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.
There's a man in the corner and his clothes are worn
And he's holding out his hand
You could see in his eyes as the people walk by
He knows they don't understand
Ya see they just think he's gonna take their money
And go and spend it on dope
Then a man stopped by and I saw a smile inside him
As he gently whispered hope
Well the tramp started to cry, just kept saying,
"Why? why? why?
Could you see I'm a down an' out
Well I'm 32 and I've got this one pair of shoes
And a bad taste in my mouth
I think it's clear to see that even God don't love me
Or else why would He leave me this way."
Then Gabriel just smiled and said be peaced my child
Salvation is here today
He got up to his feet and he sang Hallelujah
People were turning around in the street
He looked them in the eyes and he sang,
"Hallelujah
There's someone here that you gotta meet
Someone you just gotta meet."
When the vagabond turned around well without a sound
Gabriel just smiled and disappeared
When he looked to the crowd and they were laughing out loud
But he could not see them for tears
When his vision came round
There was a young girl on the ground
I knew she was findin' it hard to cope
She never was a fighter until he lay beside her
And gently whispered hope
They got up to their feet and they sang Hallelujah
People in the street were turning around
They looked them in the eyes and they sang,
"Hallelujah
There's someone here we have found"
They sang,
"Hallelujah, Hallelujah
We are the voices crying in the wilderness
Hallelujah, Hallelujah."
The people in the street started their sins to confess
And a chorus of,
"Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Every knee will bow and every tongue confess
and the voice of one crying in the wilderness
crying
Hallelujah, Hallelujah"
And he's holding out his hand
You could see in his eyes as the people walk by
He knows they don't understand
Ya see they just think he's gonna take their money
And go and spend it on dope
Then a man stopped by and I saw a smile inside him
As he gently whispered hope
Well the tramp started to cry, just kept saying,
"Why? why? why?
Could you see I'm a down an' out
Well I'm 32 and I've got this one pair of shoes
And a bad taste in my mouth
I think it's clear to see that even God don't love me
Or else why would He leave me this way."
Then Gabriel just smiled and said be peaced my child
Salvation is here today
He got up to his feet and he sang Hallelujah
People were turning around in the street
He looked them in the eyes and he sang,
"Hallelujah
There's someone here that you gotta meet
Someone you just gotta meet."
When the vagabond turned around well without a sound
Gabriel just smiled and disappeared
When he looked to the crowd and they were laughing out loud
But he could not see them for tears
When his vision came round
There was a young girl on the ground
I knew she was findin' it hard to cope
She never was a fighter until he lay beside her
And gently whispered hope
They got up to their feet and they sang Hallelujah
People in the street were turning around
They looked them in the eyes and they sang,
"Hallelujah
There's someone here we have found"
They sang,
"Hallelujah, Hallelujah
We are the voices crying in the wilderness
Hallelujah, Hallelujah."
The people in the street started their sins to confess
And a chorus of,
"Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Every knee will bow and every tongue confess
and the voice of one crying in the wilderness
crying
Hallelujah, Hallelujah"
Lyrics submitted by New Year's Project, edited by kellymac23
Gabriel And The Vagabond Lyrics as written by Foy Vance
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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