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.
Early evening he get these urges
Skin tension under leatherette
A back bar somewhere in clubland
Cigarillo and the scene is set
See the bodies, now things're moving
Little twitches people can't explain
Young bodies, listen to them talking
New languagism in their veins
Same face in a new situation
The mirrorball holds mesmerised
He looks around, he's the new Clark Gable
Urges, urges, he get these urges
Don't want to talk about
Heartfelt urges, he get these urges
He's not supposed to talk about
Urges, urges, these restless urges
He don't want to talk about
Urges, urges, can't stop the urges
Lock them out.
She's here, the heat is rising
He move slowly she's a china doll
By degrees, he'll loosen her composure
She knows he knows she knows he knows.
One word to the man in the pulpit
She start twitching and she can't sit still
Seven inches of a black star liner
Try to contain the stuff that's in your body
Bit silly when your head's no good
When you're ashamed of things about your body
You keep drinking like you knew you would
In the foot light the ape in motion
Spins circles all across the floor
Mouth the words, assume the positions
For a second we can fool them all
Girl this time it's a new sensation
It's never been this way before.
I look at you and I feel half human
Skin tension under leatherette
A back bar somewhere in clubland
Cigarillo and the scene is set
See the bodies, now things're moving
Little twitches people can't explain
Young bodies, listen to them talking
New languagism in their veins
Same face in a new situation
The mirrorball holds mesmerised
He looks around, he's the new Clark Gable
Urges, urges, he get these urges
Don't want to talk about
Heartfelt urges, he get these urges
He's not supposed to talk about
Urges, urges, these restless urges
He don't want to talk about
Urges, urges, can't stop the urges
Lock them out.
She's here, the heat is rising
He move slowly she's a china doll
By degrees, he'll loosen her composure
She knows he knows she knows he knows.
One word to the man in the pulpit
She start twitching and she can't sit still
Seven inches of a black star liner
Try to contain the stuff that's in your body
Bit silly when your head's no good
When you're ashamed of things about your body
You keep drinking like you knew you would
In the foot light the ape in motion
Spins circles all across the floor
Mouth the words, assume the positions
For a second we can fool them all
Girl this time it's a new sensation
It's never been this way before.
I look at you and I feel half human
Lyrics submitted by shellywebster
Urges Lyrics as written by Thomas Dolby Morgan
Lyrics © Word Collections Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Yep...it's about lust.