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.
That reminds me of the time I felt
It's time for sin and catholic guilt
Two years later to the day
I had reason to confess
With her hair a shining shade
Of bus-conductress blond
Tales of music and movement
Were told in grip and groan
But to put these thoughts
In songs like theirs
Of the honest truth
There'd be no trace
Just lying out loud
Meanwhile I'm back here in wonderland
A sorry sight with flowers in hand
Pours his heart out till his thirst
For college girls is satisfied
Standing there with ego
Proudly on tip-toe
All the time I'm thinking
Well, well, here we go
Another perfect song of greed
Brings the house down to its knees
By dying out loud
One more awful dancer
Steptoe's son a song and dance of love
When I think of soap operas
And what makes them so popular
The answer's posing in front of my eyes
Here comes our hero in hand-me-downs
And he's strutting to the strain of
'send in the clowns'
And troops his true colors
When no-one's around
And his desk-top tales
Are the best around but
Putting pain to paper reads
Like a lunge at fame and greed
Just crying out loud
It's time for sin and catholic guilt
Two years later to the day
I had reason to confess
With her hair a shining shade
Of bus-conductress blond
Tales of music and movement
Were told in grip and groan
But to put these thoughts
In songs like theirs
Of the honest truth
There'd be no trace
Just lying out loud
Meanwhile I'm back here in wonderland
A sorry sight with flowers in hand
Pours his heart out till his thirst
For college girls is satisfied
Standing there with ego
Proudly on tip-toe
All the time I'm thinking
Well, well, here we go
Another perfect song of greed
Brings the house down to its knees
By dying out loud
One more awful dancer
Steptoe's son a song and dance of love
When I think of soap operas
And what makes them so popular
The answer's posing in front of my eyes
Here comes our hero in hand-me-downs
And he's strutting to the strain of
'send in the clowns'
And troops his true colors
When no-one's around
And his desk-top tales
Are the best around but
Putting pain to paper reads
Like a lunge at fame and greed
Just crying out loud
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Thrupenny Tears Lyrics as written by Paul Livingston John Richard Douglas
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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