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 don't know how to read notes
I don't know how to read notes
I don't know how to read notes
I don't know how to read notes
I don't know how to read notes
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I don't know how to
I don't know how to
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I don't know how to
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The Cars, Herbie Hancock, Bonnie Tyler
Stevie Nicks, Men At Work, ZZ Top
Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
Weird Al Yankovic, Cyndi Lauper
Pink Floyd, The Pretenders, Billy Joel
Billy Idol, Elton John, Neil Young
Sheena Easton, Patty Smith, Scandal
Fashion, Big Country, Morris Day & The Time
John Lennon, Apollonia 6, REO Speedwagon
David Gilmour, The Rolling Stones
Pat Benatar, Hall & Oates, Rebbie Jackson
Adam Ant, Bananarama
I don't know how to read notes
I don't know how to read notes
I don't know how to read notes
I don't know how to read notes
I don't know how to
I don't know how to
I don't know how to
I don't know how to
I don't know how to
I don't know how to
I don't know how to
I don't know how to
I don't know how to
I don't know how to
I don't know how to
I don't know how to
I don't know how to
I don't know how to read notes
The Cars, Herbie Hancock, Bonnie Tyler
Stevie Nicks, Men At Work, ZZ Top
Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
Weird Al Yankovic, Cyndi Lauper
Pink Floyd, The Pretenders, Billy Joel
Billy Idol, Elton John, Neil Young
Sheena Easton, Patty Smith, Scandal
Fashion, Big Country, Morris Day & The Time
John Lennon, Apollonia 6, REO Speedwagon
David Gilmour, The Rolling Stones
Pat Benatar, Hall & Oates, Rebbie Jackson
Adam Ant, Bananarama
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I don't know about "I don't know how to read notes", but the rest of it is a list of groups whose albums were being burned at a conservative christian protest circa the 1980's. Negativland sampled the same thing, and in fact this was probably just taken directly from their album.