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.
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
We don't need no water let the motherfucker burn
Burn motherfucker burn
Hello my name is Jimmy Pop and I'm a dumb white guy
I'm not old or new but middle school fifth grade like junior high
I don't know mofo if y'all peeps be buggin' give props to my ho
'Cause she all fly
But I can take the heat 'cause I'm the other white meat known as 'Kid Funky Fried'
Yeah I'm hung like planet Pluto hard to see with the naked eye
But if I crashed into Uranus I would stick it where the sun don't shine
'Cause I'm kind of like Han Solo always stroking my own wookie
I'm the root of all that's evil yeah but you can call me cookie
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
We don't need no water let the motherfucker burn
Burn motherfucker burn
Yo yo, this hard-core ghetto gangster image takes a lot of practice
I'm not black like Barry White no I am white like Frank Black is
So if man is five and the devil is six than that must make me seven
This honkey's gone to heaven
But if I go to hell then I hope I burn well
I'll spend my days with J.F.K., Marvin Gaye, Martha Raye and Lawrence Welk
And Kurt Cobain, Kojak, Mark Twain and Jimi Hendrix's poltergeist
And Webster yeah, Emmanuel Lewis 'cause he's the anti-Christ
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
We don't need no water let the motherfucker burn
Burn motherfucker burn
Everybody here we go
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Throw your hands in the air
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Wave 'em like you don't care
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Everbody say ho
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Everybody here we go
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Throw your hands in the air
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Wave 'em like you don't care
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Everbody say ho
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Everybody here we go
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Throw your hands in the air
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Wave 'em like you don't care
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Everbody say ho
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Everybody here we go
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Throw your hands in the air
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Wave 'em like you don't care
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Everbody say ho
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
We don't need no water let the motherfucker burn
Burn motherfucker burn
Hello my name is Jimmy Pop and I'm a dumb white guy
I'm not old or new but middle school fifth grade like junior high
I don't know mofo if y'all peeps be buggin' give props to my ho
'Cause she all fly
But I can take the heat 'cause I'm the other white meat known as 'Kid Funky Fried'
Yeah I'm hung like planet Pluto hard to see with the naked eye
But if I crashed into Uranus I would stick it where the sun don't shine
'Cause I'm kind of like Han Solo always stroking my own wookie
I'm the root of all that's evil yeah but you can call me cookie
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
We don't need no water let the motherfucker burn
Burn motherfucker burn
Yo yo, this hard-core ghetto gangster image takes a lot of practice
I'm not black like Barry White no I am white like Frank Black is
So if man is five and the devil is six than that must make me seven
This honkey's gone to heaven
But if I go to hell then I hope I burn well
I'll spend my days with J.F.K., Marvin Gaye, Martha Raye and Lawrence Welk
And Kurt Cobain, Kojak, Mark Twain and Jimi Hendrix's poltergeist
And Webster yeah, Emmanuel Lewis 'cause he's the anti-Christ
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
We don't need no water let the motherfucker burn
Burn motherfucker burn
Everybody here we go
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Throw your hands in the air
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Wave 'em like you don't care
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Everbody say ho
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Everybody here we go
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Throw your hands in the air
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Wave 'em like you don't care
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Everbody say ho
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Everybody here we go
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Throw your hands in the air
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Wave 'em like you don't care
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Everbody say ho
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Everybody here we go
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Throw your hands in the air
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Wave 'em like you don't care
Ohh ohh
C'mon party people
Ohh ohh
Everbody say ho
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!
More Featured Meanings
Ave Grave
Thee More Shallows
Thee More Shallows
The Spy
Doors, The
Doors, The
Like a lot of the other comments are saying, I think this mainly about voyeurism. If the song was about his girlfriend, then why would he use the word spy. If you are a spy it means you shouldn't be caught, that is kind of the whole point, and if you are a voyeur, the whole point of the pleasure you get from it, is the fact that the other people don't know you are watching them. See a bit of a connection there?
Grand Theft Auto
Insane Ian
Insane Ian
The way this song speaks to me🥺🥺when I sing it I feel like I relate
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
'The Roof is On Fire' was a 1985 hip-hop song by Rock Master Scott & The Dynamic Three. I have the record. I have been DJing over 20 years. I believe i was actually a B-side for a song called "Request Line"