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.
Circle around the park
Joining hands in silence
Watch the evil black the sky
The storm has ripped the shelter
Of illusion from our brow
This power is no mystery to us now.
Leave your spirit genocide
The cancer you won't remove
We cast our funeral rose inside
And bury the need to prove
Our mutilation is to gain from the system
Ooh, turn your head away
From the screen, oh people
It will tell you nothing more
Don't suck the milk of flaccid bill k.
Public's empty promise
To the people that the public can ignore
This way of life is so devised
To snuff out the mind that moves
Moving with grace the men despise
And women have learned to lose
Throw off your shame or be
A slave to the system
I see you take another drag
One more lost soul to raise your flag
The sky is a landfill
I see you take another drag
Let's see you take another drag
You like to dance to the rolling
Head of the adulteress
You sing in praise of suicide
We know you're useless
Like cops at the scene of the crime
With your steroids and your feedbag
And your stable and your trainer
I got a mail bomb for you mister strong arm.
Throw out the stones from all the cemetery homes
For the violence of a nation gone by
Or the politics of weakness
And the garbage dump of souls
That will now black the sky
Their yellow haze and crowds of eyes
Will plug up the mind that moves
Moving with grace the men despise
And women have learned to lose
We'll share our bodies
In disdain for the system
Oh, I see you take another drag
One nation bends to kiss the hag
The sky is a landfill
I see you take another drag
I see you take another drag
I have no fear of this machine
Joining hands in silence
Watch the evil black the sky
The storm has ripped the shelter
Of illusion from our brow
This power is no mystery to us now.
Leave your spirit genocide
The cancer you won't remove
We cast our funeral rose inside
And bury the need to prove
Our mutilation is to gain from the system
Ooh, turn your head away
From the screen, oh people
It will tell you nothing more
Don't suck the milk of flaccid bill k.
Public's empty promise
To the people that the public can ignore
This way of life is so devised
To snuff out the mind that moves
Moving with grace the men despise
And women have learned to lose
Throw off your shame or be
A slave to the system
I see you take another drag
One more lost soul to raise your flag
The sky is a landfill
I see you take another drag
Let's see you take another drag
You like to dance to the rolling
Head of the adulteress
You sing in praise of suicide
We know you're useless
Like cops at the scene of the crime
With your steroids and your feedbag
And your stable and your trainer
I got a mail bomb for you mister strong arm.
Throw out the stones from all the cemetery homes
For the violence of a nation gone by
Or the politics of weakness
And the garbage dump of souls
That will now black the sky
Their yellow haze and crowds of eyes
Will plug up the mind that moves
Moving with grace the men despise
And women have learned to lose
We'll share our bodies
In disdain for the system
Oh, I see you take another drag
One nation bends to kiss the hag
The sky is a landfill
I see you take another drag
I see you take another drag
I have no fear of this machine
Lyrics submitted by pixyscope, edited by recidivist, LoveAndPeace, eleusius
The Sky Is a Landfill Lyrics as written by Jeff Buckley Michael Tighe
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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You're all wrong, it's about birthday parties and dancing to Haddaway -What is Love for eight hours straight.
Just kidding.
I like this song a lot though.