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.
Walking down a sunny street to the library
Checking out the latest books on outer space
Going to the fruit stand to buy a dozen oranges
Then she and the books and the oranges go back to her place
She tells the same old story to everyone that she knows
She's just sitting in her room reading books about UFOs
Sometimes I see her sitting on the rooftop
Perched in a lawnchair and staring into the sky
I know that somewhere in some faraway galaxy
That some gray men with telescopes are gazing right into her eyes
Her live revolves around all of the planets
And she is constantly aware of all the changes that occur
I'm going to turn into a lens and focus all my attention
On finding a new planet and naming it right after her
Checking out the latest books on outer space
Going to the fruit stand to buy a dozen oranges
Then she and the books and the oranges go back to her place
She tells the same old story to everyone that she knows
She's just sitting in her room reading books about UFOs
Sometimes I see her sitting on the rooftop
Perched in a lawnchair and staring into the sky
I know that somewhere in some faraway galaxy
That some gray men with telescopes are gazing right into her eyes
Her live revolves around all of the planets
And she is constantly aware of all the changes that occur
I'm going to turn into a lens and focus all my attention
On finding a new planet and naming it right after her
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When they were recording this record, didn't Bob give Grant a choice between keeping the honkey tonk piano on this song and slide guitar on "Heaven Hill"? I wonder if there is a demo somewhere of thaf version. What tapes and other unfinished creativs works did Grant leave behind?