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 see the shapes
I remember from maps
I see the shoreline
I see the whitecaps
A baseball diamond
Nice weather down there
I see the school
And the houses where the kids are
Places to park
By the fac'tries and buildings
Restaurants and bars
For later in the evening
Then we come to the farmlands
And the undeveloped areas
And I have learned
How these things work together
I see the parkway
That passes through them all
And I have learned
How to look at these things and I say
I wouldn't live there if you paid me
I wouldn't live like that, no siree
I wouldn't do the things the way those people do
I wouldn't live there if you paid me to
I guess it's healthy
I guess the air is clean
I guess those people
Have fun with their neighbors and friends
Look at that kitchen
And all of that food
Look at them eat it
I guess it tastes real good
They grow it in those farmlands
Then they bring it to the store
They put it in the car trunk
Then they bring it back home and I say
I wouldn't live there if you paid me
I wouldn't live like that, no siree
I wouldn't do the things the way those people do
I wouldn't live there if you paid me to
I'm tired of looking
Out the window of the airplane
I'm tired of traveling
I want to be somewhere
It's not even worth talking
About those people down there
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, goo, goo
Ga, ga, ga, ga
I remember from maps
I see the shoreline
I see the whitecaps
A baseball diamond
Nice weather down there
I see the school
And the houses where the kids are
Places to park
By the fac'tries and buildings
Restaurants and bars
For later in the evening
Then we come to the farmlands
And the undeveloped areas
And I have learned
How these things work together
I see the parkway
That passes through them all
And I have learned
How to look at these things and I say
I wouldn't live there if you paid me
I wouldn't live like that, no siree
I wouldn't do the things the way those people do
I wouldn't live there if you paid me to
I guess it's healthy
I guess the air is clean
I guess those people
Have fun with their neighbors and friends
Look at that kitchen
And all of that food
Look at them eat it
I guess it tastes real good
They grow it in those farmlands
Then they bring it to the store
They put it in the car trunk
Then they bring it back home and I say
I wouldn't live there if you paid me
I wouldn't live like that, no siree
I wouldn't do the things the way those people do
I wouldn't live there if you paid me to
I'm tired of looking
Out the window of the airplane
I'm tired of traveling
I want to be somewhere
It's not even worth talking
About those people down there
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, ga, ga, ga
Goo, goo, goo, goo
Ga, ga, ga, ga
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David Byrne often claims to be writing in character, so whether this song reflects his attitude or not is unknown.
He seems to be directly describing the Attitude New Yorker and Los Angeles 'elite' types have about the rest of the USA when they refer to the "flyover" region.
I think this is one the most melodic Talking Heads songs, bolstered by that slide guitar.
Arguably the finest "song" ever crafted; it is devoid of cant. I agree to some degree with the comment on New Yorkers and Los Angeleans. I read what Mr. Byrne had to say about this song years ago but his response sounded more like a "if you don't know, I'm not going to explain it" blowoff. For 35 years, I have found this tour de force to be an inscrutable work because it struck me as a work painstakingly written on what writers call the god plane. Persons who at one time or another have acted out a soul-searching full-circle human drama at the mercy of the wind would call this bottom-line straight thinking.
One of the best TH songs (but they are ALL good!) <br /> <br /> [so whether this song reflects his attitude or not is unknown.]<br /> <br /> I just had the "flyover country" revelation while listening to this song again after almost 20 years and I see you beat me to that interpretation. I thought I had an original thought for once, ha ha ha ....<br /> Nonetheless, I agree with you totally. Whether consciously written to give a message or not (and knowing D. Byrne it is probably an absurdist message or that of an adopted persona) , the lyrics perfectly capture the bi-coastal, urban elitist view of non-cosmopolitan traditional America. <br /> <br /> And therefore, the song is about attitude AND altitude.<br /> <br /> I was disappointed to read David B's write-up of his participation in the Women's march on DC recently. His politics suck, but I still love the Talking Heads music and quirky lyrics. .<br /> <br />