A great song both in sound and meaningful content. https://topaitool.io

This song explores themes of love, desire, and the complexities of human connection through combining various Elvis Presley song titles and lyrics to create a story about a passionate but tumultuous relationship. The use of referring to iconic Elvis songs helps evoke feelings of nostalgia and longing, while also being a tribute to one of the band's many Western influences. The track paints a picture that love is passionate, chaotic, and filled with conflicting emotions. Despite its difficulties and uncertainties, an underlying desire for the relationship to endure is buried deep within. The songs referenced throughout are "Sweet Caroline," a famous Neil Diamond song, "How Great Thou Art," "Wear My Ring Around Your Neck," "A Big Hunk o' Love," "Suspicious Minds," "Such a Night," "Devil in Disguise," "Midnight," "Rubberneckin'," "Heartbreak Hotel," Eddy Arnold's song "Make the World Go Away," "If You Talk in Your Sleep," "That's the Way It Is" and the Broadway musical "Man of La Mancha," and "Stranger in My Own Hometown."

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.

This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone). And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.

Techno Ted may be a person who caused Chris incredible emotional pain & trepidation as well as moments of peace & happiness but now is removed and awaiting his fate. Darling may be a different person who is also free of him and can live her life free of Ted's tyranny. "In between all the laughing, and daydreams ... lies: a desert of truth" Lies are like a desert or the omission of Truth: Where there were Lies then Truth was absent. The song, "Techno Ted", may be a cathartic celebration of the downfall of this person.