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.
0:00 - 1:30:
Subject 006 ventures down the abandoned tunnel. The dark is near complete, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel. He stumbles toward it.
1:30 - 3:12:
Subject 006's eyes burn from the light. Once his vision clears, he sees people, cars, vendors, impossibly tall buildings. He's fascinated by all the commotion. He wanders through it, slowly getting swept up.
Voice Feed:
So this tunnel has an end
So bright my eyes can't open
Vision fades to normal now
What's that overwhelming sound?
Who are all these people here?
Should I be afraid of them?
Some are trapped in strange machines
Some are going inside buildings
Towers surround me
Where did all this come from?
No one seems to notice me
They're on their way to I don't know where
They all move so rapidly
No one looks the same at all
So many things are living here
I wonder where they all came from?
This energy is filling me
Fall into a sea of people
Movement surrounds me
Follow the current now!
3:12 - 5:05:
Subject 006 moves through the business district. It is rush hour. He starts to discern that each person here has a purpose. He mimics them as best he can.
Voice Feed:
So now I understand
Everybody must do something
Some will open doors and some shake hands
Some will sleep outside
Some just stare off into nothing
I will open doors
I will see what's inside trash cans
I will often ride the moving stairs
Now I understand
Everybody must do something
5:05 - 8:06:
The sky quickly darkens. Heavy clouds loom overhead. It sprinkles, then rains. Everyone goes indoors, and the commotion dies quickly. Subject 006 continues walking the streets. He shivers from the cold.
Voice Feed:
Did I have it wrong?
Now everyone's gone
When the water fell from the sky
Now I'm alone
The world is gray and my skin is cold
And my clothes are all heavy now
Is it something that I have done?
Did I not understand?
Everything's wet and shiny now
Is this what they don't want?
This water is cleaning us
It's not so bad after all
It's not so bad after all
8:06 - 9:14:
An older gentleman watches Subject 006 from a nearby doorway, smoking a pipe. He's large-framed, well-dressed and standing in the mouth of a poorly kept antique store. When he speaks, his voice is raspy, but friendly. He smiles easily. He asks Subject 006 to join him inside.
Voice Feed:
Hey there, kid
Lovely weather tonight
Like the gods are all pissing from high
What you doing out there?
You trying to drown?
Follow me, step inside, and settle down
I don't know what to think of all this
It's just rain
It'll be gone in a bit
Come inside, near the fire, take a seat
I know just what you need
Though, I feel much better now
But why?
Why did you help me out?
Why do dogs bite?
Why is blood red?
That's just what friends are for!
9:14 - End:
The Old Man makes Subject 006 some tea and gives him a blanket. As Subject 006 warms up, The Old Man entertains him with stories. Subject 006 does not understand most of the references, but smiles politely whenever the man laughs. Subject 006 does not recognize the greed building in The Old Man's eyes.
Voice Feed:
Quiet, please
Trust in me, boy
I know what you're good for
Subject 006 ventures down the abandoned tunnel. The dark is near complete, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel. He stumbles toward it.
1:30 - 3:12:
Subject 006's eyes burn from the light. Once his vision clears, he sees people, cars, vendors, impossibly tall buildings. He's fascinated by all the commotion. He wanders through it, slowly getting swept up.
Voice Feed:
So this tunnel has an end
So bright my eyes can't open
Vision fades to normal now
What's that overwhelming sound?
Who are all these people here?
Should I be afraid of them?
Some are trapped in strange machines
Some are going inside buildings
Towers surround me
Where did all this come from?
No one seems to notice me
They're on their way to I don't know where
They all move so rapidly
No one looks the same at all
So many things are living here
I wonder where they all came from?
This energy is filling me
Fall into a sea of people
Movement surrounds me
Follow the current now!
3:12 - 5:05:
Subject 006 moves through the business district. It is rush hour. He starts to discern that each person here has a purpose. He mimics them as best he can.
Voice Feed:
So now I understand
Everybody must do something
Some will open doors and some shake hands
Some will sleep outside
Some just stare off into nothing
I will open doors
I will see what's inside trash cans
I will often ride the moving stairs
Now I understand
Everybody must do something
5:05 - 8:06:
The sky quickly darkens. Heavy clouds loom overhead. It sprinkles, then rains. Everyone goes indoors, and the commotion dies quickly. Subject 006 continues walking the streets. He shivers from the cold.
