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.
Easy, ready, willing, overtime
Where does it stop
Where do you dare me
To draw the line
You've got the body
Now you want my soul
Don't even think about it
Say no go
I, I 'll do anything
That you want me to do
And I'll do almost anything
That you want me to, ooh
But I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
No, I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
I can't go for that
Can't go for that
Can't go for that
Can't go for that
I can go for being twice as nice
I can go for just repeating
The same old lines
Use the body
Now you want my soul
Ooh, forget about it
Now say no go
I, I'll do anything
That you want me to do
I'll do almost anything
That you want me to
But I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
I can't go for that
Can't go for that
Can't go for that
Can't go for that
Yeah, I, I'll do anything
That you want me to do
And I'll do almost anything
That you want me to
But I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
I can't go for that
Can't go for that
Can't go for that
I can't go for that
No I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
I can't go for that, no no, no can do
I can't go for that, (no no no no) no I can't go for that
I can't go for that (no can do)
No can't do
I can't go for that (no no no no can't do)
I can't go for that
I can't go for that, yeah (no can do)
No, no, no, no, no, no
Where does it stop
Where do you dare me
To draw the line
You've got the body
Now you want my soul
Don't even think about it
Say no go
I, I 'll do anything
That you want me to do
And I'll do almost anything
That you want me to, ooh
But I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
No, I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
I can't go for that
Can't go for that
Can't go for that
Can't go for that
I can go for being twice as nice
I can go for just repeating
The same old lines
Use the body
Now you want my soul
Ooh, forget about it
Now say no go
I, I'll do anything
That you want me to do
I'll do almost anything
That you want me to
But I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
I can't go for that
Can't go for that
Can't go for that
Can't go for that
Yeah, I, I'll do anything
That you want me to do
And I'll do almost anything
That you want me to
But I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
I can't go for that
Can't go for that
Can't go for that
I can't go for that
No I can't go for that, no (no) no can do
I can't go for that, no no, no can do
I can't go for that, (no no no no) no I can't go for that
I can't go for that (no can do)
No can't do
I can't go for that (no no no no can't do)
I can't go for that
I can't go for that, yeah (no can do)
No, no, no, no, no, no
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I found this on UltimateClassicRock.com, in an article where John Oates talks about the true meaning of songs. Now it all makes sense to me.
"Discussing the 1981 Hall & Oates hit ‘I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do),’ Oates told Philly.com that what might sound like a guy telling off his significant other is actually “about the music business.” Explained Oates, “That song is really about not being pushed around by big labels, managers, and agents and being told what to do, and being true to yourself creatively. Calling it “typical of a lot of the lyrics we’ve written over the years,” he added, “It seems like it’s about one thing, but it’s really not. What we have always tried to do, and if we have any kind of philosophy for our lyrics over the years, it was to try to take a universal subject and somehow make it seem personal so that people could relate to it as if it was a personal thing.”
Read More: John Oates Reveals the Real Meaning Behind Hall & Oates' Hits | ultimateclassicrock.com/hall-oates-song-meaning/"