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 in the dark
You in the pain
You on the run
Living a hell
Living your ghost
Living your end
Never seem to get in the place that I belong
Don't want to lose the time
Lose the time to come
Whatever you say it's alright
Whatever you do it's all good
Whatever you say it's alright
Silence is not the way
We need to talk about it
If heaven is on the way
If heaven is on the way
You in the sea
On a decline
Breaking the waves
Watching the lights go down
Letting the cables sleep
Whatever you say it's alright
Whatever you do it's all good
Whatever you say it's alright
Silence is not the way
We need to talk about it
If heaven is on the way
We'll wrap the world around it
If heaven is on the way
If heaven is on the way
I'm a stranger in this town
I'm a stranger in this town
I'm a stranger in this town
If heaven is on the way
If heaven is on the way
I'm a stranger in this town
I'm a stranger in this town
You in the pain
You on the run
Living a hell
Living your ghost
Living your end
Never seem to get in the place that I belong
Don't want to lose the time
Lose the time to come
Whatever you say it's alright
Whatever you do it's all good
Whatever you say it's alright
Silence is not the way
We need to talk about it
If heaven is on the way
If heaven is on the way
You in the sea
On a decline
Breaking the waves
Watching the lights go down
Letting the cables sleep
Whatever you say it's alright
Whatever you do it's all good
Whatever you say it's alright
Silence is not the way
We need to talk about it
If heaven is on the way
We'll wrap the world around it
If heaven is on the way
If heaven is on the way
I'm a stranger in this town
I'm a stranger in this town
I'm a stranger in this town
If heaven is on the way
If heaven is on the way
I'm a stranger in this town
I'm a stranger in this town
Lyrics submitted by spitfirek7
Letting the Cables Sleep Lyrics as written by Gavin Rossdale
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think this song could relate to someone contemplating suicide. "You in the dark, you in pain, you on the run" meaning someone who is going through a lot of things within themselves trying to run from their thoughts. "Living your hell living your ghost living your end meaning someone who is thinking about ending it all. You feel like you don't belong anywhere. Letting the cables sleep meaning you've given up you know you should talk about how you are feeling but you end up not and it ends with you giving up on life n letting yourself go out of this world hoping to be in a certain kind of heaven. Anywhere from here.