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.
when death came calling today,
i heard the gentle grace of his cadences.
i couldn't say no.
i couldn't say no.
when he showed me his new silk scarves
laid out on a shiny black plastic tray,
couldn't say, couldn't say, couldn't say, couldn't say, couldn't say no.
i couldn't say no.
and i'm sorry i couldn't.
do you know how badly i wanted to?
didn't want, didn't want, didn't want, didn't want, didn't want to lose you,
but his smile was dazzling mmmm,
and his eyes were sparkling like moonlight on the water at midnight.
couldn't say, couldn't say, couldn't say, couldn't say, couldn't say, couldn't say no.
i couldn't say no.
i heard the gentle grace of his cadences.
i couldn't say no.
i couldn't say no.
when he showed me his new silk scarves
laid out on a shiny black plastic tray,
couldn't say, couldn't say, couldn't say, couldn't say, couldn't say no.
i couldn't say no.
and i'm sorry i couldn't.
do you know how badly i wanted to?
didn't want, didn't want, didn't want, didn't want, didn't want to lose you,
but his smile was dazzling mmmm,
and his eyes were sparkling like moonlight on the water at midnight.
couldn't say, couldn't say, couldn't say, couldn't say, couldn't say, couldn't say no.
i couldn't say no.
Lyrics submitted by shewouldnt
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I think its about saying sorry for commiting suicide.