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.
Plaid skirts that hide love
Walk in single file
Ties that restrict blood to the brain
Passing notes in math class
Freedom wear your scars of desire
It's a coming of age story
Freedom wear your scars of desire
Conflicting impulses
Freedom wear your scars of desire
Concealed regrets bent the sky
Bent (bent) the (the) sky (sky)
I've read this book before
Anxious eyes stare out of warped glass
Waiting for the three o'clock bell
I'm trying hard to forget that cold October day
When love challenged freedom to a fist fight
Freedom looked victorious
But no one was expecting the outcome on that baseball diamond
When love reached beneath her plaid jumper
And drew out a switch blade, and drove it
Directly through the heart of Saint Angeles
Go, any notion of self-government
Was left by love bleeding
On the pitcher's mound
You're (so you say you're scaring me)
Scaring me
And bleeding on the pitcher's mound (and you won't be there to catch me)
Proud love, on the
Walk in single file
Ties that restrict blood to the brain
Passing notes in math class
Freedom wear your scars of desire
It's a coming of age story
Freedom wear your scars of desire
Conflicting impulses
Freedom wear your scars of desire
Concealed regrets bent the sky
Bent (bent) the (the) sky (sky)
I've read this book before
Anxious eyes stare out of warped glass
Waiting for the three o'clock bell
I'm trying hard to forget that cold October day
When love challenged freedom to a fist fight
Freedom looked victorious
But no one was expecting the outcome on that baseball diamond
When love reached beneath her plaid jumper
And drew out a switch blade, and drove it
Directly through the heart of Saint Angeles
Go, any notion of self-government
Was left by love bleeding
On the pitcher's mound
You're (so you say you're scaring me)
Scaring me
And bleeding on the pitcher's mound (and you won't be there to catch me)
Proud love, on the
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
A Dagger Through the Heart of St. Angele Lyrics as written by Dallas Green Chris Steele
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
it's not political at all. Love challenged freedom to a fist fight.. the subject fell in love with a girl. Doing so, he was giving up some of his freedom. It's a battle between falling in love and keeping freedom.
"No one was prepared for what would happen on that baseball diamond when love reached beneath her plaid jumper, pulled out a switch blade and drove it……directly through the heart of st angelis" means, when the songwriter (presumably George) fell in love, he was not expecting what would happen to his freedom. Taken by surprise.
any notion of self government was left bleeding on the pitchers mound means that in the end, if you choose Love, your Freedom dies.
anyway, these are my thoughts. I love alexisonfire. taking_backmonday@hotmail.com
wowza i really enjoy this......my favorite line is "when love challenged freedom to a fist fight, freedom looked victorious"
This song is good. The album cover and pics inside the the lyrics booklet was inspired by this song. The two girls on the cover are my friends, the one holding the switchblade was dating Dallas from the band. He's a good guy, works at west 49, i played pickup football with him.
best song
so what its this guys emotions battling in cognito as a schoolgirl fight? pure genious.
by the way Dallas Greens lyrics are as follows "so you say your scaring me and you wont be there to watch me die "
Quite simple... love kills freedom. Every feeling and complex instinct is personified as a Catholic School fighting their way through to survive.
its like polimotion (like political and emotion mixed) take it either way. the last line about self government kind of tipped me towards the political undertone of it, but there's also 'you stabbed me with that proverbial knife the day you said goodbye'
i love this song ...its cool how alexis uses alot of the friends and ppl they know in ther videos and stuff rock on boys!
this is all very pretty information, but you dont say jack shit about what the song's about.
ill help you out with that then.. i think. anyway, so what im pretty sure this song about is, well, the literal terms are that two school girls get into a fight, one pulls a knife and basically leaves the other girl bloody on the pitchers mound. if you wanna get philisophical you can ask someone else.
k so i obviously didnt mean theres no info here. i just wanted a literal meaning so i gave it to myself.