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're alone, you're on your own, so what?
Have you gone blind?
Have you forgotten what you have and what is yours?
Glass half empty, glass half full
Well either way you won't be going thirsty
Count your blessings not your flaws
You've got it all
You lost your mind in the sound
There's so much more
You can reclaim your crown
You're in control
Rid of the monsters inside your head
Put all your faults to bed
You can be king again
You don't get what all this is all about
You're too wrapped up in your self doubt
You've got that young blood, set it free
You've got it all
You lost your mind in the sound
There's so much more
You can reclaim your crown
You're in control
Rid of the monsters inside your head
Put all your faults to bed
You can be king again
There's method in my madness
There's no logic in your sadness
You don't gain a single thing from misery
Take it from me
You've got it all
You lost your mind in the sound
There's so much more
You can reclaim your crown
You're in control
Rid of the monsters inside your head
Put all your faults to bed
You can be king
You've got it all
You lost your mind in the sound
There's so much more
You can reclaim your crown
You're in control
Rid of the monsters inside your head
Put all your faults to bed
You can be king again
Have you gone blind?
Have you forgotten what you have and what is yours?
Glass half empty, glass half full
Well either way you won't be going thirsty
Count your blessings not your flaws
You've got it all
You lost your mind in the sound
There's so much more
You can reclaim your crown
You're in control
Rid of the monsters inside your head
Put all your faults to bed
You can be king again
You don't get what all this is all about
You're too wrapped up in your self doubt
You've got that young blood, set it free
You've got it all
You lost your mind in the sound
There's so much more
You can reclaim your crown
You're in control
Rid of the monsters inside your head
Put all your faults to bed
You can be king again
There's method in my madness
There's no logic in your sadness
You don't gain a single thing from misery
Take it from me
You've got it all
You lost your mind in the sound
There's so much more
You can reclaim your crown
You're in control
Rid of the monsters inside your head
Put all your faults to bed
You can be king
You've got it all
You lost your mind in the sound
There's so much more
You can reclaim your crown
You're in control
Rid of the monsters inside your head
Put all your faults to bed
You can be king again
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Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
I don't think this song is necessarily about suicide or depression. I think it's much simpler than that. Everyone has bad days sometimes- the thing to remember is that it's just a bad day, not a bad life.
"You're alone, you're on your own, so what?"- You can't always rely on others to make you feel better. Nobody can cheer you up if you are determined to be gloomy. "Have you gone blind?"- This world is absolutely wonderful. Not everything goes perfectly, and that's okay. "Have you forgotten what you have and what is yours?"- You're alive. You have wonderful friends and family. "Glass half empty, glass half full Well either way you won't be going thirsty"- This is literally my favorite song line of all time. When I was younger, I was a huge pessimist, but I managed to trick myself into believing I was an optimist- and it worked. "Count your blessings not your flaws"- You have so many gifts. You aren't perfect, but nobody else is either.
(Chorus) "You've got it all"- You have all the tools you need to succeed. "You lost your mind in the sound"- Sometimes, with all the outside influences from the media and other people, you forget who you are. "There's so much more"- Just because things are bad now doesn't mean they'll stay that way. "You can reclaim your crown"- You can be happy again. "You're in control"- You get to control how you feel. No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. "Rid of the monsters inside your head"- Anxiety, despair, and frustration- don't make them your constant companions. "Put all your faults to bed"- You have faults. It's your job to work to fix them. "You can be king again"- Do you remember being a little kid, feeling like you're on top of the world? You can reclaim that feeling.
"You don't get what all this is all about You're too wrapped up in your self doubt"- Right now, you don't want to listen. You feel miserable, and you want to stay that way. "You've got that young blood, set it free"- There's so much you could be doing, rather than being gloomy. Get out there and do it!
(Chorus)
"There's method in my madness" If you think about it, this all makes sense. "There's no logic in your sadness"- What's the point in being gloomy? "You don't gain a single thing from misery"- There is a time and place for sadness. But you can't just be miserable all the time. "Take it from me"- You aren't the only one who's felt despair. We've all been there, and we've learnt and grown from it.
(Chorus x2)