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.
With the fire from the fireworks up above me
With a gun for a lover and a shot for the pain at hand
You run for cover in the Temple of Love
You run for another, but still the same
For the wind will blow my name across this land
In the Temple of Love you hide together
Believing pain and fear outside
But someone near you rides the weather
And the tears he cried will rain on
Walls as wide as lovers' eyes
In the Temple of Love: Shine like thunder
In the Temple of Love: Cry like rain
In the Temple of Love: Hear my calling
In the Temple of Love: Hear my name
And the devil in a black dress watches over
My guardian angel walks away
Life is short and love is always over in the morning
Black wind come carry me far away
With the sunlight died and night above me
With a gun for a lover and a shot for the pain inside
You run for cover in the Temple of Love
You run for another, it's all the same
For the wind will blow and throw your walls aside
With the fire from the fireworks up above me
With a gun for a lover and a shot for the pain
You run for cover in the Temple of Love
I shine like thunder, cry like rain
And the Temple of Love grows old and strong
But the wind blows stronger, cold and long
And the Temple of Love will fall before this
Black wind calls my name to you no more
In the black sky thunder sweeping under
Ground and over water sounds of
Crying weeping will not save your
Faith for bricks and dreams for mortar
All your prayers must seem as nothing
Ninety-six below the wave when
Stone is dust and only air remains
In the Temple of Love: Shine like thunder
In the Temple of Love: Cry like rain
In the Temple of Love: Hear the calling
And the Temple of Love is falling
Down
In the Temple of Love: Shine like thunder
In the Temple of Love: Cry like rain
In the Temple of Love: Hear my calling
In the Temple of Love: Hear my name
In the black sky thunder sweeping under
Ground and over water sounds of
Crying weeping will not save your
Faith for bricks and dreams for mortar
All your prayers must seem as nothing
Ninety-six below the wave when
Stone is dust and air remains the
Only haven you can trust, and the
Devil in a black dress watches over
My guardian angel walks away
With a gun for a lover and a shot for the pain
You run for cover in the Temple of Love
I shine like thunder, cry like rain
And the Temple of Love grows old and strong
But the wind blows stronger, cold and long
And the Temple of Love will fall before this
Black wind calls my name to you no more
In the Temple of Love you hide together
Believing pain and fear outside
But someone near you rides the weather
And the tears he cried will rain on
Walls as wide as lovers' eyes
In the Temple of Love: Shine like thunder
In the Temple of Love: Cry like rain
In the Temple of Love: Hear the calling
And the Temple of Love is falling
Down
With a gun for a lover and a shot for the pain at hand
You run for cover in the Temple of Love
You run for another, but still the same
For the wind will blow my name across this land
In the Temple of Love you hide together
Believing pain and fear outside
But someone near you rides the weather
And the tears he cried will rain on
Walls as wide as lovers' eyes
In the Temple of Love: Shine like thunder
In the Temple of Love: Cry like rain
In the Temple of Love: Hear my calling
In the Temple of Love: Hear my name
And the devil in a black dress watches over
My guardian angel walks away
Life is short and love is always over in the morning
Black wind come carry me far away
With the sunlight died and night above me
With a gun for a lover and a shot for the pain inside
You run for cover in the Temple of Love
You run for another, it's all the same
For the wind will blow and throw your walls aside
With the fire from the fireworks up above me
With a gun for a lover and a shot for the pain
You run for cover in the Temple of Love
I shine like thunder, cry like rain
And the Temple of Love grows old and strong
But the wind blows stronger, cold and long
And the Temple of Love will fall before this
Black wind calls my name to you no more
In the black sky thunder sweeping under
Ground and over water sounds of
Crying weeping will not save your
Faith for bricks and dreams for mortar
All your prayers must seem as nothing
Ninety-six below the wave when
Stone is dust and only air remains
In the Temple of Love: Shine like thunder
In the Temple of Love: Cry like rain
In the Temple of Love: Hear the calling
And the Temple of Love is falling
Down
In the Temple of Love: Shine like thunder
In the Temple of Love: Cry like rain
In the Temple of Love: Hear my calling
In the Temple of Love: Hear my name
In the black sky thunder sweeping under
Ground and over water sounds of
Crying weeping will not save your
Faith for bricks and dreams for mortar
All your prayers must seem as nothing
Ninety-six below the wave when
Stone is dust and air remains the
Only haven you can trust, and the
Devil in a black dress watches over
My guardian angel walks away
With a gun for a lover and a shot for the pain
You run for cover in the Temple of Love
I shine like thunder, cry like rain
And the Temple of Love grows old and strong
But the wind blows stronger, cold and long
And the Temple of Love will fall before this
Black wind calls my name to you no more
In the Temple of Love you hide together
Believing pain and fear outside
But someone near you rides the weather
And the tears he cried will rain on
Walls as wide as lovers' eyes
In the Temple of Love: Shine like thunder
In the Temple of Love: Cry like rain
In the Temple of Love: Hear the calling
And the Temple of Love is falling
Down
Lyrics submitted by Fistan
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
this is a sisters of mercy song. i don't think HIM covered it.