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.
I am thinking it's a sign
That the freckles in our eyes
Are mirror images
And when we kiss they're perfectly aligned
And I have to speculate
That God Himself did make
Us into corresponding shapes
Like puzzle pieces from the clay
And true it may seem like a stretch
But it's thoughts like this that catch
My troubled head when you're away
And when I am missing you to death
And when you are out there on the road
For several weeks of shows
And when you scan the radio
I hope this song will guide you home
They will see us waving from such great heights
Come down now, they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away
Come down now but we'll stay
I tried my best to leave
This all on your machine
But the persistent beat
It sounded thin upon the sending
And that frankly will not fly
You'll hear the shrillest highs
And lowest lows with the windows down
And this is guiding you home
They will see us waving from such great heights
Come down now they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away
Come down now but we'll stay
They will see us waving from such great heights
Come down now they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away
Come down now but we'll stay
(They will see us waving from such great heights)
(Come down now)
They will see us waving from such great heights
(Come down now)
That the freckles in our eyes
Are mirror images
And when we kiss they're perfectly aligned
And I have to speculate
That God Himself did make
Us into corresponding shapes
Like puzzle pieces from the clay
And true it may seem like a stretch
But it's thoughts like this that catch
My troubled head when you're away
And when I am missing you to death
And when you are out there on the road
For several weeks of shows
And when you scan the radio
I hope this song will guide you home
They will see us waving from such great heights
Come down now, they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away
Come down now but we'll stay
I tried my best to leave
This all on your machine
But the persistent beat
It sounded thin upon the sending
And that frankly will not fly
You'll hear the shrillest highs
And lowest lows with the windows down
And this is guiding you home
They will see us waving from such great heights
Come down now they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away
Come down now but we'll stay
They will see us waving from such great heights
Come down now they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away
Come down now but we'll stay
(They will see us waving from such great heights)
(Come down now)
They will see us waving from such great heights
(Come down now)
Lyrics submitted by rjbucs28, edited by straightconcrete
Such Great Heights Lyrics as written by Jimmy Tamborello Ben Gibbard
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Does anyone know if Ben wrote this song for Zooey? Since he referred to a lover who's traveling on the road doing shows, I was thinking that he had her in mind.