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.
Roman candles that burn in the night
Yeah you are a shining light
You lit a torch in the empty night
Yeah you are a shining light
Yeah you light up my life
You have always been a thorn in the side
But to me you're a shining light
You arrive and the night is alive
Yeah you are a shining light
Yeah you light up my life
We made a connection
A full on chemical reaction
But by dark divine intervention
Yeah you are a shining light
A constellation once seen
Over Royal David's city
An epiphany, you burn so pretty
Yeah you are a shining light
You are a force you are a constant source
Yeah you are a shining light
Incandescent in the darkest night
Yeah you are a shining light
My mortal blood I would sacrifice
For you are my shining light
Sovereign bride of the infinite
Yeah you are a shining light
Yeah you light up my life
We made a connection
A full on chemical reaction
But by dark divine intervention
Yeah you are a shining light
A constellation once seen
Over Royal David's city
An epiphany, you burn so pretty
Yeah you are a shining light
These are the days you often say
There's nothing that we cannot do
Beneath a canopy of stars
I'd shed blood for you
The north star in the firmament
You shine the most bright
I've seen you draped in an electric veil
Shrouded in celestial light
We made a connection
A full on chemical reaction
But by dark divine intervention
Yeah you are a shining light
A constellation once seen
Over Royal David's city
An epiphany, you burn so pretty
Yeah you are a shining light
Yeah you light up my life
Yeah you are a shining light
Yeah you light up my life
Yeah you are a shining light
You lit a torch in the empty night
Yeah you are a shining light
Yeah you light up my life
You have always been a thorn in the side
But to me you're a shining light
You arrive and the night is alive
Yeah you are a shining light
Yeah you light up my life
We made a connection
A full on chemical reaction
But by dark divine intervention
Yeah you are a shining light
A constellation once seen
Over Royal David's city
An epiphany, you burn so pretty
Yeah you are a shining light
You are a force you are a constant source
Yeah you are a shining light
Incandescent in the darkest night
Yeah you are a shining light
My mortal blood I would sacrifice
For you are my shining light
Sovereign bride of the infinite
Yeah you are a shining light
Yeah you light up my life
We made a connection
A full on chemical reaction
But by dark divine intervention
Yeah you are a shining light
A constellation once seen
Over Royal David's city
An epiphany, you burn so pretty
Yeah you are a shining light
These are the days you often say
There's nothing that we cannot do
Beneath a canopy of stars
I'd shed blood for you
The north star in the firmament
You shine the most bright
I've seen you draped in an electric veil
Shrouded in celestial light
We made a connection
A full on chemical reaction
But by dark divine intervention
Yeah you are a shining light
A constellation once seen
Over Royal David's city
An epiphany, you burn so pretty
Yeah you are a shining light
Yeah you light up my life
Yeah you are a shining light
Yeah you light up my life
Lyrics submitted by toterkater
Shining Light Lyrics as written by Tim Wheeler
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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From what I remember, it was written about Tim's then-girlfriend (now his fiance). He'd driven her back to Dublin and was driving home when the idea came into his head. He wrote the song as soon as he got home.