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.
Funny how secrets travel
I'd start to believe
If I were to bleed
Thin skies, the man chains his hands held high
Cruise me blond
Cruise me babe
A blond belief beyond, beyond, beyond
No return, no return
I'm deranged
Deranged down, down, down
I'm deranged down, down, down
So cruise me babe, cruise me baby, oh
And the rain sets in
It's the angel-man
I'm deranged
Cruise me, cruise me, cruise me, babe
The clutch of life
And the fist of love
Over your head
Big deal Salaam
Be real deranged Salaam
Before we reel
I'm deranged
And the rain sets in
It's the angel-man
I'm deranged
And the rain sets in
It's the angel-man
I'm deranged
Cruise me, cruise me, cruise me, babe
I'm deranged
And the rain sets in
I'd start to believe
If I were to bleed
Thin skies, the man chains his hands held high
Cruise me blond
Cruise me babe
A blond belief beyond, beyond, beyond
No return, no return
I'm deranged
Deranged down, down, down
I'm deranged down, down, down
So cruise me babe, cruise me baby, oh
And the rain sets in
It's the angel-man
I'm deranged
Cruise me, cruise me, cruise me, babe
The clutch of life
And the fist of love
Over your head
Big deal Salaam
Be real deranged Salaam
Before we reel
I'm deranged
And the rain sets in
It's the angel-man
I'm deranged
And the rain sets in
It's the angel-man
I'm deranged
Cruise me, cruise me, cruise me, babe
I'm deranged
And the rain sets in
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I listened to a radio interview around the time of the release of OUTSIDE where he commented on this song being more or less about TALKING HEADS frontman David Byrne. Knowing that really opened the song out for me.