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.
You're not the girl you think you are, no no
They're not his shoes under your bed, yeah yeah
He'll take you places in his car
That you won't forget, no
All the people that you know, yeah
Will turn their heads as you go by
But you'll be hard to recognise
With the top down and the wind blowing, blowing
He won't deceive you but tell you the truth
Woman, he'll be no trouble
He won't write you letters full of excuses
C'mon, I believe you have one in a million
You're not the girl you think you are, yeah
There's someone standing in your place
The bathroom mirror makes you look tall,
But it's all in your head, in your head
He won't deceive you he'll tell you the truth
Woman, he'll be no trouble
He won't write you letters full of excuses
C'mon, I believe you have one in a million
He won't deceive you but tell you the truth
C'mon, I believe you have one
You're not the girl you think you are
C'mon I believe you have one
You're not the girl you think you are
C'mon I believe you have one
You're not the girl you think you are
They're not his shoes under your bed, yeah yeah
He'll take you places in his car
That you won't forget, no
All the people that you know, yeah
Will turn their heads as you go by
But you'll be hard to recognise
With the top down and the wind blowing, blowing
He won't deceive you but tell you the truth
Woman, he'll be no trouble
He won't write you letters full of excuses
C'mon, I believe you have one in a million
You're not the girl you think you are, yeah
There's someone standing in your place
The bathroom mirror makes you look tall,
But it's all in your head, in your head
He won't deceive you he'll tell you the truth
Woman, he'll be no trouble
He won't write you letters full of excuses
C'mon, I believe you have one in a million
He won't deceive you but tell you the truth
C'mon, I believe you have one
You're not the girl you think you are
C'mon I believe you have one
You're not the girl you think you are
C'mon I believe you have one
You're not the girl you think you are
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It's about watching someone lie to herself and convince herself things are perfect when they obviously aren't. The speaker doesn't seem to approve of the relationship-- I always thought the line was "he won't deceive you OR tell you the truth" (a quick Google comparison search was inconclusive), which seems to perfectly sum up the way someone can manipulate and mislead another person without entirely lying to them.
The speaker seems a little spiteful, sarcastically telling the girl to "believe [she has] one in a million" when he clearly thinks otherwise. It could almost be read as if the speaker is the girl's ex and is jealously criticizing her new relationship.
OP, lyrics are "he won't decieve you OR tell you the truth", NOT "he won't decieve you HE'LL tell you the truth"<br /> <br /> <br /> wow, I took the exact opposite meaning to the two posters before me<br /> :)) I think it's beautiful and amazing and a POSITIVE song about love.<br /> <br /> As in a girl who has a man and but whilst on the outside everything is amazing/perfect, (he treats her well, she enjoys being with him etc...) in quiet moments, she secretly doubts him and his feelings towards her, maybe even doubts the reality of love itself, and she definately doesn't believe that anything, especially something for her, can be this perfect.<br /> (Maybe she's been hurt before or is just naturally doubtful of love/super protective of her real heart.) ...And the singers saying, you know, maybe for once, what you see is what you get, you CAN read this book by it's cover, he has no hidden agenda, everything he says/does for you simply IS because he loves you.<br /> <br /> --------------<br /> <br /> "Youre not the girl you think you are" = you're not this cold, empty bitch who doesn't believe in love/or at least him; it's just a front you put up to protect yourself.<br /> <br /> "He won't deceive you or tell you the truth" = he won't lie to you about the big things, and he won't say unnecessary truths just for the sake of hurting you ie. "does my bum look big in this?" "no, of course not, honey"<br /> <br /> "c'mon, believe you have one in a million" = it's okay to love, to let down your guard, to give this relationship with this boy a chance:))!
@fromadistantsun Agree with your thoughts. The song has a melancholy sound to it... doesn't sit well for a positive love song.