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.
you were looking all over for yourself.
you didn’t even know your name.
you left it somewhere on the shelf.
so what you found you’re claim to fame?
I heard about everything you said
while pulling daggers from my back.
you forgot the daydreams that we had.
are you sleeping on a broken back
at eleven eleven? are you watching where you’re stepping?
at a Seven Eleven, do you think status is helping?
you can try to hurt me,
and discourage me,
but we won’t stop rocking the boat,
and I don’t know why clocks tick so slow.
we won’t stop rocking the boat.
I won’t go when watches say so.
so put the mic back on the shelf
if you don’t have shit to say.
you gotta bend before you break me
mr. jealousy.
under his bed,
where monsters sleep,
it’s not so bad,
so tell him he can’t breathe.
sometimes it seems so far away,
and we don’t have a ride.
sometimes we slip on rainy days,
or we can’t fight the tide.
sometimes the friends begin to stray
'cus they lost all their pride.
sometimes they just have too much to hide,
but at eleven eleven
I stand in Seven Eleven,
looking at heaven
through the window at my friends in
one small van I know is
headed straight for all my dreams.
you didn’t even know your name.
you left it somewhere on the shelf.
so what you found you’re claim to fame?
I heard about everything you said
while pulling daggers from my back.
you forgot the daydreams that we had.
are you sleeping on a broken back
at eleven eleven? are you watching where you’re stepping?
at a Seven Eleven, do you think status is helping?
you can try to hurt me,
and discourage me,
but we won’t stop rocking the boat,
and I don’t know why clocks tick so slow.
we won’t stop rocking the boat.
I won’t go when watches say so.
so put the mic back on the shelf
if you don’t have shit to say.
you gotta bend before you break me
mr. jealousy.
under his bed,
where monsters sleep,
it’s not so bad,
so tell him he can’t breathe.
sometimes it seems so far away,
and we don’t have a ride.
sometimes we slip on rainy days,
or we can’t fight the tide.
sometimes the friends begin to stray
'cus they lost all their pride.
sometimes they just have too much to hide,
but at eleven eleven
I stand in Seven Eleven,
looking at heaven
through the window at my friends in
one small van I know is
headed straight for all my dreams.
Lyrics submitted by elroythepunk
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NIFTY: How did you meet Peter and Scottie? How'd you come to join The Stryder? JOHN: We have all been friends for a really long time. They had a band before The Stryder called Yearly. Eben from Saves The Day used to be in the band with them. Eben left the band to join Saves The Day and peter and scottie started another band with another friend, Nick. they were trying out people to sing but didn't find anybody they liked and I happened to be over so they asked me if I wanted to sing.