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'm steady tryna find the motive (motive)
Why I do what I do?
The freedom ain't getting no closer (closer)
No matter how far I go
My car is stolen (stolen)
No registration ('stration)
Cops patrollin' (patrollin')
Now they done stop me and I get locked up
They won't let me out
They won't let me out (I'm locked up)
They won't let me out, no
They won't let me out (I'm locked up)
They won't let me out
They won't let me out (I'm locked up)
They won't let me out, no
They won't let me out
Heading uptown to re-up (re-up)
Back with a couple keys (keys)
The corner block's on fire (fire)
Undercovers dressed as fiends (fiends)
Making so much money (money)
Product's moving fast (fast)
Put away the stash
As I sold the last bag
Fucked around and got locked up
They won't let me out
They won't let me out (my nigga, I'm locked up)
They won't let me out, no
They won't let me out (I got locked up)
They won't let me out
They won't let me out (baby girl, I'm Glocked up)
They won't let me out, no
They won't let me out
'Cause visitation no longer comes by (comes by)
Seems like they forgot about me ('bout me)
Commissary is getting empty (empty)
My cell mates eating food without me (without me)
Can't wait to get out and move forward with my life (move on with my life)
Got a family that loves me and wants me to do right
But instead, I'm here locked up
They won't let me out
They won't let me out (oh, I'm locked up)
They won't let me out, no
They won't let me out (my nigga, I'm locked up)
They won't let me out
They won't let me out (oh, oh, oh, yeah, I'm locked up)
They won't let me out, no
They won't let me out
Can you pay me a visit (they won't let me out)
Send me some magazines (they won't let me out)
Send me some money orders (they won't let me out, no)
Pay me a visit, baby (they won't let me out)
'Cause I'm locked up (they won't let me out)
Where's my lawyer? (They won't let me out)
I'm locked up (they won't let me out, no)
Get me out of here (they won't let me out)
Locked up (they won't let me out)
They won't let me out
Baby, I'm locked up (they won't let me out, no)
Where's my niggas on the block? Tell them I'm locked up
(They won't let me out)
I'm locked up (they won't let me out)
Oh (they won't let me out, no)
Can you please accept my phone call? (They won't let me out)
'Cause I'm locked up (locked up, locked up)
Why I do what I do?
The freedom ain't getting no closer (closer)
No matter how far I go
My car is stolen (stolen)
No registration ('stration)
Cops patrollin' (patrollin')
Now they done stop me and I get locked up
They won't let me out
They won't let me out (I'm locked up)
They won't let me out, no
They won't let me out (I'm locked up)
They won't let me out
They won't let me out (I'm locked up)
They won't let me out, no
They won't let me out
Heading uptown to re-up (re-up)
Back with a couple keys (keys)
The corner block's on fire (fire)
Undercovers dressed as fiends (fiends)
Making so much money (money)
Product's moving fast (fast)
Put away the stash
As I sold the last bag
Fucked around and got locked up
They won't let me out
They won't let me out (my nigga, I'm locked up)
They won't let me out, no
They won't let me out (I got locked up)
They won't let me out
They won't let me out (baby girl, I'm Glocked up)
They won't let me out, no
They won't let me out
'Cause visitation no longer comes by (comes by)
Seems like they forgot about me ('bout me)
Commissary is getting empty (empty)
My cell mates eating food without me (without me)
Can't wait to get out and move forward with my life (move on with my life)
Got a family that loves me and wants me to do right
But instead, I'm here locked up
They won't let me out
They won't let me out (oh, I'm locked up)
They won't let me out, no
They won't let me out (my nigga, I'm locked up)
They won't let me out
They won't let me out (oh, oh, oh, yeah, I'm locked up)
They won't let me out, no
They won't let me out
Can you pay me a visit (they won't let me out)
Send me some magazines (they won't let me out)
Send me some money orders (they won't let me out, no)
Pay me a visit, baby (they won't let me out)
'Cause I'm locked up (they won't let me out)
Where's my lawyer? (They won't let me out)
I'm locked up (they won't let me out, no)
Get me out of here (they won't let me out)
Locked up (they won't let me out)
They won't let me out
Baby, I'm locked up (they won't let me out, no)
Where's my niggas on the block? Tell them I'm locked up
(They won't let me out)
I'm locked up (they won't let me out)
Oh (they won't let me out, no)
Can you please accept my phone call? (They won't let me out)
'Cause I'm locked up (locked up, locked up)
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Locked Up Lyrics as written by Aliaune Thiam
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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