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.
When you were standing in the wake of devastation
When you were waiting on the edge of the unknown
And with the cataclysm raining down, insides crying save me now
You were there impossibly alone
Do you feel cold and lost in desperation
You build up hope but failure's all you've known
Remember all the sadness and frustration
And let it go, let it go
And in the burst of light that blinded every angel
As if the sky had blown the heavens into stars
You felt the gravity of temper grace falling into empty space
No one there to catch you in their arms
Do you feel cold and lost in desperation
You build up hope but failure's all you've known
Remember all the sadness and frustration
And let it go, let it go
Do you feel cold and lost in desperation
You build up hope but failure's all you've known
Remember all the sadness and frustration
And let it go
Let it go
Let it go
Let it go
Let it go
Do you feel cold and lost in desperation
You build up hope but failure's all you've known
Remember all the sadness and frustration
And let it go, let it go
When you were waiting on the edge of the unknown
And with the cataclysm raining down, insides crying save me now
You were there impossibly alone
Do you feel cold and lost in desperation
You build up hope but failure's all you've known
Remember all the sadness and frustration
And let it go, let it go
And in the burst of light that blinded every angel
As if the sky had blown the heavens into stars
You felt the gravity of temper grace falling into empty space
No one there to catch you in their arms
Do you feel cold and lost in desperation
You build up hope but failure's all you've known
Remember all the sadness and frustration
And let it go, let it go
Do you feel cold and lost in desperation
You build up hope but failure's all you've known
Remember all the sadness and frustration
And let it go
Let it go
Let it go
Let it go
Let it go
Do you feel cold and lost in desperation
You build up hope but failure's all you've known
Remember all the sadness and frustration
And let it go, let it go
Lyrics submitted by MusicFREAK20
Iridescent Lyrics as written by Chester Charles Bennington Brad Delson
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Basically, this song is about the aftermath, or the course of, a nuclear war. The first line sways toward the aftermath while the 11-15 sways toward the middle. The entire song is about nuclear warfare that was a looming threat not so long ago. I know some people who doubted that they would live to 50 because of the looming nuclear threat. Anyway, almost every song has SOMETHING to do with it. "The Requiem" for the world. "The Radiance" of "A Thousand Suns" "Burning in the Skies" (A nuke going off). "Empty Spaces" (what's left). "Waiting for the End" (what people do before). "Wretches and Kings" (revolt against those who are responsible BEFORE they do it). "Wisdom, Justice, and Love" (what could solve it) and "Iridescent" (glow of either wisdom, justice, and love, or the glow of the nuke going off). "Fallout" (obvious). "The Messenger" (God saving us from our fate, maybe?).
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Oppenheimer's speech (The Radiance) Mario Savio's speech (Wretches and Kings) Martin Luther KIng Jr.'s speech (Wisdom, Justice, and Love/ Iridescent)
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Falling into empty space God save us every one, will we burn inside the fires of a thousand suns Lift me up, let me go The blood of innocence burning in the skies We the animals take control I'm holding on to what I haven't got There ain't shit we don't run when the guns unload You were standing in the wake of devastation Love keeps us kind
Overall: Nukes are bad so Destroy those who will destroy us but Love must live
You forgot "The Catalyst", the person in power.