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.
Everybody's looking for last gang in town
You better watch out for they're all comin' around
The sport of today is exciting
The in crowd are into infighting
When some punk sees some rock-olla
It's rock and roll all over
In every street and every station
Kids fight like different nations
And it's brawn against brain
And it's knife against chain
But it's all young blood
Flowing down the drain
The Crops hit the Stiffs
An' the Spikes whipped the Quiffs
They're all looking 'round
For the last gang in town
Meanwhile down in black town
Those old soul rebels are haingin' around
An' when some punk come a looking for sound
Rastafari goes to ground
The white heart flipped his pocket dipped
'cause a black sharp knife never slips
And they never say to one another
That tomorrow we might kill our brothers
Down from the edge of London
The rockabilly rebels came
From another edge of London
Skinhead gangs call out their name
But not the Zydeco kids
From the high rise
Though they can't be recognized
When you hear a Cajun fiddle
Then you're nearly in the middle
Of the last gang in town
You better watch out for they're all comin' around
The sport of today is exciting
The in crowd are into infighting
When some punk sees some rock-olla
It's rock and roll all over
In every street and every station
Kids fight like different nations
And it's brawn against brain
And it's knife against chain
But it's all young blood
Flowing down the drain
The Crops hit the Stiffs
An' the Spikes whipped the Quiffs
They're all looking 'round
For the last gang in town
Meanwhile down in black town
Those old soul rebels are haingin' around
An' when some punk come a looking for sound
Rastafari goes to ground
The white heart flipped his pocket dipped
'cause a black sharp knife never slips
And they never say to one another
That tomorrow we might kill our brothers
Down from the edge of London
The rockabilly rebels came
From another edge of London
Skinhead gangs call out their name
But not the Zydeco kids
From the high rise
Though they can't be recognized
When you hear a Cajun fiddle
Then you're nearly in the middle
Of the last gang in town
Lyrics submitted by aebassist, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Last Gang in Town Lyrics as written by Mick Jones Joe Strummer
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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@Punker_Ken I always thought they were the nuevo Mods