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.
Here are the books of Luke
You need them to open the seed
To see what goes on in the world
Here in my mind
Catch the wind and hold on tight
To what we'll find
And hear what goes on in the world
Here is all you see
Everything is made for you
From me
If there's anything you'd like to say
That could help me in any way
'Cause I've been waiting for so long for you to come along
Help me on that day
When you take over all the things
Heaven has made for you
Is there anything you think you should know
Is there anything before I go?
(Dear Father)
I'm hungry, I'm cold
(Dear Father)
Feeling terribly old
(Dear Father)
I don't think I can see
I'm not feeling good like I think I should
They're on their own, needing a face, a place
Hope and mind, a home
To see what goes on in the world
They're who you need
To show them why they're wrong, oh why indeed
We need to go on in the world
Here is all you see
Everything is made for you
From me
If there's any complication that
You'd like to talk over with me about
'Cause I've been waiting for so long for you to come along
We could work it all out
When you take over all the things
Heaven has made for you
Is there anything you think you should know
Is there anything before I go?
(Dear Father)
You must be putting me on
(Dear Father)
'Cause most of their minds are gone
(Dear Father)
They will not understand me
I'm not feeling good like I think I should
(Dear Father)
Can I give it a miss
(Dear Father)
'Cause I'm not ready for this
(Dear Father)
I don't think I can see
I'm not feeling good like I think I should
(Dear Father)
Won't you leave me alone
(Dear Father)
Won't you let me go home
(Dear Father)
I don't think I could see
(Dear Father)
Lord, they'd crucify me
(Dear Father)
I just couldn't do that
(Dear Father)
'Cause that's not where it's at now
You need them to open the seed
To see what goes on in the world
Here in my mind
Catch the wind and hold on tight
To what we'll find
And hear what goes on in the world
Here is all you see
Everything is made for you
From me
If there's anything you'd like to say
That could help me in any way
'Cause I've been waiting for so long for you to come along
Help me on that day
When you take over all the things
Heaven has made for you
Is there anything you think you should know
Is there anything before I go?
(Dear Father)
I'm hungry, I'm cold
(Dear Father)
Feeling terribly old
(Dear Father)
I don't think I can see
I'm not feeling good like I think I should
They're on their own, needing a face, a place
Hope and mind, a home
To see what goes on in the world
They're who you need
To show them why they're wrong, oh why indeed
We need to go on in the world
Here is all you see
Everything is made for you
From me
If there's any complication that
You'd like to talk over with me about
'Cause I've been waiting for so long for you to come along
We could work it all out
When you take over all the things
Heaven has made for you
Is there anything you think you should know
Is there anything before I go?
(Dear Father)
You must be putting me on
(Dear Father)
'Cause most of their minds are gone
(Dear Father)
They will not understand me
I'm not feeling good like I think I should
(Dear Father)
Can I give it a miss
(Dear Father)
'Cause I'm not ready for this
(Dear Father)
I don't think I can see
I'm not feeling good like I think I should
(Dear Father)
Won't you leave me alone
(Dear Father)
Won't you let me go home
(Dear Father)
I don't think I could see
(Dear Father)
Lord, they'd crucify me
(Dear Father)
I just couldn't do that
(Dear Father)
'Cause that's not where it's at now
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Dear Father Lyrics as written by Chris Squire Jon Anderson
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
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