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 she was just a girl, she expected the world
But it flew away from her reach
So she ran away in her sleep and dreamed of
Para-para-paradise, para-para-paradise, para-para-paradise
Every time she closed her eyes
When she was just a girl, she expected the world
But it flew away from her reach and the bullets catch in her teeth
Life goes on, it gets so heavy
The wheel breaks the butterfly, every tear a waterfall
In the night, the stormy night, she'd close her eyes
In the night, the stormy night, away she'd fly
And dream of para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh)
She'd dream of para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh)
La-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
And so lying underneath those stormy skies
She'd say, "Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
I know the sun must set to rise"
This could be para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
This could be para-para-paradise
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh)
This could be para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
This could be para-para-paradise
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh)
This could be para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
This could be para-para-paradise
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh)
But it flew away from her reach
So she ran away in her sleep and dreamed of
Para-para-paradise, para-para-paradise, para-para-paradise
Every time she closed her eyes
When she was just a girl, she expected the world
But it flew away from her reach and the bullets catch in her teeth
Life goes on, it gets so heavy
The wheel breaks the butterfly, every tear a waterfall
In the night, the stormy night, she'd close her eyes
In the night, the stormy night, away she'd fly
And dream of para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh)
She'd dream of para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh)
La-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
And so lying underneath those stormy skies
She'd say, "Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
I know the sun must set to rise"
This could be para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
This could be para-para-paradise
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh)
This could be para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
This could be para-para-paradise
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh)
This could be para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
This could be para-para-paradise
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh)
Lyrics submitted by vivigm6, edited by achilles890
Paradise Lyrics as written by Guy Rupert Berryman Christopher Anthony John Martin
Lyrics © TuneCore Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song reminds me of a College (lady) friend of mine. Everytime I hear or listen to it, it brings a smile to my face because I immediately think of her. Long story short here, she is a country girl; I'm a born and bred City boy and she came up to the city to study in College. In relation to the song though, is it the 'Paradise' she was looking for/expected because leaving your country home to study in the city can be 'heavy', as Chris Martin states ('Life goes on/It gets so heavy').