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.
Young Jim, as a lad
He looked for adventure
Calamity, danger, whatever was free
So when he turned ten, he packed his belongings
and he left home to find his destiny
Jim just a boy, who's
Head full of legends
Of dungeons and dragons
And pirates and stuff
So that summer he snuck on a schooner
To harpoon tuna
And get real buff
The Captain he said
There's danger ahead
We need some brave men
To sail and then
We'll find us those pirates
Stop them with violence,
To make the ocean safe
Once again."
(chorus)
Cleaning up the oceans
Captain Hampton and his crew
Trouble in the seven seas
He'll know what to do
Captain, he hates rubbish
To him pirates are just soot
Scallywags and scurvy dogs
Are crushed under his foot.
Captain Hampton, Captain Hampton
Ahoy, Ahoy
Pillaging the Pillagers
Triumphantly he'll sail away
Now, seven weeks into the trip
And Jim was sick to death
Of being sick
Some kind of action he wanted
As he searched the seas
For everyday was the same old... stuff
The night he felt like jumping ship
But then he heard a crash
Hit the starboard side of the ship
And bumped him out of his bunk
Onto his bottom
Our heroes drew their swords
As the midgets swarmed aboard
The pirates surprise attack
The tiny buccaneers
Caught us by surprise
As we tried to battle back.
(chorus)
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la.
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la.
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la.
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la.
Captain Hampton, Captain Hampton
Ahoy Ahoy
Pillaging the Pillagers
Triumphantly he ran away!
He looked for adventure
Calamity, danger, whatever was free
So when he turned ten, he packed his belongings
and he left home to find his destiny
Jim just a boy, who's
Head full of legends
Of dungeons and dragons
And pirates and stuff
So that summer he snuck on a schooner
To harpoon tuna
And get real buff
The Captain he said
There's danger ahead
We need some brave men
To sail and then
We'll find us those pirates
Stop them with violence,
To make the ocean safe
Once again."
(chorus)
Cleaning up the oceans
Captain Hampton and his crew
Trouble in the seven seas
He'll know what to do
Captain, he hates rubbish
To him pirates are just soot
Scallywags and scurvy dogs
Are crushed under his foot.
Captain Hampton, Captain Hampton
Ahoy, Ahoy
Pillaging the Pillagers
Triumphantly he'll sail away
Now, seven weeks into the trip
And Jim was sick to death
Of being sick
Some kind of action he wanted
As he searched the seas
For everyday was the same old... stuff
The night he felt like jumping ship
But then he heard a crash
Hit the starboard side of the ship
And bumped him out of his bunk
Onto his bottom
Our heroes drew their swords
As the midgets swarmed aboard
The pirates surprise attack
The tiny buccaneers
Caught us by surprise
As we tried to battle back.
(chorus)
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la.
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la.
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la.
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la.
Captain Hampton, Captain Hampton
Ahoy Ahoy
Pillaging the Pillagers
Triumphantly he ran away!
Lyrics submitted by evilmprss
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
man, you guys are reading waaaaaay too much into these songs.