Voice Feed:
Did I have it wrong?
Now everyone's gone
When the water fell from the sky
Now I'm alone
The world is gray and my skin is cold
And my clothes are all heavy now
Is it something that I have done?
Did I not understand?
Everything's wet and shiny now
Is this what they don't want?
This water is cleaning us
It's not so bad after all
It's not so bad after all
8:06 - 9:14:
An older gentleman watches Subject 006 from a nearby doorway, smoking a pipe. He's large-framed, well-dressed and standing in the mouth of a poorly kept antique store. When he speaks, his voice is raspy, but friendly. He smiles easily. He asks Subject 006 to join him inside.
Voice Feed:
Hey there, kid
Lovely weather tonight
Like the gods are all pissing from high
What you doing out there?
You trying to drown?
Follow me, step inside, and settle down
I don't know what to think of all this
It's just rain
It'll be gone in a bit
Come inside, near the fire, take a seat
I know just what you need
Though, I feel much better now
But why?
Why did you help me out?
Why do dogs bite?
Why is blood red?
That's just what friends are for!
9:14 - End:
The Old Man makes Subject 006 some tea and gives him a blanket. As Subject 006 warms up, The Old Man entertains him with stories. Subject 006 does not understand most of the references, but smiles politely whenever the man laughs. Subject 006 does not recognize the greed building in The Old Man's eyes.
Voice Feed:
Quiet, please
Trust in me, boy
I know what you're good for
Lyrics submitted by Cyberghost
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Ave Grave
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Love in a Vacuum
'Til Tuesday
'Til Tuesday
Well, in my opinion this song is about being a young & maybe a little naive &/or introverted girl and finding yourself loving a man who is at first very charming, carefree & outgoing, and seems at first to be without limits, as in
"There was a time
you opened up every doorway
you didn't mind if everything
wasn't your way"
then that man starts to gradually become more introverted & shows their more possessive/obsessive side to you as the relationship progresses, even while they keep up the appearance of being carefree & outgoing to everyone else,
"Don't pull away
that goes against what you told me
I look in your eyes
I realize what you've sold me
is love in a vacuum"
so you confront them about the way they're acting and of course they deny it,
"I think you've changed
but you insist that
that's not true"
quite possibly they are an addict of some sort, my guess would be cocaine, &/or showing very obsessive behavior towards you (early on in the video for this song we see the man hanging a picture up, it is a very large portrait of Aimee & it is prominently displayed in his/their apartment for the duration of the song), thus their "love in a vacuum",
"You look so strange, so distant
that you're hardly you
Now I can see
how you have been acting different
You say it's me
but I know
that it isn't
it's love in a vacuum"
but still you are in love with them and don't want to leave them and you know that they are truly in love with you and they don't want you to leave them either, maybe they are convinced you can save them from themself, maybe they are so broken that the possibility of an overdose &/or suicide attempt is very real and you want to get through to them that their behavior not only dangerous but it is also just pissing you off and if they don't wise up they run the risk of loosing you, as in the lines
"You will be lonely
if you leave me alone", so you want to save them but can't get through to them due to the addiction &/or emotional problems they have,
"Love in a vacuum
and that's not enough
love in a vacuum
You will be lonely
you'll be the only one who feels this way
You will be lonely
if you leave me alone
You will be lonely
you'll be the only one who feels this way
it's just not enough"
you want them to understand that the love they are giving you is not enough when it is filtered through the vacuum of their drug addiction &/or emotional impairment,
"You will be lonely
you'll be the only one who feels this way
it's just not enough
and just wait
you will be lonely
Love in a vacuum
Love in a vacuum
and that's not enough
Love in a vacuum".
'Love In A Vacuum' for me is a hauntingly truthful acute argument on the loneliness of obsession and almost inevitable loss of love that follows people who are broken in some way or another; the obsessives, the coke heads, the drunks, addicts or the just-plain-old emotionally broken; a razor sharp, lyrically driven, deceptively poppy, yet ultimately-depressing-in-the-best-way song.
Quintessential Aimee Mann.
Spirit Within
Bertoldi Brothers
Bertoldi Brothers
Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
Grand Theft Auto
Insane Ian
Insane Ian
The way this song speaks to me🥺🥺when I sing it I feel like I relate
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
This should be Act 3. Sorry.