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.
Everyone I know is lonely
With God so far away
And my heart belongs to no one
So now sometimes I pray
Take the space between us
Fill it up some way
Take the space between us
Fill it up, fill it up
Oh my God you take the biscuit
Treating me this way
Expecting me to treat you well
No matter what you say
How can I turn the other cheek
It's black and bruised and torn
I've been waiting
Since the day that I was born
Fill it up, fill it up, fill it up
Take the space between us
Fill it up some way
Take the space between us
Fill it up, fill it up, fill it up
Fill it up, fill it up, fill it up
Fat man in his garden
Thin man at his gate
My God you must be sleeping
Wake up, it's much too late
Take the space between us
Fill it up some way
Take the space between us
Fill it up, fill it up, fill it up
Fill it up, fill it up, fill it up
Do I have to tell the story
Of a thousand rainy days
Since we first met
It's a big enough umbrella
But it's always me that ends up getting wet
With God so far away
And my heart belongs to no one
So now sometimes I pray
Take the space between us
Fill it up some way
Take the space between us
Fill it up, fill it up
Oh my God you take the biscuit
Treating me this way
Expecting me to treat you well
No matter what you say
How can I turn the other cheek
It's black and bruised and torn
I've been waiting
Since the day that I was born
Fill it up, fill it up, fill it up
Take the space between us
Fill it up some way
Take the space between us
Fill it up, fill it up, fill it up
Fill it up, fill it up, fill it up
Fat man in his garden
Thin man at his gate
My God you must be sleeping
Wake up, it's much too late
Take the space between us
Fill it up some way
Take the space between us
Fill it up, fill it up, fill it up
Fill it up, fill it up, fill it up
Do I have to tell the story
Of a thousand rainy days
Since we first met
It's a big enough umbrella
But it's always me that ends up getting wet
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
O My God Lyrics as written by Gordon Sumner
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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so why the "every little thing" lyrics in the end. Sting does this over the years to diffrent songs.
Its a pretty demanding song telling God to get the ball rolling now by "filling in the Gap". I'm not sure Sting, as great as he is, has the right right, to demand God to do anything. I'm no religious freak or anything and I see what he's trying to say, but it comes off a little pompous.
If you take out "fill it up" then he just sounds, understandbly, frustrated.
Its still a very cool song though.