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.
It's close to midnight
Something evil's lurking in the dark
Under the moonlight
You see a sight that almost stops your heart
You try to scream
But terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze
As horror looks you right between your eyes
You're paralyzed
'Cause this is thriller
Thriller night
And no one's gonna save you
From the beast about to strike
You know it's thriller
Thriller night
You're fighting for your life
Inside a killer
Thriller tonight
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
You hear the door slam
And realize there's nowhere left to run
You feel the cold hand
And wonder if you'll ever see the sun
You close your eyes
And hope that this is just imagination
Girl, but all the while
You hear a creature creeping up behind
You're out of time
'Cause this is thriller
Thriller night
And no one's gonna save you
From the beast about to strike
You know it's thriller
Thriller night
You're fighting for your life
Inside a killer
Thriller tonight
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
Killer, thriller
Darkness falls across the land
The midnight hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood
To terrorize y'all's neighborhood
And whosoever shall be found
Without the soul for getting down
Must stand and face the hounds of hell
And rot inside a corpse's shell
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
I'm gonna thrill you tonight, ooh baby
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
'Cause this is thriller
'Cause this is thriller
'Cause this is thriller
'Cause this is thriller
Killer, thriller
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
'Cause this is thriller
Something evil's lurking in the dark
Under the moonlight
You see a sight that almost stops your heart
You try to scream
But terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze
As horror looks you right between your eyes
You're paralyzed
'Cause this is thriller
Thriller night
And no one's gonna save you
From the beast about to strike
You know it's thriller
Thriller night
You're fighting for your life
Inside a killer
Thriller tonight
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
You hear the door slam
And realize there's nowhere left to run
You feel the cold hand
And wonder if you'll ever see the sun
You close your eyes
And hope that this is just imagination
Girl, but all the while
You hear a creature creeping up behind
You're out of time
'Cause this is thriller
Thriller night
And no one's gonna save you
From the beast about to strike
You know it's thriller
Thriller night
You're fighting for your life
Inside a killer
Thriller tonight
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
Killer, thriller
Darkness falls across the land
The midnight hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood
To terrorize y'all's neighborhood
And whosoever shall be found
Without the soul for getting down
Must stand and face the hounds of hell
And rot inside a corpse's shell
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
I'm gonna thrill you tonight, ooh baby
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
'Cause this is thriller
'Cause this is thriller
'Cause this is thriller
'Cause this is thriller
Killer, thriller
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
'Cause this is thriller
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The song is about the fear and anxiety that people experience in their everyday lives. It’s about how we are all haunted by our fears and the things that scare us. The song is also an allegory for the music industry. Jackson was no stranger to the pressures and anxieties that come with being a successful musician. The lyrics of the song can be interpreted as a warning to other musicians to be wary of the traps and temptations that come with fame and fortune. According to Jackson, the inspiration for the song came from his love of horror movies. He wanted to create a song that was an homage to classic horror films like Night of the Living Dead and The Exorcist. He hired John Landis, the director of American Werewolf in London, to direct the music video, which became an instant classic.