let me go (it can't outmatched, it can't be outrun now)
God bless us, everyone
We're a broken people living under loaded gun
And it can't be outfought
It can't be outdone
It can't outmatched
It can't be outrun
No
God bless us, everyone
We're a broken people living under loaded gun
And it can't be outfought
It can't be outdone
It can't outmatched
It can't be outrun
Lyrics submitted by MusicFREAK20
Catalyst Lyrics as written by Chester Charles Bennington Brad Delson
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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In my opinion the video for this is done very well. Anyone who is particularly interested in art might agree that the distorted imagery of the faces in the water, in the video, likens to that of the work of the artist Francis Bacon. Facial features are deformed and put together to create a look somewhat disturbing, as is seen here. Personally I feel this represents our destructive nature of killing our own: going to war or simply fighting those we don't understand and are different to us.
'God bless us everyone. We're a broken people living under a loaded gun'. I think where it says 'everyone it is referring to all the varying nationalities of people who ask for God's blessing or help in their cause. Banksy said 'there is no exception to the rule that everyone thinks that they're an exception to the rules', and it is true and works here. It is not only people who do not look beyond their own needs but whole nations, too often going as far as dehumanising people in attempts to get what they want. In the end all attempts in receiving help from God are pointless as we're beyond repair, 'a broken people', who 'can't be outfought...' to such an extent, that our whole lives are dictated by violence and narcissism.
We pay for 'the sins of our hands, the sins of our tongue, the sins of our fathers, the sins of our young' with our detachment from God:
'And when I close my eyes tonight To symphonies of blinding light Like memories in cold decay Transmissions echoing away Far from the world of you and I Where oceans bleed into the sky'
The gentleness with which we were created is a distant memory, and so is God a memory, 'in cold decay'. It is God 'echoing away', far from the evil humanity has created. To be 'saved' we need not look further than ourselves and the mistakes we do not learn from and the crimes we continue to committ.
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