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.
Teenage Mary said to Uncle Dave
"I sold my soul, must be saved
Gonna take a walk down to Union Square
You never know who you're gonna find there"
You gotta run, run, run, run, run, take a drag or two
Run, run, run, run, run, Gypsy death and you
Tell you whatcha do
Marguerita Passion, I had to get her fixed
She wasn't well, she was getting sick
Went to sell her soul, she wasn't high
Didn't know, thinks she could buy it
And she would run, run, run, run, run, take a drag or two
Run, run, run, run, run, Gypsy death and you
Tell you whatcha do
Seasick Sarah had a golden nose
Hobnail boots wrapped around her toes
When she turned blue, all the angels screamed
They didn't know, they couldn't make the scene
She had to run, run, run, run, run, take a drag or two
Run, run, run, run, run, Gypsy death and you
Tell you whatcha do
Beardless Harry, what a waste
Couldn't even get a small-town taste
Rode the trolleys down to 47th
Figured he was good to get himself to heaven
Because he had to run, run, run, run, run, take a drag or two
Run, run, run, run, run, Gypsy death and you
Tell you whatcha do
"I sold my soul, must be saved
Gonna take a walk down to Union Square
You never know who you're gonna find there"
You gotta run, run, run, run, run, take a drag or two
Run, run, run, run, run, Gypsy death and you
Tell you whatcha do
Marguerita Passion, I had to get her fixed
She wasn't well, she was getting sick
Went to sell her soul, she wasn't high
Didn't know, thinks she could buy it
And she would run, run, run, run, run, take a drag or two
Run, run, run, run, run, Gypsy death and you
Tell you whatcha do
Seasick Sarah had a golden nose
Hobnail boots wrapped around her toes
When she turned blue, all the angels screamed
They didn't know, they couldn't make the scene
She had to run, run, run, run, run, take a drag or two
Run, run, run, run, run, Gypsy death and you
Tell you whatcha do
Beardless Harry, what a waste
Couldn't even get a small-town taste
Rode the trolleys down to 47th
Figured he was good to get himself to heaven
Because he had to run, run, run, run, run, take a drag or two
Run, run, run, run, run, Gypsy death and you
Tell you whatcha do
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There is a fantastic live version of this song (it skips the second verse) where you feel the energy of the song. Just great lines - the opening verse for me always set the mood. Taking a walk to Union Square and then you never know what you'll find there. Lou writes from personal experience of the lower Manhattan drug scene.