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.
Hot sun beating down
Burning my feet just walking around
Hot sun makin' me sweat
Gators getting close, hasn't got me yet
I can't dance
I can't talk
Only thing about me is the way I walk
I can't dance
I can't sing
I'm just standing here selling everything
Blue jeans sittin' on the beach
Her dog's talking to me, but she's out of reach
Mhm, she's got a body under that shirt
But all she wants to do is rub my face in the dirt
'Cause I can't dance
I can't talk
Only thing about me is the way I walk
I can't dance
I can't sing
I'm just standing here sellin'
Oh, and checking everything is in place
You never know who's lookin' on
Young punk spillin' beer on my shoes
Fat guy's talkin' to me, tryin' to steal my blues
Thick smoke, see her smiling through
I never thought so much could happen just shootin' pool
But I can't dance
I can't talk
The only thing about me is the way that I walk
I can't dance
I can't sing
I'm just standing here sellin'
Oh, and checking everything is in place
You never know who's looking on
A perfect body with a perfect face
Mhm
No, I can't dance
I can't talk
The only thing about me is the way I walk
No, I can't dance
I can't sing
I'm just standing here sellin' everything
No, I can't walk
No, I can't dance
No, no, no, I can't dance
No, I said, I can't sing
Burning my feet just walking around
Hot sun makin' me sweat
Gators getting close, hasn't got me yet
I can't dance
I can't talk
Only thing about me is the way I walk
I can't dance
I can't sing
I'm just standing here selling everything
Blue jeans sittin' on the beach
Her dog's talking to me, but she's out of reach
Mhm, she's got a body under that shirt
But all she wants to do is rub my face in the dirt
'Cause I can't dance
I can't talk
Only thing about me is the way I walk
I can't dance
I can't sing
I'm just standing here sellin'
Oh, and checking everything is in place
You never know who's lookin' on
Young punk spillin' beer on my shoes
Fat guy's talkin' to me, tryin' to steal my blues
Thick smoke, see her smiling through
I never thought so much could happen just shootin' pool
But I can't dance
I can't talk
The only thing about me is the way that I walk
I can't dance
I can't sing
I'm just standing here sellin'
Oh, and checking everything is in place
You never know who's looking on
A perfect body with a perfect face
Mhm
No, I can't dance
I can't talk
The only thing about me is the way I walk
No, I can't dance
I can't sing
I'm just standing here sellin' everything
No, I can't walk
No, I can't dance
No, no, no, I can't dance
No, I said, I can't sing
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
I Can't Dance Lyrics as written by Michael Rutherford Anthony Banks
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song is the stupidist song ever made it has no talent at all Genesis should have split when Peter Gabriel left they sucked after that