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.
At Cavanaugh Park
Where I used to sit all alone in the dark
And dream about things that I cannot say
You always said destiny would blow me away
And nothing's gonna blow me away
At Cavanaugh Park
Where you used to take me to play in the sand
And said to me, "Son, one day you'll be a man,
And men can do terrible things."
Yes, they can
But there was never any place
For someone like me to be totally happy
I'm running out of clock and that ain't a shock
Some things never do change
Never do change
At Cavanaugh Park
We used to get high
Watching teams as they fought
They loved my friend Adam but he always got caught
Man, that kid made fucking up look cool
Aren't we all so cool?
But there was never any place
For someone like me to be totally happy
I'm running out of clock and that ain't a shock
Some things never do change
Never do change
At Cavanaugh Park
Where I used to think that this life would be good
And I would do things that I thought that I should
And no one's gonna tear me down
But there was never any place
For someone like me to be totally happy
I'm running out of clock and that ain't a shock
Some things never do change
Never do change
Where I used to sit all alone in the dark
And dream about things that I cannot say
You always said destiny would blow me away
And nothing's gonna blow me away
At Cavanaugh Park
Where you used to take me to play in the sand
And said to me, "Son, one day you'll be a man,
And men can do terrible things."
Yes, they can
But there was never any place
For someone like me to be totally happy
I'm running out of clock and that ain't a shock
Some things never do change
Never do change
At Cavanaugh Park
We used to get high
Watching teams as they fought
They loved my friend Adam but he always got caught
Man, that kid made fucking up look cool
Aren't we all so cool?
But there was never any place
For someone like me to be totally happy
I'm running out of clock and that ain't a shock
Some things never do change
Never do change
At Cavanaugh Park
Where I used to think that this life would be good
And I would do things that I thought that I should
And no one's gonna tear me down
But there was never any place
For someone like me to be totally happy
I'm running out of clock and that ain't a shock
Some things never do change
Never do change
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If there was ever a song that I could relate to it would be this one. When he is singing about not finding that "happy place" I feel that everyday! Most definitly 1 of the best songs ever written!