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 thought that you were joking,
When you said "I want to see you,
To discuss your contribution,
To the future of our nations heart and soul",
"Six o'clock my place Whitehall",
But I arrived just after seven,
But you said "it doesn't matter,
"I under stand your situation and your image I'm flattered,
I'd just like to tell you,
That I love all of your albums,
Could you sign this for my daughter?,
She's in hospital her name is Miriam,
Now ill get down to the gist:,
Do you want a line of this?,
Are you a socialist?,
I'm doing fine,
Buzzing all the time,
Just one hit,
And I feel great,
And I support,
The welfare state,
You must be a socialist because your always of out on the piss,
In your private members bar,
Yes you are, you superstar,
Well you sing about common people,
And the misshapes and the misfits,
So can you bring them to my party,
Can you get them all to to sniff this?,
All I'm really saying is,
Come on and rock the vote for me,
All I need is come on, roll up that note for me,
The gist of all this is,
Do you want hist or do you want misses?,
Are you a socialist,
Socialist, socialist,
You can be just what you want to be,
Just as long as you don't try and compete with me,
And we've waited such a long time for a chance to help our own kind,
Please come on and tow the party line,
You owe it to yourself,
Don't think of anyone else,
We promise we won't tell,
We won't tell,
We won't, tell.
When you said "I want to see you,
To discuss your contribution,
To the future of our nations heart and soul",
"Six o'clock my place Whitehall",
But I arrived just after seven,
But you said "it doesn't matter,
"I under stand your situation and your image I'm flattered,
I'd just like to tell you,
That I love all of your albums,
Could you sign this for my daughter?,
She's in hospital her name is Miriam,
Now ill get down to the gist:,
Do you want a line of this?,
Are you a socialist?,
I'm doing fine,
Buzzing all the time,
Just one hit,
And I feel great,
And I support,
The welfare state,
You must be a socialist because your always of out on the piss,
In your private members bar,
Yes you are, you superstar,
Well you sing about common people,
And the misshapes and the misfits,
So can you bring them to my party,
Can you get them all to to sniff this?,
All I'm really saying is,
Come on and rock the vote for me,
All I need is come on, roll up that note for me,
The gist of all this is,
Do you want hist or do you want misses?,
Are you a socialist,
Socialist, socialist,
You can be just what you want to be,
Just as long as you don't try and compete with me,
And we've waited such a long time for a chance to help our own kind,
Please come on and tow the party line,
You owe it to yourself,
Don't think of anyone else,
We promise we won't tell,
We won't tell,
We won't, tell.
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hastalavictoria, Jarvis wrote the lyrics to 'Cocaine Socialism' first, but decided he didn't want it do discourage people from voting Labour. So he re-wrote it as Glory Days, because the tune was too good to waste.♥