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.
Highway One
Crystalline-haunted sun
With the Pacific masculine crash
My little one
Enthralled by the redwoods
As I write amongst monarchs and mist
Me and Anaïs and Henry and Jack Kerouac
Me and the Ohlone, the Esselen, the Salinan
Me and Julia, Helmuth and Brautigan
All roads lead to Big Sur
All roads home to Big Sur
Clear celestial and frogs
Fritz in cabins of logs
Amongst the springs we are barefoot and warmed
Me and Anaïs and Henry and Jack Kerouac
Me and the Ohlone, the Esselen, the Salinan
Me and Julia, Helmuth and Brautigan
All roads lead to Big Sur
All roads home to Big Sur
I am climbing on the Bluff
Beseeching god to answer us
Not much distracts from our shamanic creek breakfast
This watery heartbeat by the forest
Me and Anaïs and Henry and Jack Kerouac
Me and the Ohlone, the Esselen, the Salinan
Me and Julia, Helmuth and Brautigan
All roads home to Big Sur
Me and Mickey and a path high on the Molera
Me and Lolly and Bill watching a red-tailed hawk
Me and the posts take it all in through the big Ventana
All roads lead to Big Sur
All roads home to Big Sur
Crystalline-haunted sun
With the Pacific masculine crash
My little one
Enthralled by the redwoods
As I write amongst monarchs and mist
Me and Anaïs and Henry and Jack Kerouac
Me and the Ohlone, the Esselen, the Salinan
Me and Julia, Helmuth and Brautigan
All roads lead to Big Sur
All roads home to Big Sur
Clear celestial and frogs
Fritz in cabins of logs
Amongst the springs we are barefoot and warmed
Me and Anaïs and Henry and Jack Kerouac
Me and the Ohlone, the Esselen, the Salinan
Me and Julia, Helmuth and Brautigan
All roads lead to Big Sur
All roads home to Big Sur
I am climbing on the Bluff
Beseeching god to answer us
Not much distracts from our shamanic creek breakfast
This watery heartbeat by the forest
Me and Anaïs and Henry and Jack Kerouac
Me and the Ohlone, the Esselen, the Salinan
Me and Julia, Helmuth and Brautigan
All roads home to Big Sur
Me and Mickey and a path high on the Molera
Me and Lolly and Bill watching a red-tailed hawk
Me and the posts take it all in through the big Ventana
All roads lead to Big Sur
All roads home to Big Sur
Lyrics submitted by mrLemonade, edited by vrose
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last line I wrote (above) should read: This is where Morissette makes a reference to "Fritz in cabins of logs".
The change I made is the second-to-the-last word---> "of" logs --- not "and logs". I wish that I could edit my song meaning, but I cannot find anywhere where it allows me to do this. So I thought I would make the correction here.