More broadly, this song is about how our future isn't always driven by our own actions and decisions - but are more often driven by external forces. These forces set the limiting framework that we can act within.
Here the Thermals have named these external forces "God", speaking through parable of how "Noah", us, are dealt a hand that we must simply play; as "no one can breathe underwater", no one can exist in our world without submitting to the limitations of our environment.
"Jesus" is representative of the right we are born with, free will - posing the question: if we are subject to our environment, how free are we really to choose? How much of our future is truly our own?
More broadly, this song is about how our future isn't always driven by our own actions and decisions - but are more often driven by external forces. These forces set the limiting framework that we can act within. Here the Thermals have named these external forces "God", speaking through parable of how "Noah", us, are dealt a hand that we must simply play; as "no one can breathe underwater", no one can exist in our world without submitting to the limitations of our environment. "Jesus" is representative of the right we are born with, free will - posing the question: if we are subject to our environment, how free are we really to choose? How much of our future is truly our own?