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.
No the doctors didn't tell you that you were dying.
They just collected their money,
And send you on your way.
But you knew all along.
Went on pretending nothing was wrong.
You said I will keep my focus,
Till the end.
And in the journal you kept,
By the side of your bed.
You wrote nightly an aspiration,
Of developing as an author.
Confessing childhood secrets,
Of dressing up in woman's clothes.
Compulsions you never knew the reasons to.
Will everyone,
You ever meet or love,
Be just a relationship based,
On a false presumption.
Despite everyone,
You ever meet or ever love.
In the end,
Will you be all alone?
As the disease spreads slowly through your body,
Pumped by your heart to the tips of your arms and your legs.
Your greatest fear was that your mind wouldn't last.
The coherency and alertness would be the first things to fade.
As your hair thinned, as the weight fell off As your teeth blackened as the lesions spotted your skin,
As you fell to your knees in the center of the stage
As you often witnessed mortality in, exchange for the ticket price.
As the lights blended into the continuing noise.
As all hope was finally lost,
Adrenaline carried one last thought to fruition
Let this be the end.
Let this be the last song.
Let this be the end.
Let all be forgiven.
They just collected their money,
And send you on your way.
But you knew all along.
Went on pretending nothing was wrong.
You said I will keep my focus,
Till the end.
And in the journal you kept,
By the side of your bed.
You wrote nightly an aspiration,
Of developing as an author.
Confessing childhood secrets,
Of dressing up in woman's clothes.
Compulsions you never knew the reasons to.
Will everyone,
You ever meet or love,
Be just a relationship based,
On a false presumption.
Despite everyone,
You ever meet or ever love.
In the end,
Will you be all alone?
As the disease spreads slowly through your body,
Pumped by your heart to the tips of your arms and your legs.
Your greatest fear was that your mind wouldn't last.
The coherency and alertness would be the first things to fade.
As your hair thinned, as the weight fell off As your teeth blackened as the lesions spotted your skin,
As you fell to your knees in the center of the stage
As you often witnessed mortality in, exchange for the ticket price.
As the lights blended into the continuing noise.
As all hope was finally lost,
Adrenaline carried one last thought to fruition
Let this be the end.
Let this be the last song.
Let this be the end.
Let all be forgiven.
Lyrics submitted by LeaderoftheBandits
Searching for a Former Clarity Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
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Yeah, I dont think the deterioration and death are literal.