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.
(Keep me hanging on)
Set me free why don't cha, babe
Get out my life why don't cha, babe
'Cause you don't really love me
You just keep me hangin' on
Set me free why don't cha, babe
Get out my life why don't cha, babe (ooh, ooh, ooh)
'Cause you don't really need me
But you just keep me hangin' on
Why do you keep a-comin' around playing with my heart?
Why don't cha get out of my life and let me make a brand new start?
Let me get over you the way you gotten over me, yeah
Set me free why don't cha, babe
Get out my life why don't cha, babe (ooh, ooh, ooh)
'Cause you don't really love me
You just keep me hangin' on
No, you don't really want me
You just keep me hangin' on
You say although we broke up you still just wanna be just friends
But how can we still be friends when seeing you only breaks my heart again
(And there ain't nothing I can do about it)
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Yeah, yeah
Get out, get out of my life
And let me sleep at night
'Cause you don't really love me
You just keep me (hangin' on) hangin' on
You say you still care for me but your heart and soul needs to be free
And now that you've got your freedom you wanna still hold on to me
You don't want me for yourself so let me find somebody else
Set me free why don't cha, babe
Get out my life why don't cha, babe (ooh, ooh, ooh)
'Cause you don't really love me
You just keep me hangin' on
Why don't cha be a man about it and set me free
Now you don't care a thing about me
You're just using me
Hey, abusing me
Get out, get out of my life
And let me sleep at night (ooh, ooh, ooh)
'Cause you don't really love me
You just keep me hangin' on (ooh, ooh, ooh)
Set me free why don't cha, babe
Get out my life why don't cha, babe
'Cause you don't really love me
You just keep me hangin' on
Set me free why don't cha, babe
Get out my life why don't cha, babe (ooh, ooh, ooh)
'Cause you don't really need me
But you just keep me hangin' on
Why do you keep a-comin' around playing with my heart?
Why don't cha get out of my life and let me make a brand new start?
Let me get over you the way you gotten over me, yeah
Set me free why don't cha, babe
Get out my life why don't cha, babe (ooh, ooh, ooh)
'Cause you don't really love me
You just keep me hangin' on
No, you don't really want me
You just keep me hangin' on
You say although we broke up you still just wanna be just friends
But how can we still be friends when seeing you only breaks my heart again
(And there ain't nothing I can do about it)
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Yeah, yeah
Get out, get out of my life
And let me sleep at night
'Cause you don't really love me
You just keep me (hangin' on) hangin' on
You say you still care for me but your heart and soul needs to be free
And now that you've got your freedom you wanna still hold on to me
You don't want me for yourself so let me find somebody else
Set me free why don't cha, babe
Get out my life why don't cha, babe (ooh, ooh, ooh)
'Cause you don't really love me
You just keep me hangin' on
Why don't cha be a man about it and set me free
Now you don't care a thing about me
You're just using me
Hey, abusing me
Get out, get out of my life
And let me sleep at night (ooh, ooh, ooh)
'Cause you don't really love me
You just keep me hangin' on (ooh, ooh, ooh)
Lyrics submitted by ImaniTheGreat
You Keep Me Hangin' On Lyrics as written by Lamont Dozier Edward Holland Jr.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I know how this feels.