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.
She waited by the moon
She was sick with fear and cold
She felt too old for all of this
Of course she never showed
She lugged her suitcase to the bus
Melted home through the snow
North along riverside
She slips beneath the sheets
A husbands quiet devoted wife
But strangers sad and nervous
By the dawns early light
Loves lies like a dead cloud
On a shabby, yellow lawn
Up on riverside
She'll drive the big car
He'll sit behind
She'll keep an eye on Jessica
South along the Hudson
She'll turn the radio high
Find a station playing sad, sad soul
Just a little bit louder now
South along the Hudson yea
Just a little bit faster now
Just a little bit louder now
Just a little bit angry now
South along the Hudson, yea
And she'll drive the big car
And talk herself insane
Just a little bit louder now
Just a little bit angry now
Way back when Millennium
Meant racing to the light
He promised her a dream-life
He'd take her back to street-life
Away from violent water
With its Cormorants and leaves
Up on riverside
She'll drive the big car
But he'll sit behind
Bursting her bubbles of Ludlow and Grand
South along the Hudson
She'll turn the radio way up high
Find a station playing sad, sad soul
Just a little bit louder now
South along the Hudson
Just a little bit faster now
Just a little bit louder now
Just a little bit angry now
South along the Hudson, yea
Just a little bit faster now
Just a little bit louder now
Just a little bit angry now
South along the Hudson, yea
She'll drive the big car
He'll sit behind
She'll keep an eye on Jessica
Just a little bit faster now
Just a little bit faster now
She was sick with fear and cold
She felt too old for all of this
Of course she never showed
She lugged her suitcase to the bus
Melted home through the snow
North along riverside
She slips beneath the sheets
A husbands quiet devoted wife
But strangers sad and nervous
By the dawns early light
Loves lies like a dead cloud
On a shabby, yellow lawn
Up on riverside
She'll drive the big car
He'll sit behind
She'll keep an eye on Jessica
South along the Hudson
She'll turn the radio high
Find a station playing sad, sad soul
Just a little bit louder now
South along the Hudson yea
Just a little bit faster now
Just a little bit louder now
Just a little bit angry now
South along the Hudson, yea
And she'll drive the big car
And talk herself insane
Just a little bit louder now
Just a little bit angry now
Way back when Millennium
Meant racing to the light
He promised her a dream-life
He'd take her back to street-life
Away from violent water
With its Cormorants and leaves
Up on riverside
She'll drive the big car
But he'll sit behind
Bursting her bubbles of Ludlow and Grand
South along the Hudson
She'll turn the radio way up high
Find a station playing sad, sad soul
Just a little bit louder now
South along the Hudson
Just a little bit faster now
Just a little bit louder now
Just a little bit angry now
South along the Hudson, yea
Just a little bit faster now
Just a little bit louder now
Just a little bit angry now
South along the Hudson, yea
She'll drive the big car
He'll sit behind
She'll keep an eye on Jessica
Just a little bit faster now
Just a little bit faster now
Lyrics submitted by saturnine, edited by kerrylee69
She'll Drive the Big Car Lyrics as written by David Bowie
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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GASP so she DID drive into the river! My gut instinct was in tune with Bowie's, oh yay!
That's what I thought too