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.
[John spoken]
Hi, it's the Mountain Goats
It's the seventeenth of december
at nine thirty four in the morning
And this is called 'No, I Can't.'
You bought me some candy.
And you bought me some flowers.
And you bought me a sofa.
And you bought me a radio.
Thank you for the candy.
Thank you for the flowers.
Thank you for the sofa.
Thank you for the radio.
(Now I have everything I need.) x4
You brought me a puppy.
And you brought me a lamp.
And you brought me some books.
And you brought me a filing cabinet.
Thanks you for the puppy.
Thank you for the lamp.
Thanks for the books.
Thanks for the filing cabinet;
I don't know what I did without it.
(Now I have everything I need.) x4
You came by. And you came in.
And you let the wind in.
It must be cold outside.
We looked out, through the sliding glass door.
But I'd forgotten what we were looking for.
Thank you for coming by.
It's nice to see you once in a while.
Thank you for the coat I forgot to mention.
I've been freezing in here.
I've been freezing in here.
(Now I have everything I need.) x4
Yeah!
Hi, it's the Mountain Goats
It's the seventeenth of december
at nine thirty four in the morning
And this is called 'No, I Can't.'
You bought me some candy.
And you bought me some flowers.
And you bought me a sofa.
And you bought me a radio.
Thank you for the candy.
Thank you for the flowers.
Thank you for the sofa.
Thank you for the radio.
(Now I have everything I need.) x4
You brought me a puppy.
And you brought me a lamp.
And you brought me some books.
And you brought me a filing cabinet.
Thanks you for the puppy.
Thank you for the lamp.
Thanks for the books.
Thanks for the filing cabinet;
I don't know what I did without it.
(Now I have everything I need.) x4
You came by. And you came in.
And you let the wind in.
It must be cold outside.
We looked out, through the sliding glass door.
But I'd forgotten what we were looking for.
Thank you for coming by.
It's nice to see you once in a while.
Thank you for the coat I forgot to mention.
I've been freezing in here.
I've been freezing in here.
(Now I have everything I need.) x4
Yeah!
Lyrics submitted by sendthestars
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To me, this song always seems to be about those relationships where one person tries to buy the other person's affection by giving them all sorts of things. The receiver really appreciates everything he or she gets, but ultimately, that appreciation does not translate into affection for the giver.
The receiver continues to attempt to transmit the message by saying "Now I have everything I need," which means that he or she is satisfied and does not need "you", the giver.