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.
Oscillate yourself tonight
When you're in your bed
Assimilate the dopamine
Passing through your head
When you get back on a Saturday night
And the room is caving in
Do you look like me, do you feel like me
Do you turn into your effigy?
Do you dance like this?
Forever
See yourself in Cupid's lake
Chipped in your head
Do you indicate to the satellites
Passing by the edge
When you get back on a Saturday night
And your head is caving in
Do you look like me, do you feel like me
Do you turn into your effigy?
Do you dance like this?
Forever
Do you dance like this?
Forever
Do you look like me
Do you burn like me
Do you look like me
Do you burn like me
Do you look like me
Do you burn like me
Do you turn into your effigy?
Do you dance like this forever?
Do you live like this forever?
Do you dance?
Do you dance?
Do you dance?
Do you dance?
When you're in your bed
Assimilate the dopamine
Passing through your head
When you get back on a Saturday night
And the room is caving in
Do you look like me, do you feel like me
Do you turn into your effigy?
Do you dance like this?
Forever
See yourself in Cupid's lake
Chipped in your head
Do you indicate to the satellites
Passing by the edge
When you get back on a Saturday night
And your head is caving in
Do you look like me, do you feel like me
Do you turn into your effigy?
Do you dance like this?
Forever
Do you dance like this?
Forever
Do you look like me
Do you burn like me
Do you look like me
Do you burn like me
Do you look like me
Do you burn like me
Do you turn into your effigy?
Do you dance like this forever?
Do you live like this forever?
Do you dance?
Do you dance?
Do you dance?
Do you dance?
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
Tranz Lyrics as written by James Ellis Ford Damon Albarn
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Some people think this song is about masturbation (Oscillate yourself tonight-When you're in your bed-Assimilate the dopamine-Passing through your head), some people think it's about taking hallucinogenic drugs (dopamine, See yourself with cupid's lake-Chipped in your head-Do you indicate to the sattelites-Passing by the edge, also the trippy vibe of the music video), and some people think it's about being transgender (the song title, which could be trance but is also sort of playing off trans, do you look like me, do you feel like me, do you burn like me, as well as the repeated idea of dancing like this forever, ie being the same gender forever).
They are all wrong. It's about masturbating while high and also you're trans.