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.
Starry nights, sunny days
I always thought that love should be that way
Then comes a time when you're ridden with doubt
You've loved all you can and now you're all loved out
Ooh, ooh, baby, we've been a long, long way
And who's to say where we'll be tomorrow?
Well, my heart says no, but my mind says it's so
That we got a love, is it a love to stay?
We got a wham bam shang-a-lang
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing
Wham bam shang-a-lang
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing
Looking at you, I wanted to say
I think a little emotion goes a long, long way
Careful now, don't get caught in your dreams
Look out, baby, this is not what it seems
Ooh, ooh, baby, you've been so good to me
But please don't make it what it's not
Well, I thought we agreed on what we need
So listen to me, I'll tell you what we've got
We got a wham bam shang-a-lang
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing
Wham bam shang-a-lang
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing
I think you're seeing what I've been saying
'Cause I hear you singing to the tune I'm playing
And now that it's said and we both understand
Let's say our goodbye's before it gets out of hand so
Bye, bye, baby, I'd really like to stay
But we'll remember the best time in our life
We had a wham bam shang-a-lang
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing
Wham bam shang-a-lang
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing
Wham bam shang-a-lang
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing
I always thought that love should be that way
Then comes a time when you're ridden with doubt
You've loved all you can and now you're all loved out
Ooh, ooh, baby, we've been a long, long way
And who's to say where we'll be tomorrow?
Well, my heart says no, but my mind says it's so
That we got a love, is it a love to stay?
We got a wham bam shang-a-lang
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing
Wham bam shang-a-lang
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing
Looking at you, I wanted to say
I think a little emotion goes a long, long way
Careful now, don't get caught in your dreams
Look out, baby, this is not what it seems
Ooh, ooh, baby, you've been so good to me
But please don't make it what it's not
Well, I thought we agreed on what we need
So listen to me, I'll tell you what we've got
We got a wham bam shang-a-lang
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing
Wham bam shang-a-lang
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing
I think you're seeing what I've been saying
'Cause I hear you singing to the tune I'm playing
And now that it's said and we both understand
Let's say our goodbye's before it gets out of hand so
Bye, bye, baby, I'd really like to stay
But we'll remember the best time in our life
We had a wham bam shang-a-lang
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing
Wham bam shang-a-lang
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing
Wham bam shang-a-lang
And a sha-la-la-la-la-la thing
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings, edited by lucas10754
Wham Bam Shang-A-Lang Lyrics as written by Rick Giles
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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What I believe the song is about is: Two lovers who have fallen out of love and they know it. This is made clear through the first verse, "You've loved all you can and now you're all loved out." In the second verse, "Ooh, ooh, baby, you've been so good to me. But please don't make it what it's not," suggests that the partner feels the same yet is trying to hold on to whatever love they did have, "Careful now, don't get caught in your dreams". Finally, in the third verse, both parties accept that they no longer love each other and part ways, "'Cause I hear you singing to the tune I'm playing. And now that it's said and we both understand. Let's say our goodbye's before it gets out of hand so Bye, bye, baby..." The singing of the tune being a metaphor for something that they're both thinking (That the love is gone). Now for chorus, I'm not entirely sure but it sure is catchy. Perhaps it's a play on words to describe how rocky the relationship had become/ was becoming? Considering that Wham and bam are onomatopoeias that are associated with impact.