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.
Oh whoa-oh, well the pony was funky
The watusi was kinda smooth
Oh whoa-oh, well the problem with all
Those little dance steps was you had to move
Oh whoa-oh, well they found a brand-new step
And it doesn’t take anything to get this groove, uh-huh!
And I don’t want no standing still…
And I don’t want no standing still…
And they’re doing the standing still…
And I don’t want no standing still…hey!
Oh whoa-oh, well it’s a sensation…
Across the entire nation.
Oh whoa-oh, a hundred million kids
All dancing in suspended animation, hmm…
Oh whoa-oh, and the feeling’s all right
We’ll be standing still until the morning light, yeah!
And I don’t want no standing still…
And I don’t want no standing still…
And they’re doing the standing still…
And I don’t want no standing still…hey!
I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed
Oh, my aching head.
Uh-huh!
Oh whoa-oh, in Fargo, six or seven kids
Watched the Plan in a strip-mall
I thought they were bored out of their skulls
But it turns out they were having a ball, uh-huh
Oh whoa-oh, well I finally knew
They were doing a brand-new step everybody isn’t moving to
And I don’t want no standing still…
And I don’t want no standing still…
And they’re doing the standing still…
And I don’t want no standing still…yeah!
The watusi was kinda smooth
Oh whoa-oh, well the problem with all
Those little dance steps was you had to move
Oh whoa-oh, well they found a brand-new step
And it doesn’t take anything to get this groove, uh-huh!
And I don’t want no standing still…
And I don’t want no standing still…
And they’re doing the standing still…
And I don’t want no standing still…hey!
Oh whoa-oh, well it’s a sensation…
Across the entire nation.
Oh whoa-oh, a hundred million kids
All dancing in suspended animation, hmm…
Oh whoa-oh, and the feeling’s all right
We’ll be standing still until the morning light, yeah!
And I don’t want no standing still…
And I don’t want no standing still…
And they’re doing the standing still…
And I don’t want no standing still…hey!
I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed
Oh, my aching head.
Uh-huh!
Oh whoa-oh, in Fargo, six or seven kids
Watched the Plan in a strip-mall
I thought they were bored out of their skulls
But it turns out they were having a ball, uh-huh
Oh whoa-oh, well I finally knew
They were doing a brand-new step everybody isn’t moving to
And I don’t want no standing still…
And I don’t want no standing still…
And they’re doing the standing still…
And I don’t want no standing still…yeah!
Lyrics submitted by 66exeter
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Nevermind, you're right. In an interview, he said that was the one thing he didn't like about indie fans.