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.
When you walked in, I said with a grin
That we were just talking about you
We all had to lie because you would cry
If you knew we were laughing at you
In the momentary lull before the band begins to play
There's an overwhelming stench of alibi
Come on now, now
Come on now, now
Enjoy the humor of the situation
Come on now, now
Come on now, now
Enjoy the humor of the situation
I said on the phone, "Don't wait 'til I'm home"
But I'm sure I could hear you crying
I said where I was, but you doubt it because
It's the caller I.D. you're buying
In the hour that it took for me to drive up to the door
You'd arranged all my belongings on the lawn
Come on now, now
Come on now, now
Enjoy the humor of the situation
Come on now, now
Come on now, now
Enjoy the humor of the situation
Have you heard the one about the boy
Who moved into the hen-house to sleep?
He woke up with egg on his face
When he found out all the hens had crossed the street
Come on now, now (now)
Come on now, now (now)
Enjoy the humor of the situation
Come on now, now (now)
Come on now, now (now)
Enjoy the humor of the situation
As I walked out, I thought about all I had left behind me
I felt a chill because I was still
Wearing the emperor's new clothes
My mind was racing with each chance that I had missed
While your next door neighbor soaked me with the hose
I've never felt so small, I've never been so dissed
As I shiver, dripping, while the chorus goes
Come on now, now (now)
Come on now, now (now)
Enjoy the humor of the situation
Come on now, now (now)
Come on now, now (now)
Enjoy the humor of the situation
Come on now, now (now)
Come on now, now (now)
Enjoy the humor of the situation
That we were just talking about you
We all had to lie because you would cry
If you knew we were laughing at you
In the momentary lull before the band begins to play
There's an overwhelming stench of alibi
Come on now, now
Come on now, now
Enjoy the humor of the situation
Come on now, now
Come on now, now
Enjoy the humor of the situation
I said on the phone, "Don't wait 'til I'm home"
But I'm sure I could hear you crying
I said where I was, but you doubt it because
It's the caller I.D. you're buying
In the hour that it took for me to drive up to the door
You'd arranged all my belongings on the lawn
Come on now, now
Come on now, now
Enjoy the humor of the situation
Come on now, now
Come on now, now
Enjoy the humor of the situation
Have you heard the one about the boy
Who moved into the hen-house to sleep?
He woke up with egg on his face
When he found out all the hens had crossed the street
Come on now, now (now)
Come on now, now (now)
Enjoy the humor of the situation
Come on now, now (now)
Come on now, now (now)
Enjoy the humor of the situation
As I walked out, I thought about all I had left behind me
I felt a chill because I was still
Wearing the emperor's new clothes
My mind was racing with each chance that I had missed
While your next door neighbor soaked me with the hose
I've never felt so small, I've never been so dissed
As I shiver, dripping, while the chorus goes
Come on now, now (now)
Come on now, now (now)
Enjoy the humor of the situation
Come on now, now (now)
Come on now, now (now)
Enjoy the humor of the situation
Come on now, now (now)
Come on now, now (now)
Enjoy the humor of the situation
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
I would have to dissagree with the latter part of Bravura's response. The Emperor's new clothes could mean he had nothing on, like the fairy tale, which would make sense on why he was so cold, though who really goes back to their house from an affair still naked? it could also be an allusion. From Wiki: "The expressions The Emperor's new clothes and The Emperor has no clothes are often used with allusion to Andersen's tale. Most frequently, the metaphor involves a situation wherein the overwhelming (usually unempowered) majority of observers willingly share in a collective ignorance of an obvious fact, despite individually recognizing the absurdity" This could tie in with the "Humour of the Situation" where the collective people are enjoying the humour of the situation, but it is actually rather absurd or wrong, which is why he got kicked out. Again, "Never felt so small" could be taken litterally as well. But I prefer to look at it, because he is thinking of all the chances he has missed, and all the times he could have been spending with his girl, but he just took her for granted and now she threw him out. So now he feels like he is insignificant because he is looked down upon and 'dissed' (definition of dissed: belittle, insult, show disrespect, so it makes sense)