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 see faces and traces of home
Back in New York City
So you think I'm a tough kid?
Is that what you heard?
Yeah, well, I like to see some action
And it gets into my blood
The call me the trail blazer, Rael electric razor
I'm the pitcher in a chain gang, we don't believe in pain
'Cause we're only as strong, yes, we're only as strong
As the weakest link in the chain
Let me out of Pontiac when I was just seventeen
I had to get it out of me, if you know what I mean, what I mean
You say I must be crazy
'Cause I don't care who I hit, who I hit
But I know it's me that's hitting out
And I'm, I'm not full of shit
I don't care who I hurt, I don't care who I do wrong
This is your mess I'm stuck in, I really don't belong
When I take out my bottle, filled up high with gasoline
You can tell by the night fires where Rael has been, has been
As I cuddled the porcupine
He said I had none to blame, but me
Held my heart, deep in hair
Time to shave, shave it off, it off
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, oh
Off we go
Off we go
Off we go
Off we go
You're sitting in your comfort you don't believe I'm real
You cannot buy protection from the way that I feel
Your progressive hypocrites hand out their trash
But it was mine in the first place, so I'll burn it to ash
And I've tasted all the strongest meats
And laid them down in colored sheets
Laid them down in colored sheets
Who needs illusion
Of love and affection
When you're out walking in the streets
With your mainline connection? Connection
As I cuddled the porcupine
He said I had none to blame, but me
Held my heart, deep in hair
Time to shave, shave it off, it off
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no time
Back in New York City
So you think I'm a tough kid?
Is that what you heard?
Yeah, well, I like to see some action
And it gets into my blood
The call me the trail blazer, Rael electric razor
I'm the pitcher in a chain gang, we don't believe in pain
'Cause we're only as strong, yes, we're only as strong
As the weakest link in the chain
Let me out of Pontiac when I was just seventeen
I had to get it out of me, if you know what I mean, what I mean
You say I must be crazy
'Cause I don't care who I hit, who I hit
But I know it's me that's hitting out
And I'm, I'm not full of shit
I don't care who I hurt, I don't care who I do wrong
This is your mess I'm stuck in, I really don't belong
When I take out my bottle, filled up high with gasoline
You can tell by the night fires where Rael has been, has been
As I cuddled the porcupine
He said I had none to blame, but me
Held my heart, deep in hair
Time to shave, shave it off, it off
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, oh
Off we go
Off we go
Off we go
Off we go
You're sitting in your comfort you don't believe I'm real
You cannot buy protection from the way that I feel
Your progressive hypocrites hand out their trash
But it was mine in the first place, so I'll burn it to ash
And I've tasted all the strongest meats
And laid them down in colored sheets
Laid them down in colored sheets
Who needs illusion
Of love and affection
When you're out walking in the streets
With your mainline connection? Connection
As I cuddled the porcupine
He said I had none to blame, but me
Held my heart, deep in hair
Time to shave, shave it off, it off
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no time
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery
Back in N.Y.C. Lyrics as written by Phillip David Charles Collins Anthony George Banks
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone).
And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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This was a very strange choice for a cover version, being from the 1974 Genesis album "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway". The four-track demo that Jeff did, is suitably surreal with a relentless quality. I really love this song, and I think there aren't many artists that could pull off a worthwhile version as Jeff's. As for the tabs, I did a quick search but have yet to come across this track. I'll let you know if i have some joy.