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.
Questions and confusion fill my mind
The dilemma always remains
How could I go on if I made this great mistake?
I could never live with it, but I could never get rid of it
There's only one solution
Under the knife, no more confusion
Alter my life, alter my fate!
Never too soon, not a minute too late!
I could never bear to see the pain of a life that I created
go unwanted, falling down in this cynical world of hate
I took the necessary extreme and altered my fate
I know I'm only a mortal man, but playing God just the same
Don't rip me off my cross!
My faith will not be lost!
You came to me, you took my hand
Gave your love to me, may the past be damned
You swear to me I'm the only one
My love is divine, now we set the sun
My wounds have been mended, my soul is finally at peace
My scars have now healed, I've waited so long to release
I'm free to live, free to love without regret, worry or fear
There's no more confusion, now everything is clear
Where were you when I was falling down?
It doesn't matter anymore
You came to me, you took my hand
Gave your love to me, may the past be damned
You swear to me I'm the only one
My love is divine, now we set the sun
Where were you when I was falling down?
It doesn't matter
Now I've set the sun (x6)
The dilemma always remains
How could I go on if I made this great mistake?
I could never live with it, but I could never get rid of it
There's only one solution
Under the knife, no more confusion
Alter my life, alter my fate!
Never too soon, not a minute too late!
I could never bear to see the pain of a life that I created
go unwanted, falling down in this cynical world of hate
I took the necessary extreme and altered my fate
I know I'm only a mortal man, but playing God just the same
Don't rip me off my cross!
My faith will not be lost!
You came to me, you took my hand
Gave your love to me, may the past be damned
You swear to me I'm the only one
My love is divine, now we set the sun
My wounds have been mended, my soul is finally at peace
My scars have now healed, I've waited so long to release
I'm free to live, free to love without regret, worry or fear
There's no more confusion, now everything is clear
Where were you when I was falling down?
It doesn't matter anymore
You came to me, you took my hand
Gave your love to me, may the past be damned
You swear to me I'm the only one
My love is divine, now we set the sun
Where were you when I was falling down?
It doesn't matter
Now I've set the sun (x6)
Lyrics submitted by Octavarium64
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