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.
As I was goin' over
The Cork and Kerry Mountains
I saw Captain Farrell
And his money, he was countin'
I first produced my pistol
I then produced my rapier
I said, "Stand and deliver oh, or the devil he may take ya"
Yeah
I took all of his money
And it was a pretty penny
I took all of his money
Yeah, and I brought it home to Molly
She swore that she loved me
No, never would she leave me
But the devil take that woman
Yeah, for you know she tricked me easy
Musha rain dum a doo, dum a da
Whack for my daddy, oh
Whack for my daddy, oh
There's whiskey in the jar, oh
Being drunk and weary
I went to Molly's chamber
Takin' Molly with me
But I never knew the danger
For about six or maybe seven
Yeah, in walked Captain Farrell
I jumped up, fired my pistols
And I shot him with both barrels
Yeah, musha rain dum a doo, dum a da, ha, yeah
Whack for my daddy, oh
Whack for my daddy, oh
There's whiskey in the jar, oh
Yeah, whiskey, yo, whiskey
Oh, yeah, yeah, oh, go
Oh, oh, yeah
Now some men like a fishin'
And some men like the fowlin'
And some men like to hear
To hear the cannonball roarin'
Me, I like sleepin'
'Specially in my Molly's chamber
But here I am in prison
Here I am with a ball and chain, yeah
Musha rain dum a doo, dum a da, heh, heh
Whack for my daddy, oh
Whack for my daddy, oh
There's whiskey in the jar, oh, yeah
Whiskey in the jar, oh, yeah
Musha rain dum a doo, dum a da
Musha rain dum a doo, dum a da, hey
Musha rain dum a doo, dum a da
Musha rain dum a doo, dum a da, yeah
The Cork and Kerry Mountains
I saw Captain Farrell
And his money, he was countin'
I first produced my pistol
I then produced my rapier
I said, "Stand and deliver oh, or the devil he may take ya"
Yeah
I took all of his money
And it was a pretty penny
I took all of his money
Yeah, and I brought it home to Molly
She swore that she loved me
No, never would she leave me
But the devil take that woman
Yeah, for you know she tricked me easy
Musha rain dum a doo, dum a da
Whack for my daddy, oh
Whack for my daddy, oh
There's whiskey in the jar, oh
Being drunk and weary
I went to Molly's chamber
Takin' Molly with me
But I never knew the danger
For about six or maybe seven
Yeah, in walked Captain Farrell
I jumped up, fired my pistols
And I shot him with both barrels
Yeah, musha rain dum a doo, dum a da, ha, yeah
Whack for my daddy, oh
Whack for my daddy, oh
There's whiskey in the jar, oh
Yeah, whiskey, yo, whiskey
Oh, yeah, yeah, oh, go
Oh, oh, yeah
Now some men like a fishin'
And some men like the fowlin'
And some men like to hear
To hear the cannonball roarin'
Me, I like sleepin'
'Specially in my Molly's chamber
But here I am in prison
Here I am with a ball and chain, yeah
Musha rain dum a doo, dum a da, heh, heh
Whack for my daddy, oh
Whack for my daddy, oh
There's whiskey in the jar, oh, yeah
Whiskey in the jar, oh, yeah
Musha rain dum a doo, dum a da
Musha rain dum a doo, dum a da, hey
Musha rain dum a doo, dum a da
Musha rain dum a doo, dum a da, yeah
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I always lean toward the Brothers Four version of this one entitled Darlin Sporting Jenny recorded back in the early 60s.