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.
From morning to night I stayed out of sight
Didn't recognize I'd become
No more than alive, I'd barely survive
In a word, overrun
Won't hear a sound (he's curled into the corner)
From my mouth (but still the screen is flickering)
I've spent too long (with an endless stream of garbage to)
On the inside out (curse the place)
My skin is cold (in a sea of random images)
To the human touch (the self-destructing animal)
This bleeding heart's (waiting for the waves to break)
Not beating much
I murmured a vow of silence and now
I don't even hear when I think aloud
Extinguished by light, I turn on the night
Wear its darkness with an empty smile
I'm creeping back to life
My nervous system all awry
I'm wearing the inside out
Look at him now
He's paler somehow
But he's coming around
He's starting to choke
It's been so long since he spoke
Well, he can have the words right from my mouth
And with these words I can see
Clear through the clouds that covered me
Just give it time then speak my name
Now we can hear ourselves again
I'm holding out (he's standing on the threshold)
For the day (caught in fiery anger)
When all the clouds (and hurled into the furnace)
Have blown away (he'll curse the place)
I'm with you now (he's torn in all directions)
Can speak your name (and still the screen is flickering)
Now we can hear (waiting for the flames to break)
Ourselves again
Didn't recognize I'd become
No more than alive, I'd barely survive
In a word, overrun
Won't hear a sound (he's curled into the corner)
From my mouth (but still the screen is flickering)
I've spent too long (with an endless stream of garbage to)
On the inside out (curse the place)
My skin is cold (in a sea of random images)
To the human touch (the self-destructing animal)
This bleeding heart's (waiting for the waves to break)
Not beating much
I murmured a vow of silence and now
I don't even hear when I think aloud
Extinguished by light, I turn on the night
Wear its darkness with an empty smile
I'm creeping back to life
My nervous system all awry
I'm wearing the inside out
Look at him now
He's paler somehow
But he's coming around
He's starting to choke
It's been so long since he spoke
Well, he can have the words right from my mouth
And with these words I can see
Clear through the clouds that covered me
Just give it time then speak my name
Now we can hear ourselves again
I'm holding out (he's standing on the threshold)
For the day (caught in fiery anger)
When all the clouds (and hurled into the furnace)
Have blown away (he'll curse the place)
I'm with you now (he's torn in all directions)
Can speak your name (and still the screen is flickering)
Now we can hear (waiting for the flames to break)
Ourselves again
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae, edited by Mellow_Harsher, HighHopesInsideOut, Daed
Wearing the Inside Out Lyrics as written by Anthony Jon Moore Richard Wright
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think this song is about depression maybe from wearing a mask to protect who you really are, being afraid of disapproval.
If you look I think wearing the inside out means you're hiding your true self (outside) inward and you're projecting what you create as a shield on the inside, outward.
It sounds like this happened to him without him even realizing it. I think he says he can't hear when he thinks aloud because his thoughts and words don't belong to him. They're what he thinks everyone wants to hear.
Maybe he's talking but it's been so long since "he" has truly said anything.
That's just coming from someone who can relate to serious depression brought about by doing exactly that. And when I started to just let myself show through and decided fck everyone and their fake selves, I slowly came back to life.