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.
the sun came up above the strange white plain.
blood red flowers all wet with rain
and the spirit wasn't really willing anymore, but the flesh was very very strong.
and i've got very little money left, and i've got no sense,
but I'll have none of your god damned impudence.
the sun came up above the new white fields,
everything was new again.
pure power, stripped of meaning, sky burning, spring cleaning.
daisies on the hillside like cancer on the skin.
pretty little yellow eyes that flutter in the wind,
I'd be grateful my children aren't here here to see this,
if you'd ever seen fit to give me children.
and my defenses may be working with a skeleton crew,
but I'll be skinned alive before I'll take this from you.
the sun came up above the ocean out west,
all the colors of the rainbow.
stand up straight, you can see the house leaning.
day breaking, spring cleaning.
blood red flowers all wet with rain
and the spirit wasn't really willing anymore, but the flesh was very very strong.
and i've got very little money left, and i've got no sense,
but I'll have none of your god damned impudence.
the sun came up above the new white fields,
everything was new again.
pure power, stripped of meaning, sky burning, spring cleaning.
daisies on the hillside like cancer on the skin.
pretty little yellow eyes that flutter in the wind,
I'd be grateful my children aren't here here to see this,
if you'd ever seen fit to give me children.
and my defenses may be working with a skeleton crew,
but I'll be skinned alive before I'll take this from you.
the sun came up above the ocean out west,
all the colors of the rainbow.
stand up straight, you can see the house leaning.
day breaking, spring cleaning.
Lyrics submitted by IAmACliche
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Favorite line from this song has to be 'if you stand up straight, you can see the house leaning." To me, it sounds like this couple is trying to make a beautiful thing out of something obviously crumbling and bleak. They both know their relationship is too far gone to save, if they remove their rose-colored glasses and stand up straight.