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.
You were standing with your girlfriends in the street
Falling back on forever, I wonder what you came to be
I was new in town, the boy with the eager eyes
I never was a quitter, oblivious to schoolgirls' lies
When I look back on those neon lights
The leather seats, the passage rite
I feel the heat, I see the light
Miss Atomic Bomb
Making out, we've got the radio on
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
Racing shadows under moonlight
Through the desert on a hot night
And for a second there we'd won
Yeah, we were innocent and young
Cast out of the night, well you've got a foolish heart
So you took your place but the fall from grace was the hardest part
It feels just like a dagger buried deep in your back
You run for cover but you can't escape the second attack
Your soul was innocent, she kissed him and she painted it black
You should have seen your little face, burnin' for love
Holdin' on for your life
All that I wanted was a little touch,
A little tenderness and truth, I didn't ask for much, no
Talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time
Miss Atomic Bomb
Making out we've got the radio on
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
Racing shadows under moonlight
We're taking chances on a hot night
And for a second there we'd won
Yeah we were innocent and young
The dust cloud has settled, and my eyes are clear
But sometimes in dreams of impact I still hear
Miss Atomic Bomb, I'm standing here
Sweat on my skin
And this love that I've cradled
Is wearing thin (Miss Atomic Bomb)
But I'm standing here and you're too late
Your shock-wave whisper has sealed your fate
It feels just like a dagger buried deep in your back (it's a proving ground)
You run for cover but you can't escape the second attack (and you turn it to chance)
Your soul was innocent, she kissed him and she painted it black (on a loser's game)
You should have seen your little face, burning for love,
(Miss Atomic Bomb)
Holdin' on for your life
But you can't survive (All that I wanted was a little touch)
When you want it all (A little tenderness and truth, I didn't ask for much)
There's another side (Talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time)
Falling back on forever, I wonder what you came to be
I was new in town, the boy with the eager eyes
I never was a quitter, oblivious to schoolgirls' lies
When I look back on those neon lights
The leather seats, the passage rite
I feel the heat, I see the light
Miss Atomic Bomb
Making out, we've got the radio on
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
Racing shadows under moonlight
Through the desert on a hot night
And for a second there we'd won
Yeah, we were innocent and young
Cast out of the night, well you've got a foolish heart
So you took your place but the fall from grace was the hardest part
It feels just like a dagger buried deep in your back
You run for cover but you can't escape the second attack
Your soul was innocent, she kissed him and she painted it black
You should have seen your little face, burnin' for love
Holdin' on for your life
All that I wanted was a little touch,
A little tenderness and truth, I didn't ask for much, no
Talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time
Miss Atomic Bomb
Making out we've got the radio on
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
Racing shadows under moonlight
We're taking chances on a hot night
And for a second there we'd won
Yeah we were innocent and young
The dust cloud has settled, and my eyes are clear
But sometimes in dreams of impact I still hear
Miss Atomic Bomb, I'm standing here
Sweat on my skin
And this love that I've cradled
Is wearing thin (Miss Atomic Bomb)
But I'm standing here and you're too late
Your shock-wave whisper has sealed your fate
It feels just like a dagger buried deep in your back (it's a proving ground)
You run for cover but you can't escape the second attack (and you turn it to chance)
Your soul was innocent, she kissed him and she painted it black (on a loser's game)
You should have seen your little face, burning for love,
(Miss Atomic Bomb)
Holdin' on for your life
But you can't survive (All that I wanted was a little touch)
When you want it all (A little tenderness and truth, I didn't ask for much)
There's another side (Talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time)
Lyrics submitted by phoebe9261, edited by Drknight16, antkingjr, Hiro3653, watttttttt
Miss Atomic Bomb Lyrics as written by Dave Brent Keuning Brandon Flowers
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The links to Mr Brightside was apparent to me after the first few listens. The music even sounds the same at one point, I'm glad I was right