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.
Yes I know it was late
We were greeting the sun
Before long
And you live with someone
I live with somebody too
Leave it there
For safe keeping
One of the west village in plains
That was the custom
Come dawn
On the walls of the day
In the shade of the sun
We wrote down
Another vision of us
We were the challengers of
The unknown
"Be safe" you say
Whatever the mess you are you mind okay
That is the custom
On down
Na-na na-na na-na na-na na-na
Na-na na-na na-na na-na na-na...
Until I see you around
Until we clear the accounts
Leave it there
Leave it to us
We are the challengers of
The unknown
Oh-la, oh-la, oh-la, oh-la
Oh-la, oh-la, oh-la, oh-la
We were greeting the sun
Before long
And you live with someone
I live with somebody too
Leave it there
For safe keeping
One of the west village in plains
That was the custom
Come dawn
On the walls of the day
In the shade of the sun
We wrote down
Another vision of us
We were the challengers of
The unknown
"Be safe" you say
Whatever the mess you are you mind okay
That is the custom
On down
Na-na na-na na-na na-na na-na
Na-na na-na na-na na-na na-na...
Until I see you around
Until we clear the accounts
Leave it there
Leave it to us
We are the challengers of
The unknown
Oh-la, oh-la, oh-la, oh-la
Oh-la, oh-la, oh-la, oh-la
Lyrics submitted by Cerulean_Blu, edited by SanibelMan
Challengers Lyrics as written by Carl Allan Newman
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I'm almost positive the line is "Wander the West Village in flames".
The couple stays together all night, and then when dawn comes, they wander around in the West Village, "in flames" from their love/passion and also from the light of the rising sun.
@Jupe It is "flames," and you might be right about the love/passion angle . . . but I think it is also a nod to the visual effect of sunrise.