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 see God in the darkest things
In the quiet of night,
I hear villages sing,
I see God in the darkest things
In the quiet of night,
I hear villages sing,
"There's a demon in that dragon,
purge it out."
There's a demon in that dragon,
purge it out.
In my second third world on a motorbike,
I learned a waking prayer so I could sleep at night
And I took my chances and realized many dreams
Yeah I took my chances and realized many dreams.
Wild dogs tumblin' in long rice fields
And I said to Hanuman, "Take away my shields."
You are loud and reckless, this is how I play
You are loud and reckless, that's no way to play
Oh, I fear nothing
No thing fears me
Justice has different hats for different days
Please release my anger
Love thy neighbor
Put that pain to some good use anyway
Ohhh-o yeahhh
Ohhh-o yeahhh
Ohhh-o yeahhh
Oh oh oh
I will do things I've never done before
'Cause I'm powerful and I'm not afraid no more!
Said I'm powerful and I'm not afraid no more
I feel God in the slightest wind
At the rate I manifest,
Every dream deepens
And I know I never want to stay the same
Yeah I know I never want to stay the same
On a day of silence, while the island slept
I cast my demons out at the feet of Ganesh
Said, "Remove the obstacles bravely with grace."
Said, "Remove the obstacles bravely with grace."
In a past life, I cut throats and scalps
And in this life, I mend the wounds I dealt
Maybe by my hands or by my words alone
Maybe by my hands or by my words alone!
Ohh, I fear nothing
No thing fears me
Justice has different hats for different days
Please release my anger
Love thy neighbor
Put that pain some good use anyway
Teach me honor
Must remember
Don't be selfish with all your love anyway
I tilt my head back
Howl like you said
In the end, my body's spirit anyway
In the end, my body's spirit anyway!
Ohoh yeahhh
Ohoh yeahhh
Ohoh yeahhh
Oh oh oh
I will do things I've never done before
'Cause I'm powerful and I'm not afraid no more
Said I'm powerful and I'm not afraid no more!
In the quiet of night,
I hear villages sing,
I see God in the darkest things
In the quiet of night,
I hear villages sing,
"There's a demon in that dragon,
purge it out."
There's a demon in that dragon,
purge it out.
In my second third world on a motorbike,
I learned a waking prayer so I could sleep at night
And I took my chances and realized many dreams
Yeah I took my chances and realized many dreams.
Wild dogs tumblin' in long rice fields
And I said to Hanuman, "Take away my shields."
You are loud and reckless, this is how I play
You are loud and reckless, that's no way to play
Oh, I fear nothing
No thing fears me
Justice has different hats for different days
Please release my anger
Love thy neighbor
Put that pain to some good use anyway
Ohhh-o yeahhh
Ohhh-o yeahhh
Ohhh-o yeahhh
Oh oh oh
I will do things I've never done before
'Cause I'm powerful and I'm not afraid no more!
Said I'm powerful and I'm not afraid no more
I feel God in the slightest wind
At the rate I manifest,
Every dream deepens
And I know I never want to stay the same
Yeah I know I never want to stay the same
On a day of silence, while the island slept
I cast my demons out at the feet of Ganesh
Said, "Remove the obstacles bravely with grace."
Said, "Remove the obstacles bravely with grace."
In a past life, I cut throats and scalps
And in this life, I mend the wounds I dealt
Maybe by my hands or by my words alone
Maybe by my hands or by my words alone!
Ohh, I fear nothing
No thing fears me
Justice has different hats for different days
Please release my anger
Love thy neighbor
Put that pain some good use anyway
Teach me honor
Must remember
Don't be selfish with all your love anyway
I tilt my head back
Howl like you said
In the end, my body's spirit anyway
In the end, my body's spirit anyway!
Ohoh yeahhh
Ohoh yeahhh
Ohoh yeahhh
Oh oh oh
I will do things I've never done before
'Cause I'm powerful and I'm not afraid no more
Said I'm powerful and I'm not afraid no more!
Lyrics submitted by liniwa
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