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'm gettin'
I'm gettin'
I'm gettin'
I'm gettin' over
And pushing past all the bullshit
And getting right to the root
Of what the problem really is
The reasons for the misunderstandings
The emergency landings
On a plane headed for home
It's where the heart was living
Till it was without feeling
And started revealing itself to everyone else
By just packing up, moving out
Saying it could do without
A barely able, unstable, running off at the mouth
So I'm tearing this and everything else between
Me and what I wanna do, to pieces
I'm tearing you and everything else between
Me and you to memory
I'm stronger now even after everything that you did
Still alive and kicking
I'm better now, I'm awake
Now I can see, everything in front of me (now)
I'm stronger now even after everything that you did
Still alive and kicking
I'm better now, I'm awake
Now I can see, everything in front of me (now)
Now if you would've waited one second
You wouldn't feel so second
The second I put you first
It made the situation worse
'cause you wanna take advantage and control of the things
That I manage to keep under control
Like, my happiness, my family, and all of my music
You had it all
You chose to abuse it
So I'm tearing this and everything else between
Me and what I wanna do, to pieces
I'm tearing you and everything else between
Me and you to memory
I'm stronger now even after everything that you did
Still alive and kicking
I'm better now, I'm awake
Now I can see, everything in front of me (now)
I'm stronger now even after everything that you did
Still alive and kicking
I'm better now, I'm awake
Now I can see, everything in front of me (now)
What's wrong with me?
You want to know what's wrong with me?
I could ask you the exact same thing
What's wrong with me?
You want to know what's wrong with me?
I could ask you the exact same thing
I have my opinion and you have yours
You don't have to like mine, 'cause I don't like yours
I have my opinion and you have yours
You don't have to like mine, 'cause I don't like yours
What's wrong with you?
I want to know what's wrong with you
And why this doesn't make sense to you
What's wrong with you?
I want to know what's wrong with you
And why this doesn't make sense to you
I'm stronger now even after everything that you did
Still alive and kicking
I'm better now, I'm awake
Now I can see, everything in front of me (now)
I'm stronger now even after everything that you did
Still alive and kick (Woooah)
I'm better now, I'm awake
Now I can see, everything in front of me (now)
Now I see everything
In front of me (now)
Now I see everything
In front of me (now)
I'm gettin'
I'm gettin'
I'm gettin' over
And pushing past all the bullshit
And getting right to the root
Of what the problem really is
The reasons for the misunderstandings
The emergency landings
On a plane headed for home
It's where the heart was living
Till it was without feeling
And started revealing itself to everyone else
By just packing up, moving out
Saying it could do without
A barely able, unstable, running off at the mouth
So I'm tearing this and everything else between
Me and what I wanna do, to pieces
I'm tearing you and everything else between
Me and you to memory
I'm stronger now even after everything that you did
Still alive and kicking
I'm better now, I'm awake
Now I can see, everything in front of me (now)
I'm stronger now even after everything that you did
Still alive and kicking
I'm better now, I'm awake
Now I can see, everything in front of me (now)
Now if you would've waited one second
You wouldn't feel so second
The second I put you first
It made the situation worse
'cause you wanna take advantage and control of the things
That I manage to keep under control
Like, my happiness, my family, and all of my music
You had it all
You chose to abuse it
So I'm tearing this and everything else between
Me and what I wanna do, to pieces
I'm tearing you and everything else between
Me and you to memory
I'm stronger now even after everything that you did
Still alive and kicking
I'm better now, I'm awake
Now I can see, everything in front of me (now)
I'm stronger now even after everything that you did
Still alive and kicking
I'm better now, I'm awake
Now I can see, everything in front of me (now)
What's wrong with me?
You want to know what's wrong with me?
I could ask you the exact same thing
What's wrong with me?
You want to know what's wrong with me?
I could ask you the exact same thing
I have my opinion and you have yours
You don't have to like mine, 'cause I don't like yours
I have my opinion and you have yours
You don't have to like mine, 'cause I don't like yours
What's wrong with you?
I want to know what's wrong with you
And why this doesn't make sense to you
What's wrong with you?
I want to know what's wrong with you
And why this doesn't make sense to you
I'm stronger now even after everything that you did
Still alive and kicking
I'm better now, I'm awake
Now I can see, everything in front of me (now)
I'm stronger now even after everything that you did
Still alive and kick (Woooah)
I'm better now, I'm awake
Now I can see, everything in front of me (now)
Now I see everything
In front of me (now)
Now I see everything
In front of me (now)
Lyrics submitted by TryNotToCry
Alive and Kicking Lyrics as written by James Kerr Charles Burchill
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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As for the songs meaning vocalist Elias Soriano (of Dominican & Puerto Rican descent) speaks here of a society wrought with a lack of acceptance of others, no matter their class, race or creed. How as a whole he has just decided he's just over it and gonna push through the nonsense, and by doing so has never felt more awake.