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.
Did you happen to catch or did it happen so fast
What you thought would always last has passed you by
Is everything speeding up
Or am I slowing down, I'm just spinning around
And I don't know why
All the pieces don't fit
Thought I didn't give a shit
I never wanted to be like you
But for all I aspire, I am really a liar
And I'm running out of things I can do
I'd like to stay but every day
Everything pushes me farther away
If you could show, help me to know
How it's supposed to be
Where did it go?
Pleading and needing
And bleeding and breeding
Feeding, exceeding
Where is everybody?
Trying and lying
Defying, denying
Crying and dying
Where is everybody?
Well okay, enough, you've had your fun
But come on there has to be someone
That hasn't yet become so numb and succumb
And god damn I am so tired of pretending
Of wishing I was ending
When all I'm really doing is trying to hide
And keep it inside and fill it with lies
Open my eyes, maybe I wish I could try
Pleading and needing
And bleeding and breeding
Feeding, exceeding
Where is everybody?
Trying and lying
Defying, denying
Crying and dying
Where is everybody?
Pleading and needing
And bleeding and breeding
Feeding, exceeding
Where is everybody?
Trying and lying
Defying, denying
Crying and dying
Where is everybody?
What you thought would always last has passed you by
Is everything speeding up
Or am I slowing down, I'm just spinning around
And I don't know why
All the pieces don't fit
Thought I didn't give a shit
I never wanted to be like you
But for all I aspire, I am really a liar
And I'm running out of things I can do
I'd like to stay but every day
Everything pushes me farther away
If you could show, help me to know
How it's supposed to be
Where did it go?
Pleading and needing
And bleeding and breeding
Feeding, exceeding
Where is everybody?
Trying and lying
Defying, denying
Crying and dying
Where is everybody?
Well okay, enough, you've had your fun
But come on there has to be someone
That hasn't yet become so numb and succumb
And god damn I am so tired of pretending
Of wishing I was ending
When all I'm really doing is trying to hide
And keep it inside and fill it with lies
Open my eyes, maybe I wish I could try
Pleading and needing
And bleeding and breeding
Feeding, exceeding
Where is everybody?
Trying and lying
Defying, denying
Crying and dying
Where is everybody?
Pleading and needing
And bleeding and breeding
Feeding, exceeding
Where is everybody?
Trying and lying
Defying, denying
Crying and dying
Where is everybody?
Lyrics submitted by thewhitepony33, edited by Trismagistus
Where Is Everybody? Lyrics as written by Trent Reznor
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
these are some of reznor's most revealing and self deprecating lyrics. in all his music, though there is a certain self loathing, never does reznor question his own purpose or integrity. this he does in where is everybody. reznor goes so far as to call himself a liar, probably the lowest insult an artist can get. it means his work is all a piece of crap, and his work is his life. in a way, then this could be the most depressing nails song ever written. but it isn't. it balances the self loathing with ego building hatred of everybody else. verses are balanced between the "you" and the "i," and the chous taunts everybody else. this is a truly great [and, as i get the impression, underrated] song, and is a hidden gem in the beauty of the fragile.