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.
Alright.
This right here is going out to all you outcasts, outsiders and outlaws out there tonight.
It's going out to everybody that's ever been locked out or held down or kicked around.
It's going out to all the white trash out there. All the wasted youth.
Everybody that ever felt like they never had a chance.
The world we live in is going straight to hell. The fellows i know, there's no way to turn.
We're all living in exile.
I'm in exile
I been livin' in exile
I'm in exile
I been livin' in exile
I been hangin' on the corner, starin' at the night sky,
and watchin' the cars drive by.
Their faces stare but they don't see me
as I think about the past and I wonder why.(I wonder why!).
A side of life they'll never see has passed before my jaded eyes(my eyes!)
I'm on the outside lookin' in
I hold the burning tears inside my heart
I been runnin', I been runnin' with the hunted, I been runnin' for my whole life
I'm in exile
And I got nothin' but a hope inside, in my heart where hope has died
I been livin' in exile
Tears and pain like a stinging rain, have passed before my eyes
I'm in exile
I been runnin', I been runnin' with the hunted, I been runnin' for my whole life
I been livin' in exile
Forsaken!
Forgotten!
If you haven't been there then you'll never understand
I've stolen, I've lied, I've traded my pride,
'cause I never had a helping hand
They'll steal your innocence and they'll take away your soul
I've stolen, I've lied and there were times when there wasn't anyplace to go
So let's go!
I been runnin', I been runnin' with the hunted,
I been runnin' for my whole life
I'm in exile
And I got nothin' but a hope inside,
in my heart where hope has died
I been livin' in exile
Tears and pain like a stinging rain,
have passed before my eyes
I'm in exile
I been runnin', I been runnin' with the hunted, I been runnin' for my whole life
I been livin' in exile
How many tears have our mothers cried?(In exile)
How many of my kind have died?(in exile)
So I stand here to spit in your eye
and tell you your society is nothing but lies
They lock us up and hold us down,
just another wasted youth, another dead end town
I been waiting so long
I been waiting so long
I been waiting and now my hope is gone
There's gotta be something more than this
There's gotta be something that I missed
I'm in exile
I'm in exile
I'm in exile(There's gotta be something more than this)
I'm in exile
I'm in exile
I'm in exile
I'm in exile
I'm in exile(There's gotta be something more than this)
I'm in exile
I'm in exile
I'm in exile
I'm in exile(There's gotta be something more than this)
I'm in exile
I'm in exile
Yeah! I've been living in exile
I been runnin', I been runnin' with the hunted, I been runnin' for my whole life
I'm in exile
And I got nothin' but a hope inside, in my heart where hope has died
I been livin' in exile
Tears and pain like a stinging rain, have passed before my eyes
I'm in exile
I been runnin', I been runnin' with the hunted, I been runnin' for my whole life
I been livin' in exile
How many tears have they torn from my eyes?(exile)
How many times will we be denied?(exile)
They lock us up and they hold us down,
just another wasted youth, another dead end town
I been waiting so long
I been waiting so long
I been waiting now my hope is... gone
1..2..1 2 3 4
Outside!
This right here is going out to all you outcasts, outsiders and outlaws out there tonight.
It's going out to everybody that's ever been locked out or held down or kicked around.
It's going out to all the white trash out there. All the wasted youth.
Everybody that ever felt like they never had a chance.
The world we live in is going straight to hell. The fellows i know, there's no way to turn.
We're all living in exile.
I'm in exile
I been livin' in exile
I'm in exile
I been livin' in exile
I been hangin' on the corner, starin' at the night sky,
and watchin' the cars drive by.
Their faces stare but they don't see me
as I think about the past and I wonder why.(I wonder why!).
A side of life they'll never see has passed before my jaded eyes(my eyes!)
I'm on the outside lookin' in
I hold the burning tears inside my heart
I been runnin', I been runnin' with the hunted, I been runnin' for my whole life
I'm in exile
And I got nothin' but a hope inside, in my heart where hope has died
I been livin' in exile
Tears and pain like a stinging rain, have passed before my eyes
I'm in exile
I been runnin', I been runnin' with the hunted, I been runnin' for my whole life
I been livin' in exile
Forsaken!
Forgotten!
If you haven't been there then you'll never understand
I've stolen, I've lied, I've traded my pride,
'cause I never had a helping hand
They'll steal your innocence and they'll take away your soul
I've stolen, I've lied and there were times when there wasn't anyplace to go
So let's go!
I been runnin', I been runnin' with the hunted,
I been runnin' for my whole life
I'm in exile
And I got nothin' but a hope inside,
in my heart where hope has died
I been livin' in exile
Tears and pain like a stinging rain,
have passed before my eyes
I'm in exile
I been runnin', I been runnin' with the hunted, I been runnin' for my whole life
I been livin' in exile
How many tears have our mothers cried?(In exile)
How many of my kind have died?(in exile)
So I stand here to spit in your eye
and tell you your society is nothing but lies
They lock us up and hold us down,
just another wasted youth, another dead end town
I been waiting so long
I been waiting so long
I been waiting and now my hope is gone
There's gotta be something more than this
There's gotta be something that I missed
I'm in exile
I'm in exile
I'm in exile(There's gotta be something more than this)
I'm in exile
I'm in exile
I'm in exile
I'm in exile
I'm in exile(There's gotta be something more than this)
I'm in exile
I'm in exile
I'm in exile
I'm in exile(There's gotta be something more than this)
I'm in exile
I'm in exile
Yeah! I've been living in exile
I been runnin', I been runnin' with the hunted, I been runnin' for my whole life
I'm in exile
And I got nothin' but a hope inside, in my heart where hope has died
I been livin' in exile
Tears and pain like a stinging rain, have passed before my eyes
I'm in exile
I been runnin', I been runnin' with the hunted, I been runnin' for my whole life
I been livin' in exile
How many tears have they torn from my eyes?(exile)
How many times will we be denied?(exile)
They lock us up and they hold us down,
just another wasted youth, another dead end town
I been waiting so long
I been waiting so long
I been waiting now my hope is... gone
1..2..1 2 3 4
Outside!
Lyrics submitted by FlowersAndRazorwire
Livin' in Exile Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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i think one of the reasons that this song is so great is because almost everyone can relate to it. almost eveyone has felt like theyve been "held down and kicked around" not to mention that its a kick ass song.