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.
I want to see
What people saw
I want to feel
Like I felt before
I'd like to see
The kingdom come
I want to feel
Forever young
And I want to sing
To sing my song
I want to live
In a world where I belong
I want to live
I will survive
And I believe
That it won't be very long
If we turn, turn, turn, turn, turn
Turn, turn, turn
If we turn, turn, turn, turn, turn
Then we might learn, learn
So where's the stars?
Up in the sky
And what's the moon?
A big balloon
We'll never know
Unless we grow
There's so much world
Outside the door
I want to sing
To sing my song
I want to live
In a world where I'll be strong
I want to live
I will survive
And I believe
That it won't be very long
If we turn, turn, turn, turn, turn
Turn, turn, turn
If we turn, turn, turn, turn, turn
Then we might learn, learn
We've got to turn
We've got to turn
If we turn, turn, turn, turn, turn
Turn, turn, turn
If we turn, turn, turn, turn, turn
Then we might learn
Learn to turn, oh
What people saw
I want to feel
Like I felt before
I'd like to see
The kingdom come
I want to feel
Forever young
And I want to sing
To sing my song
I want to live
In a world where I belong
I want to live
I will survive
And I believe
That it won't be very long
If we turn, turn, turn, turn, turn
Turn, turn, turn
If we turn, turn, turn, turn, turn
Then we might learn, learn
So where's the stars?
Up in the sky
And what's the moon?
A big balloon
We'll never know
Unless we grow
There's so much world
Outside the door
I want to sing
To sing my song
I want to live
In a world where I'll be strong
I want to live
I will survive
And I believe
That it won't be very long
If we turn, turn, turn, turn, turn
Turn, turn, turn
If we turn, turn, turn, turn, turn
Then we might learn, learn
We've got to turn
We've got to turn
If we turn, turn, turn, turn, turn
Turn, turn, turn
If we turn, turn, turn, turn, turn
Then we might learn
Learn to turn, oh
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Like CJF said, I think is about turning your dreams into reality. And that it's never to late to turn your life around.