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.
Get in, get out of the rain
I'm goin' to move on up to the waterfront
Step in, step out of the rain
I'm gonna walk on up to the waterfront
Said, one million years from today
I'm gonna step on up to the waterfront
Get in, get out of the rain
Come in, come out of the rain
So far, so good, so close, yet still so far
So far, so good, so close, yet still so
So far
So far
So far
The rain, I'm going to move on up to the waterfront
Step in, step out of the rain
I'm going to walk on up to the waterfront
Said, one million years from today
Step on up to the waterfront
Said, come in, come out of the rain
Said, come in, come out of the rain
Said, come in, come out of the rain
I'm goin' to move on up to the front
I'm gonna walk on up to the front
I'm gonna live on up by the front
I'm goin' to walk on up to the front
Come in, come out of the rain
Come in, come out of the rain
Said, come in, come out of the rain
Come in, come out of the rain
Move on up
To step on up
Walk on up
Live on up
Far away
Far away
Far away
So, walk away
So far
I walk away
So, so, walk away, up to the waterfront
Up to the waterfront
Up to the waterfront
So far
So far
I'm goin' to move on up to the waterfront
Step in, step out of the rain
I'm gonna walk on up to the waterfront
Said, one million years from today
I'm gonna step on up to the waterfront
Get in, get out of the rain
Come in, come out of the rain
So far, so good, so close, yet still so far
So far, so good, so close, yet still so
So far
So far
So far
The rain, I'm going to move on up to the waterfront
Step in, step out of the rain
I'm going to walk on up to the waterfront
Said, one million years from today
Step on up to the waterfront
Said, come in, come out of the rain
Said, come in, come out of the rain
Said, come in, come out of the rain
I'm goin' to move on up to the front
I'm gonna walk on up to the front
I'm gonna live on up by the front
I'm goin' to walk on up to the front
Come in, come out of the rain
Come in, come out of the rain
Said, come in, come out of the rain
Come in, come out of the rain
Move on up
To step on up
Walk on up
Live on up
Far away
Far away
Far away
So, walk away
So far
I walk away
So, so, walk away, up to the waterfront
Up to the waterfront
Up to the waterfront
So far
So far
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Excellent song! I'm not sure what inspired the lyrics...the weather? Anyway it just sounds good. At about this time the UK press was comparing them to U2 which I always thought was ridiculous. Simple Minds ALWAYS had their own sound.