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 was running late for work
So I didn't change my shirt
The evening's drinks left a lingering taste in my mouth
And when I left you were fast asleep
Tangled in the sheets
And on the bus I could've sworn it was all a dream
It didn't happen to me
And then I felt the scrapes
From the slippery subway grate
Oh, how you laughed at my complete lack of grace
But I could not recall
A more perfect fall
Because when I looked up into your eyes
It didn't hurt at all
And I thought, be still my heart
This could be a brand new start with you
And it will be clear if I wake up
And you're still here with me in the morning
And I thought, be still my heart
This could be a brand new start with you
And it will be clear if I wake up
And you're still here with me in the morning
So I didn't change my shirt
The evening's drinks left a lingering taste in my mouth
And when I left you were fast asleep
Tangled in the sheets
And on the bus I could've sworn it was all a dream
It didn't happen to me
And then I felt the scrapes
From the slippery subway grate
Oh, how you laughed at my complete lack of grace
But I could not recall
A more perfect fall
Because when I looked up into your eyes
It didn't hurt at all
And I thought, be still my heart
This could be a brand new start with you
And it will be clear if I wake up
And you're still here with me in the morning
And I thought, be still my heart
This could be a brand new start with you
And it will be clear if I wake up
And you're still here with me in the morning
Lyrics submitted by leftalonetothink
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I first remember paying attention to this song the day before valentines day and the day after my girl friend broke up with me. It sort of encapsulated every essence of being in bed with her that night wishing I could make her fall back in love with me. I pulled every stunt I could think of to try and change her mind including public humiliation to make her smile to try to rouse any fond feeling from her. By then we were both near tears and we fell silent until this song came on and that did us both in. Much like a dream it marked one of the last times we'd ever feel intimacy with eachother again.
So in modern times I'm taken back to that memory and it's like a nightmare because Bens music is like tracing love from it's downfall and decay back to it's origins and everything between but since I focus on the bad parts it's hard to relate to him feeling alright with it because those are the memories that hinder the moving on proccess. Love almost seems hopeless with him because when he's happy it's still got that slight melencholic nostalgia somewhere. He almost makes me want to never love again.
This might be my 100th post by the way. I hope it is because this is a great song to have it on