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.
Flicker, flicker, flicker, flicker, flicker, flicker, flicker, flicker
Here you are
Cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata
Caterpillar girl
Flowing in and filling up my hopeless heart
Oh, never, never go
Oh, I'll dust my lemon lies
With powder, pink and sweet
The day I stop is the day you change
And fly away from me
You flicker and you're beautiful
You glow inside my head
You hold me hypnotized, I'm mesmerized
Your flames, the flames that kiss me dead
I'll dust my lemon lies
With powder, pink and sweet
The day I stop's the day you change
And fly away from me
Oh, flicker, flicker, flicker, flicker, flicker, flicker, flicker, flicker
Here you are
Cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata
Caterpillar girl
Flowing in and filling up my hopeless heart
Oh, never, never go
Oh, I'll dust my lemon lies
With powder, pink and sweet
The day I stop's the day you change
And fly away, away from me
Cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata, caterpillar girl
Cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata, caterpillar girl
Cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata, caterpillar girl
Cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata
Cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata, caterpillar girl
Here you are
Cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata
Caterpillar girl
Flowing in and filling up my hopeless heart
Oh, never, never go
Oh, I'll dust my lemon lies
With powder, pink and sweet
The day I stop is the day you change
And fly away from me
You flicker and you're beautiful
You glow inside my head
You hold me hypnotized, I'm mesmerized
Your flames, the flames that kiss me dead
I'll dust my lemon lies
With powder, pink and sweet
The day I stop's the day you change
And fly away from me
Oh, flicker, flicker, flicker, flicker, flicker, flicker, flicker, flicker
Here you are
Cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata
Caterpillar girl
Flowing in and filling up my hopeless heart
Oh, never, never go
Oh, I'll dust my lemon lies
With powder, pink and sweet
The day I stop's the day you change
And fly away, away from me
Cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata, caterpillar girl
Cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata, caterpillar girl
Cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata, caterpillar girl
Cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata
Cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata-cata, caterpillar girl
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mimirandmemory, I can see where you could compare the two. Actually it fits kind of creepily well :P But I don't actually think this song has anything to do with pedophilia.
I believe it's simply about someone coming into his unhappy life and making it magical. His "lemon lies" are his bitterness and cynicism... maybe he even literally lies, claiming to not want love and happiness. She dusts his bitterness with "powder pink and sweet"- her beauty, femininity, love, kindness. She's changing the whole "flavor" of his life for the better.
The girl changing/flying away refers to his fears she will someday leave him, or "change" somehow and disappoint him. He's been hopeless and apparently miserable after all, so he doesn't believe he can hang on her.
Actually I think that is the song's true theme. I'm sure anyone who's been lonely/hopeless and then found love can understand it... that feeling of being happy, but afraid to completely accept the happiness for fear of losing it.
It's such an amazingly sweet song, I can't imagine it having any kind of ugly undertones.