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.
The nights ablaze with blue and red, blurs gliding silent.
As the first arrived on the scene, illuminating so vividly
The darkness of man, obscene.
The blood on his shirt staining darker
than that of the flashing red,
waving above his head a crimson branded beam;
an abused lover in the grass on her knees.
Pleading, cowering, trembling.
Observe the theatrics; witness the play of man.
Anger, violence, and jealousy
are set to destroy all that we have.
We've turned our shame into rage.
Can't you see it's we who've set the stage?
Using a spade, meant to plow and sow, as a blade,
sharpened, held to our brother’s throat.
A child peeks her head out into the dark hallway.
The soft white of the night light shines somewhere behind.
She stepped out and began to pray
Observe the theatrics; witness the play of man.
We've turned our shame into rage. It's we who've set the stage.
As the first arrived on the scene, illuminating so vividly
The darkness of man, obscene.
The blood on his shirt staining darker
than that of the flashing red,
waving above his head a crimson branded beam;
an abused lover in the grass on her knees.
Pleading, cowering, trembling.
Observe the theatrics; witness the play of man.
Anger, violence, and jealousy
are set to destroy all that we have.
We've turned our shame into rage.
Can't you see it's we who've set the stage?
Using a spade, meant to plow and sow, as a blade,
sharpened, held to our brother’s throat.
A child peeks her head out into the dark hallway.
The soft white of the night light shines somewhere behind.
She stepped out and began to pray
Observe the theatrics; witness the play of man.
We've turned our shame into rage. It's we who've set the stage.
Lyrics submitted by darkforce100
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