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've been through the desert and I've been across the sea
I've been walking through the mountains and wandered through the trees for her
I have been trying to find her want to give what I got
She lit a fire, but now she's in my every thought
Where, could that girl have gone
Where, I've wandered far
Where, could that girl have gone
She left no trail but I cannot fail
I will find her
She lit a fire, but now she's in my every thought
She lit a fire, but now she's in my every thought
Where, could that girl have gone
Where, I've wandered far
Where, could that girl have gone
She left no trace but I know her face
I will find her
When last I saw her she was dancing all alone
Perhaps my chance was then, I'll never know
I'll search the world until there's no place left to go
And if she leaves it, I will follow
Yes, I will follow
She lit a fire, but now she's in my every thought
She lit a fire, but now she's in my every thought
I've been through the desert and I've been across the sea
I've been walking through the mountains and wandered through the trees for her
I have been trying to find her want to give what I got
She lit a fire, but now she's in my every thought
I've been walking through the mountains and wandered through the trees for her
I have been trying to find her want to give what I got
She lit a fire, but now she's in my every thought
Where, could that girl have gone
Where, I've wandered far
Where, could that girl have gone
She left no trail but I cannot fail
I will find her
She lit a fire, but now she's in my every thought
She lit a fire, but now she's in my every thought
Where, could that girl have gone
Where, I've wandered far
Where, could that girl have gone
She left no trace but I know her face
I will find her
When last I saw her she was dancing all alone
Perhaps my chance was then, I'll never know
I'll search the world until there's no place left to go
And if she leaves it, I will follow
Yes, I will follow
She lit a fire, but now she's in my every thought
She lit a fire, but now she's in my every thought
I've been through the desert and I've been across the sea
I've been walking through the mountains and wandered through the trees for her
I have been trying to find her want to give what I got
She lit a fire, but now she's in my every thought
Lyrics submitted by AugustOfOmaha, edited by Macuahuitl, scolliga
She Lit A Fire Lyrics as written by Ben Schneider Ben Farkas
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone).
And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.
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There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Great track. All love really needs to work is that initial spark of attraction, persisting whatever/whoever started that fire with temerity, and a having a little luck, right? That's all to be heard in this song. Listen.
I don't quite understand the line "She lit a fire, but now she's in my every thought". When it is written like that it comes across as if he wasn't interested at first, but now she possesses all his thoughts.