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 don't know why I can be that to you
When you're nothing like that to me
You could love me and I won't know why
You're nothing like that to me
I don't know why you could be that to me
When I'm nothing like that to you
I could love you but I don't know why
You're nothing like that to me
Nothing like that to me
You and me, we are a team
Remember what you said to me?
Hold your breath through cemeteries
She thinks of that but never me
Maybe I'm the one to blame?
Shame to think that I could change
When I don't want to
I don't want to
When you're nothing like that to me
You could love me and I won't know why
You're nothing like that to me
I don't know why you could be that to me
When I'm nothing like that to you
I could love you but I don't know why
You're nothing like that to me
Nothing like that to me
You and me, we are a team
Remember what you said to me?
Hold your breath through cemeteries
She thinks of that but never me
Maybe I'm the one to blame?
Shame to think that I could change
When I don't want to
I don't want to
Lyrics submitted by Azazel23
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"Hold your breath through cemeteries." "That lyric is such a Los Campesinos! lyric it almost makes me sick. But I guess it makes sense seeing as this was the fist song we wrote after I Don't Want To Be Anywhere But Here, and had it shelved for so long that when Tom (Bromley) heard the demo and loved it and said we had to do it, we sort of said "Nah", but then he helped write the chorus and now I basically have my favourite band writing songs for me and honestly, it feels great. Tom also said it sounded kind of like Pavement—so that helped too. Think he even named it Us as well. Far out, who's record is this?"