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.
The wheelbarrow's fallen
Look at my hands
They've found some surplus cheaper hands
Rubbing palms and pick and choose
Who will they choose?
Here is the news
Look at that building
Look at this man
Haloed and whitewashed
Gone to find a cheaper hand
He'll offer a pound
Offer a pound
Green grow the rushes go
Green grow the rushes go
Green grow the rushes go
The compass points the workers home
Pay for your freedom
Or find another gate
Guilt by associate
The rushes wilted a long time ago
Guilty as you go
Stay off that highway
Word is, it's not so safe
The grasses that hide the greenback
The amber waves of gain again
The amber waves of grain
Green grow the rushes go
Green grow the rushes go
Green grow the rushes go
The compass points the workers home
La-la-la la la lye
La-la-la la la lye (green grow the rushes go)
La-la-la la la lye (green grow the rushes go)
La-la-la la la lye (green grow the rushes go)
La-la-la la la lye (green grow the rushes go)
La-la-la la la lye (green grow the rushes go)
La-la-la la la lye (green grow the rushes go)
Look at my hands
They've found some surplus cheaper hands
Rubbing palms and pick and choose
Who will they choose?
Here is the news
Look at that building
Look at this man
Haloed and whitewashed
Gone to find a cheaper hand
He'll offer a pound
Offer a pound
Green grow the rushes go
Green grow the rushes go
Green grow the rushes go
The compass points the workers home
Pay for your freedom
Or find another gate
Guilt by associate
The rushes wilted a long time ago
Guilty as you go
Stay off that highway
Word is, it's not so safe
The grasses that hide the greenback
The amber waves of gain again
The amber waves of grain
Green grow the rushes go
Green grow the rushes go
Green grow the rushes go
The compass points the workers home
La-la-la la la lye
La-la-la la la lye (green grow the rushes go)
La-la-la la la lye (green grow the rushes go)
La-la-la la la lye (green grow the rushes go)
La-la-la la la lye (green grow the rushes go)
La-la-la la la lye (green grow the rushes go)
La-la-la la la lye (green grow the rushes go)
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i like the way this song lyric deals with the complete tariff charge on plantains from Central/Southern America. Most of the people in the USA couldn't care about such overwrought sentiments albeit the 'college' crowd seemed to. Of all REMs pointed and obscure political songs this one seems most substantiative of the times.
As Stipe said at the time in an interview about the lyrical meaning of this song: