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.
Every time I see you in the world
You always step to my girl
Back, back, way back, I used to front like Angkor Wat
Mechanicsburg, Anchorage and Dar es Salaam
While home in New York was champagne and disco
Tapes from L.A. slash San Francisco
But actually Oakland and not Alameda
Your girl was in Berkeley with her Communist reader
Mine was entombed within boombox and Walkman
I was a hoarder, but girl, that was back then
The gloves are off
The wisdom teeth are out
What you on about?
I feel it in my bones
I feel it in my bones
I'm stronger now
I'm ready for the house
Such a modest mouse
I can't do it alone
I can't do it alone
Every time I see you in the world
You always step to my girl
Ancestors told me that their girl was better
She's richer than Croesus, she's tougher than leather
I just ignored all the tales of her past life
Stale conversation deserves but a bread knife
And punks who would laugh when they saw us together
Well, they didn't know how to dress for the weather
I can still see them there, huddled on Astor
Snow falling slow to the sound of the master
The gloves are off
The wisdom teeth are out
What you on about?
I feel it in my bones
I feel it in my bones
I'm stronger now
I'm ready for the house
Such a modest mouse
I can't do it alone
I can't do it alone
Wisdom's a gift, but you'd trade it for youth
Age is an honor, it's still not the truth
We saw the stars when they hid from the world
You cursed the sun when it stepped to your girl
Maybe she's gone and I can't resurrect her
The truth is she doesn't need me to protect her
We know the true death, the true way of all flesh
Everyone's dyin', but girl, you're not old yet
Gloves are off
The wisdom teeth are out
What you on about?
I feel it in my bones
I feel it in my bones
I'm stronger now
I'm ready for the house
Such a modest mouse
I can't do it alone
I can't do it alone
Gloves are off
The wisdom teeth are out
What you on about?
I feel it in my bones
I feel it in my bones
I'm stronger now
I'm ready for the house
Such a modest mouse
I can't do it alone
I can't do it alone
Every time I see you in the world
You always step to my girl
You always step to my girl
Back, back, way back, I used to front like Angkor Wat
Mechanicsburg, Anchorage and Dar es Salaam
While home in New York was champagne and disco
Tapes from L.A. slash San Francisco
But actually Oakland and not Alameda
Your girl was in Berkeley with her Communist reader
Mine was entombed within boombox and Walkman
I was a hoarder, but girl, that was back then
The gloves are off
The wisdom teeth are out
What you on about?
I feel it in my bones
I feel it in my bones
I'm stronger now
I'm ready for the house
Such a modest mouse
I can't do it alone
I can't do it alone
Every time I see you in the world
You always step to my girl
Ancestors told me that their girl was better
She's richer than Croesus, she's tougher than leather
I just ignored all the tales of her past life
Stale conversation deserves but a bread knife
And punks who would laugh when they saw us together
Well, they didn't know how to dress for the weather
I can still see them there, huddled on Astor
Snow falling slow to the sound of the master
The gloves are off
The wisdom teeth are out
What you on about?
I feel it in my bones
I feel it in my bones
I'm stronger now
I'm ready for the house
Such a modest mouse
I can't do it alone
I can't do it alone
Wisdom's a gift, but you'd trade it for youth
Age is an honor, it's still not the truth
We saw the stars when they hid from the world
You cursed the sun when it stepped to your girl
Maybe she's gone and I can't resurrect her
The truth is she doesn't need me to protect her
We know the true death, the true way of all flesh
Everyone's dyin', but girl, you're not old yet
Gloves are off
The wisdom teeth are out
What you on about?
I feel it in my bones
I feel it in my bones
I'm stronger now
I'm ready for the house
Such a modest mouse
I can't do it alone
I can't do it alone
Gloves are off
The wisdom teeth are out
What you on about?
I feel it in my bones
I feel it in my bones
I'm stronger now
I'm ready for the house
Such a modest mouse
I can't do it alone
I can't do it alone
Every time I see you in the world
You always step to my girl
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings, edited by hoopdadoop, menano, dqgirl
Step Lyrics as written by Ezra Koenig David A. Gates
Lyrics © DAVID GATES D/B/A KIPAHULU MUSIC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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No one has mentioned the joke about "step to my girl." Not only is the song about differing opinions about music, but also literally suggests moving or dancing. When Ezra says, you always step to my girl. In other words, "hey you listener, you're dancing to my music, the stuff you're listening to now." Nothing like a nice piece of self-conscious literature.