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.
Convict state
It just won't rate
He want to get higher
Apple isle, the inbred smile
He's gonna get by'a
His mother's hand
He could not stand
He left for the islands
To fish and hunt
To take a punt
The new guinea highlands
Chorus
Oh errol I would give
Everything, just to be like him
He had to go
The sirocco
He's sailin' the high seas
Hollywood, captain blood
He's billing the nazi's
Took a rebel stand
With the contraband
Coast of Mexico
He want to pounce
Like an animal
To girls he just can't say no
Chorus
He had them all
Screamin' for more
He play the wild scene
Ah scandalize, no comprise
He's down on his knees
Swashbuckling
He was the king
The toast of tinsel town
They build him up
They took it all
And they just cut him down
Chorus
It just won't rate
He want to get higher
Apple isle, the inbred smile
He's gonna get by'a
His mother's hand
He could not stand
He left for the islands
To fish and hunt
To take a punt
The new guinea highlands
Chorus
Oh errol I would give
Everything, just to be like him
He had to go
The sirocco
He's sailin' the high seas
Hollywood, captain blood
He's billing the nazi's
Took a rebel stand
With the contraband
Coast of Mexico
He want to pounce
Like an animal
To girls he just can't say no
Chorus
He had them all
Screamin' for more
He play the wild scene
Ah scandalize, no comprise
He's down on his knees
Swashbuckling
He was the king
The toast of tinsel town
They build him up
They took it all
And they just cut him down
Chorus
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There is a sort of half-verse missing here, where James Reyne simply chants, "Don't tell me it's true - I don't want to hear about it." I always assumed this to be a reference to rape allegations that were made against him, especially as the song mention him going to Sirocco, where the allegations of rape were made. In other words, the singer wants to believe in Errol as a casanova-type hero, not a rapist.
@PaulSouth yep, and in the verse that says "he's down on his knees, swashbuckling" refers to a rumour about his open sexual preferences. I guess the song is generally about celebrity and hero worship, where people just ignore the parts they don't want to know about.
@PaulSouth I think Guy McDonough does a better version as Australian Crawl lead vocalist on 'Errol.' Shame he died at 28.