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.
Time
Is never time at all
You can never ever leave
Without leaving a piece of you
And our lives are forever changed
We will never be the same
The more you change, the less you feel
Believe
Believe in me
Believe, Believe!
That life can change
That you're not stuck in vain
We're not the same, we're different
Tonight, Tonight
Tonight
So bright
Tonight, Tonight
And you know you're never sure
But you're sure you could be right
If you held yourself up to the light
And the embers never fade
In the city by the lake
The place where you were born
Believe
Believe in me
Believe, Believe!
In the resolute urgency of now
And if you believe there's not a chance
Tonight, Tonight
Tonight
So bright
Tonight, Tonight
We'll crucify the insincere
Tonight, Tonight
We'll make things right
We'll feel it all
Tonight, Tonight
We'll find a way to offer up the night
Tonight
The indescribable moments of your life
Tonight
The impossible is possible
Tonight, Tonight
Believe in me as I believe in you
Tonight
Tonight, Tonight
Tonight, Tonight
Is never time at all
You can never ever leave
Without leaving a piece of you
And our lives are forever changed
We will never be the same
The more you change, the less you feel
Believe
Believe in me
Believe, Believe!
That life can change
That you're not stuck in vain
We're not the same, we're different
Tonight, Tonight
Tonight
So bright
Tonight, Tonight
And you know you're never sure
But you're sure you could be right
If you held yourself up to the light
And the embers never fade
In the city by the lake
The place where you were born
Believe
Believe in me
Believe, Believe!
In the resolute urgency of now
And if you believe there's not a chance
Tonight, Tonight
Tonight
So bright
Tonight, Tonight
We'll crucify the insincere
Tonight, Tonight
We'll make things right
We'll feel it all
Tonight, Tonight
We'll find a way to offer up the night
Tonight
The indescribable moments of your life
Tonight
The impossible is possible
Tonight, Tonight
Believe in me as I believe in you
Tonight
Tonight, Tonight
Tonight, Tonight
Lyrics submitted by Ice, edited by lvriesling
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This song means a lot to me. It helped me through a hard time. And to think they weren't even going to release this song as a single!!
Corgan is a musical genius and this song defines him.