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.
There's a guy I'd like to thank
He signs the checks and leaves them blank
He's the one
He says you don't have to walk a plank
The game is rigged, go fig your
Slide show tanked, and your flagship sank
So we're taking all our myths to the bank
So just don't, don't forget to thank
We're taking our myths to the
Drinking a fifth to the
We're taking all our myths to the bank, oh no
If you could just do him this favor
Although it might involve child labor
Join his entourage, give him a foot massage
From Star Search to the Philharmonic
He'll get you there with Hooked on Phonics
He's the one to know, doesn't matter if you blow
No, no, no, no, fact it's just the thing
He thinks we're needing
It's a lukewarm liquid diet they're force feeding
When the words we use have lost their bite
Now they hit you like an imaginary pillow fight
Oh, but it's all right, yea, cause you're inside,
And you're in tight
Deals in commodities of the abstract sort
Buys them in bulk but then he sells it short
Talent, genius, love, even signs of affection
He floods the market, there's no price protection
And when his master plan is unfurled
There stands a handsome bid
On the weather systems, of the world
He signs the checks and leaves them blank
He's the one
He says you don't have to walk a plank
The game is rigged, go fig your
Slide show tanked, and your flagship sank
So we're taking all our myths to the bank
So just don't, don't forget to thank
We're taking our myths to the
Drinking a fifth to the
We're taking all our myths to the bank, oh no
If you could just do him this favor
Although it might involve child labor
Join his entourage, give him a foot massage
From Star Search to the Philharmonic
He'll get you there with Hooked on Phonics
He's the one to know, doesn't matter if you blow
No, no, no, no, fact it's just the thing
He thinks we're needing
It's a lukewarm liquid diet they're force feeding
When the words we use have lost their bite
Now they hit you like an imaginary pillow fight
Oh, but it's all right, yea, cause you're inside,
And you're in tight
Deals in commodities of the abstract sort
Buys them in bulk but then he sells it short
Talent, genius, love, even signs of affection
He floods the market, there's no price protection
And when his master plan is unfurled
There stands a handsome bid
On the weather systems, of the world
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Just a note @sovietbomb, since music is his vocation and is tremendously important to him, I don't know why it would be pretentious for him to comment on the music industry. He overtly refers to it in Plasticities, for instance (well, as overt as he gets, heh). I think The Confession is maybe an oblique reference to being treated pretty shabbily by big-label industry types. Lazy Projector hints at it too, perhaps. He does not strike me as a cynical person but when he addresses this topic - the dull sameness manufactured by and dilution of the power of music by commercial interests — he can be a bit cynical which is not surprising. Or maybe it isn't cynicism, just a weariness. And I agree that the “lukewarm liquid diet” being force fed could easily refer to fellatio — as in “hey, you're getting screwed by these jerks.”
However, I also think that many / most of his songs can be taken as addressing more than one thing at a time. This song was released 2004 / 2005 so it's not about the financial crisis of a few years ago, though it stil could refer to the fiat monetary system / IMF / The Fed...
However I hear something far, far more hopeful in this song, and it's so different than the (excellent) interpretations on here that I thought at first maybe I'm way off base. But I think Bird has a very strong spiritual bent and he may be talking about his own relationship with God, or the Muses, or whatever feeds / sustains his soul. A deep topic discussed in playful language — like most of his songs. He never hits you over the head with things.
By the way, I think the lyric is “When the words we use have lost their banter” rather than “lost their bite”. It's not really his style to bite. Tap you on the shoulder maybe, or give you a puzzle to get your attention, but he's pretty gentle about it, he's a writer, not a biter.
“The game is rigged / go fig your slideshow tanked and your flagship sank” - The first couple of verses sound like a father encouraging a son after initial failures or disappointments in pursuing a creative career. “Taking all our myths to the bank” refers to having resolute faith — walking the walk and keeping on going even though it's sometimes discouraging (“drinking a fifth to the [bank]”). “Though it might involve child labor” might refer to the concept that we're children of God. “Join his entourage” - don't lose hope, stay close to your Source. “You're inside, you're in tight” again I see this as encouraging, a pep talk of sorts. Illegitimi non carborundum. “It doesn't matter if you blow” - again, this is encouragement after some bad disappointments (clearly Bird doesn't “blow” but anyone can have doubts about themselves after a string of bad luck / unresponsive audiences / projects that didn't pan out). I just think when in doubt, he seems to nearly always have a playful tone. What's more playful than a “pillowfight”?
Or...maybe I'm just trying to ride the concept of a horse. Who knows?