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.
November 10th, a cold dark night.
You could feel that something wasn't right.
That night many hearts did cry.
When we learned we had to say goodbye.
All embraced under one common song.
The body is dead, but life lives on.
(Your body is dead, but your soul doesn't end.)
The body is dead, but life lives on.
Goodbye Stephen.
Goodbye you friend.
You were so young.
You were so young.
Goodbye Stephen.
Goodbye you friend.
You were so young.
The cars lined the streets, as it was coming to an end.
The sun shined so brightly, the day we burried our friend.
All embraced under one common song.
The body is dead, but life lives on.
(Your body is dead, but your soul doesn't end.)
The body is dead, but life lives on.
Goodbye Stephen.
Goodbye you friend.
You were so young.
You were so young.
Goodbye Stephen.
Goodbye you friend.
You were so young.
You were so young.
Losing in the fall.
Lost innocence came down.
An 18 year old boy was burried in the ground.
A family's broken hearts, his friend's streaming tears.
The peace found in death, the living's growing fear.
Of eternal darkness, or is it spiritual light coming to terms with death?
On the darkest night.
A brother lost a brother, a friend lost a friend, a mother lost a son, but Stephen's soul will never end.
You could feel that something wasn't right.
That night many hearts did cry.
When we learned we had to say goodbye.
All embraced under one common song.
The body is dead, but life lives on.
(Your body is dead, but your soul doesn't end.)
The body is dead, but life lives on.
Goodbye Stephen.
Goodbye you friend.
You were so young.
You were so young.
Goodbye Stephen.
Goodbye you friend.
You were so young.
The cars lined the streets, as it was coming to an end.
The sun shined so brightly, the day we burried our friend.
All embraced under one common song.
The body is dead, but life lives on.
(Your body is dead, but your soul doesn't end.)
The body is dead, but life lives on.
Goodbye Stephen.
Goodbye you friend.
You were so young.
You were so young.
Goodbye Stephen.
Goodbye you friend.
You were so young.
You were so young.
Losing in the fall.
Lost innocence came down.
An 18 year old boy was burried in the ground.
A family's broken hearts, his friend's streaming tears.
The peace found in death, the living's growing fear.
Of eternal darkness, or is it spiritual light coming to terms with death?
On the darkest night.
A brother lost a brother, a friend lost a friend, a mother lost a son, but Stephen's soul will never end.
Lyrics submitted by default
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