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.
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In my book it's almost certainly "For a timepiece never changes this" -- it's about the only truly clear lyric on the whole album, although even then I thought it was "...changes pace" at first.
For "paper warm beings"(!) I've always heard "paper windings" which makes a tiny bit more sense, makes me think of trails of paper (from the aforementioned paperchase) wound round trees, bushes, etc. Wouldn't bet I'm right though.
Finally, I've never been able to make up my mind whether it's "Here's what it takes" or "Here's what it says". May even be both, at different times.
@AmbientSheep Here's what it says. Liz is referring to the paper chase she knows so well. If you want to know what all that paper says, she knows. She's literally telling you what it is says. <br /> <br /> (But the really cool part is why she called it Persephone.)