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 singing songs about the ocean
And every night's a lullaby
To the coastal breeze and the salty seas
I've never felt so far from home
And as we pass on through these mountains
I keep my back to western skies
Where the sun it seems to always sleep
And where I wish I was going
She's the sea, she's the hardest thing to leave
I wish that she would notice
But the sea will never notice
Jolene, Jolene
That's what she sang to me
But it ain't nothing but her favorite country song
So this old can becomes a vessel,
A beast of burden, and a home
But those eastern shores are never yours
Where I wish I was going
She's the sea, she's the hardest thing to leave
I wish that she would notice
But the sea will never notice
Jolene, Jolene
That's what she sang to me
But it ain't nothing but her favorite country song
Jolene
Jolene
Jolene
Jolene
But it ain't nothing
It ain't nothing
And every night's a lullaby
To the coastal breeze and the salty seas
I've never felt so far from home
And as we pass on through these mountains
I keep my back to western skies
Where the sun it seems to always sleep
And where I wish I was going
She's the sea, she's the hardest thing to leave
I wish that she would notice
But the sea will never notice
Jolene, Jolene
That's what she sang to me
But it ain't nothing but her favorite country song
So this old can becomes a vessel,
A beast of burden, and a home
But those eastern shores are never yours
Where I wish I was going
She's the sea, she's the hardest thing to leave
I wish that she would notice
But the sea will never notice
Jolene, Jolene
That's what she sang to me
But it ain't nothing but her favorite country song
Jolene
Jolene
Jolene
Jolene
But it ain't nothing
It ain't nothing
Lyrics submitted by beau99
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!