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.
Trapped, in purgatory, a lifeless object, alive
Awaiting reprisal, and death
I said, she said, death will be their, acquisition
The sky is turning red, return to power draws near
Fall, onto me, onto er er er hour
Fall, onto me, the sky's crimson tears
Abolish the rules, abolish the rules, made of stone
Pierced from below, souls of my treacherous past
Betrayed by many, now, ornaments dripping above
Awaiting the hour of reprisal, your time slips away
Raining blood, Raining blood
From a lacerated sky
Bleeding its horror, creating my structure
Now I shall reign in blood, hhh
Awaiting reprisal, and death
I said, she said, death will be their, acquisition
The sky is turning red, return to power draws near
Fall, onto me, onto er er er hour
Fall, onto me, the sky's crimson tears
Abolish the rules, abolish the rules, made of stone
Pierced from below, souls of my treacherous past
Betrayed by many, now, ornaments dripping above
Awaiting the hour of reprisal, your time slips away
Raining blood, Raining blood
From a lacerated sky
Bleeding its horror, creating my structure
Now I shall reign in blood, hhh
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!
Well, I couldn't believe it at first when I saw that Tori Amos had actually done a cover of Raining Blood. I listened to it a couple of times, and I think her interpretation is successful. I mean, she definitely manages to give the song a distinct feel, one from her own perspective.
I would like to say a few words about what I think of Tori's vision of the song.
Now, it can be seen that she has done a few alterations to the lyrics. The most apparent change is the addition of these two lines: "I said, she said" and "(Fall onto me), Fall onto her". In the original, the "story" is narrated from Satan's point of view, and he is the only "character". However, in Tori's version, the addition of the aforementioned lyrics suggests the introduction of a female figure to the song. What is more, this female figure seems to share the same actions as Satan. This reminded me of a saying that goes: "Beside every successful man, there is a woman." So, I think that's how Tori saw it. She points out that Satan was not alone in his suffering, and there is someone who shares his pain, helps him through it, and is also willing for retribution.
Starpatroller, how utterly ignorant of you to think this is Tori's attempt at uncovering "evil" lyricists. Tori is using this beautifully written song by Slayer to protest war and other atrocities, much like the original version, obviously she had enough respect for the band Slayer to actually use their lyrics, otherwise do you think they would have actually permitted her to use it? Slayer, much like Tori, holds back nothing when writing songs about the absurdities and atrocities we deal with in life on a daily basis and throughout history. Yet ignorant, one-track minded people usually can't see beyond their own cause and opinions to get an actual grasp of reality. Tori did not cover this song to show what "crazy" songwriters Slayer are, rather she covered the song to show what good writers they are and how relevant their songs are to society. Just because you don't like their blazing fast music, and REAL lyrics, gives you no right consider or call them crazy
This is a song only a few people in the world can appreciate, by my belief. I, happily, like to think I am one of those people, and thusly I adore this song, and the whole :strange little girls: It is expressionism gone completely perfect. There is nothing like expressionism, and when it is heightened to this sort of degree, it is unbelievable. I love it. Listen and Feel. Music is the most important thing in the world.
i absolutely love this song because it's contrast to the original. tori has made this song amazingly feminine, something that i'm sure the nice men of Slayer did not have in mind at all. great stuff.
This is personally my favourite track off of "Strange Little Girls"...'tis much, much better than the original, if ya ask me.
...and it even scares me more than the original does...
Wow, this song sounds miles away from it's silly original thrashmetal version. It sounds very beautiful, actually. Everything sounds appropriate here. The stretched vocal is quite beautiful, it works very well.
this song is sssoooo slow, by the time tori finishes saying the first segment of the song slayer has already finished the song 2 times. Some of the best slayer riffs are on the original but tori doesnt even have a guitar! i guess this version must be scarier than the original because it has a woman singing on it
Its cool to see this song done so differently i suppose.. i admitt, i like it.. but nothing will ever compare to the original.
i dont know..... its like whatevers
Great cover, indeed. Personally, I prefer the original, but damn, Tori is amazing. How she could grab a song like that, so heavy, so aggressive, and turn it into this beautiful piece, it's unbelievable.