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.
Well I lost an eye in Mexico
I lost two teeth, where I don't know
People see me coming and they move to the other side of the road
I robbed a liquor store or two
I made myself at home a few times
Borrow myself a car when I need it
I got me a shack at the bottom of the road
Fixing cars and giving tows
I spend all my money
On the lottery
When I win the lottery
Gonna buy all the girls on my block
Color TV and a bottle of French perfume
When I win the lottery
Gonna donate half my money to the city
So they have to name a street or a school or a park after me
When I win the lottery
Never ran a flag
Up a pole
Like Mr. Red White and Blue down the road
But I never call myself a hero for killing a known communist
Now I could walk into any old bar
And find a fight without looking too hard
But I never killed someone I don't know
Just cause someone told me to.
And when I win the lottery
Gonna buy the house next to Mr.
Red, White and Blue
And when I win the lottery
Gonna buy post 306
American legion, paint it red with five gold stars
When I win the lottery
When the end comes to this old world
The righteous will cry and the rest will curl up
God won't take the time
To sort your ashes from mine
Cause we zig and zag between good and bad
Stumble and fall on right and wrong
Cause the tumbling dice with the luck of the draw
Just leads us on
And when I win the lottery
Gonna buy all the girls on my block
Silver plated
Six shooters with a quart of the finest highland scotch
Cause when I win the lottery
The righteous will shake their heads and say
That God is good, but surely works in mysterious ways
When I win the lottery.
I lost two teeth, where I don't know
People see me coming and they move to the other side of the road
I robbed a liquor store or two
I made myself at home a few times
Borrow myself a car when I need it
I got me a shack at the bottom of the road
Fixing cars and giving tows
I spend all my money
On the lottery
When I win the lottery
Gonna buy all the girls on my block
Color TV and a bottle of French perfume
When I win the lottery
Gonna donate half my money to the city
So they have to name a street or a school or a park after me
When I win the lottery
Never ran a flag
Up a pole
Like Mr. Red White and Blue down the road
But I never call myself a hero for killing a known communist
Now I could walk into any old bar
And find a fight without looking too hard
But I never killed someone I don't know
Just cause someone told me to.
And when I win the lottery
Gonna buy the house next to Mr.
Red, White and Blue
And when I win the lottery
Gonna buy post 306
American legion, paint it red with five gold stars
When I win the lottery
When the end comes to this old world
The righteous will cry and the rest will curl up
God won't take the time
To sort your ashes from mine
Cause we zig and zag between good and bad
Stumble and fall on right and wrong
Cause the tumbling dice with the luck of the draw
Just leads us on
And when I win the lottery
Gonna buy all the girls on my block
Silver plated
Six shooters with a quart of the finest highland scotch
Cause when I win the lottery
The righteous will shake their heads and say
That God is good, but surely works in mysterious ways
When I win the lottery.
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