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.
And you don't seem to understand
A shame you seemed an honest man
And all the fears you hold so dear
Will turn to whisper in your ear
And you know what they say might hurt you
And you know that it means so much
And you don't even feel a thing
I am falling, I am fading
I have lost it all
And you don't seem the lying kind
A shame that I can read your mind
And all the things that I read there
Candlelit smile that we both share
And you know I don't mean to hurt you
But you know that it means so much
And you don't even feel a thing
I am falling, I am fading, I am drowning
Help me to breathe
I am hurting, I have lost it all
I am losing
Help me to breathe
I am falling, I am failing, I am drowning
Help me to breathe
I am hurting, I have lost it all
I am losing
Help me to breathe
Oh-oh, yeah
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, yeah
I am falling, I am failing, I am drowning
Help me to breathe
I am hurting, I have lost it all
I am losing
Help me to breathe
A shame you seemed an honest man
And all the fears you hold so dear
Will turn to whisper in your ear
And you know what they say might hurt you
And you know that it means so much
And you don't even feel a thing
I am falling, I am fading
I have lost it all
And you don't seem the lying kind
A shame that I can read your mind
And all the things that I read there
Candlelit smile that we both share
And you know I don't mean to hurt you
But you know that it means so much
And you don't even feel a thing
I am falling, I am fading, I am drowning
Help me to breathe
I am hurting, I have lost it all
I am losing
Help me to breathe
I am falling, I am failing, I am drowning
Help me to breathe
I am hurting, I have lost it all
I am losing
Help me to breathe
Oh-oh, yeah
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, yeah
I am falling, I am failing, I am drowning
Help me to breathe
I am hurting, I have lost it all
I am losing
Help me to breathe
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!
@AlairaKasimer Has the singer not mentioned anything that maybe it could mean a father? :p ye sad but I must think about my father if I hear this song. One of my all time favorites ever then come Sense of Belonging from Solitary Experiments. It is sad to not have father.