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.
Da da, da da, ah, ho-oo-oh-oo
Fearless people careless needle
Harsh words spoken and lives are broken
Forceful aging help me I'm fading
Heaven's waiting it's time to move on
Crossing that bridge with lessons I've learned
Playing with fire and not getting burned
I may not know what you're going through
But time is the space between me and you
Life carries on, ooh
It goes on
Just say die and that would be pessimistic
In your mind we can walk across the water
Please don't cry it's just a prayer for the dying
I just don't know what's got into me
Been crossing that bridge with lessons I've learned (learned)
Playing with fire and not getting burned (burned)
I may not know what you're going through
But time is the space between me and you
There is a light through that window
Hold on say yes while people say no
Life carries on, on, on, on, ooh
It goes on, oh-ee-oh, whoa-ee-oh, ho, oh
I'm crossing that bridge with lessons (I've learned)
I'm playing with fire and not getting burned (burned)
I may not know what you're going through
But time is the space between me and you
There is a light through that window
Hold on say yes while people say no
'Cause life carries on oh-ee-oh, whoa-ee-oh ho on
It goes on, oh-ee-on, it goes on
Whoah, whoah, life carries on
When nothing else matters
When nothing else matters
I just don't know what's got into me
It's just a prayer for the dying
For the dying
Fearless people careless needle
Harsh words spoken and lives are broken
Forceful aging help me I'm fading
Heaven's waiting it's time to move on
Crossing that bridge with lessons I've learned
Playing with fire and not getting burned
I may not know what you're going through
But time is the space between me and you
Life carries on, ooh
It goes on
Just say die and that would be pessimistic
In your mind we can walk across the water
Please don't cry it's just a prayer for the dying
I just don't know what's got into me
Been crossing that bridge with lessons I've learned (learned)
Playing with fire and not getting burned (burned)
I may not know what you're going through
But time is the space between me and you
There is a light through that window
Hold on say yes while people say no
Life carries on, on, on, on, ooh
It goes on, oh-ee-oh, whoa-ee-oh, ho, oh
I'm crossing that bridge with lessons (I've learned)
I'm playing with fire and not getting burned (burned)
I may not know what you're going through
But time is the space between me and you
There is a light through that window
Hold on say yes while people say no
'Cause life carries on oh-ee-oh, whoa-ee-oh ho on
It goes on, oh-ee-on, it goes on
Whoah, whoah, life carries on
When nothing else matters
When nothing else matters
I just don't know what's got into me
It's just a prayer for the dying
For the dying
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Seal wrote this song for a friend who was dying of AIDS.