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.
Shake your tambourine go and get yourself a whistle and [Repeat: x3]
Shake your tambourine go and [Repeat: x2]
Shake your tambourine go and get yourself a whistle and [Repeat: x8]
E.V.E. come through in the Mazarati
Doin it big like I live in the Taj Mahal,
Talk shit, and I don't get in the bla the bla
Ha, thats why they loving, ahh
Dats real, when the chick that they talk about
Goddamn is the words that come out they mouth
She look good always, without a doubt
Ask for her, she back and caking ou
So they be watching while we wiggle around
Look at them drooling, niggas ain't used to dis sound
I keep em moving, all ma ladies put ya hands in the air
It's all right now we gonna keep you on ya feet the whole night now
Pop them bottles, yea drink that up man
Got you feeling crazy yea that was the plan
Waiting for me wasn't ready for dis
He got the game sewn up, know I'm talking bout Swizz
Yeah I know u wanna fight it but why would you try
We got them shaking everything from the hood to Dubai
Yea we do it big man why would we lie?
C'mon
(1, 2, 3 everybody!)
Get low, get low then pick up, pick up
Get your hands in the air it's a stick-up, stick-up
Shake your tambourines move it quicker, quicker
Shake it down in town get the pitch up, pitch up
Shake it shake it to the floor, gotta love that
How she keep it goin' on you know you love that
Shake it shake it to the floor you gotta love that
Get ya ass on the dance floor
Dance on the dance floor
Move em out the way
If they ain't doing it how you want y'all
You ain't gotta ask me
C'mon, don't need my permission
Y'all heard, what you waiting for?
Shake your tambourine go and get yourself a whistle and [Repeat: x4]
Shake your tambourine go and [Repeat: x2]
Shake your tambourine go and get yourself a whistle and [Repeat: x8]
E.V.E. come through in the Mazarati
Doin it big like I live in the Taj Mahal,
Talk shit, and I don't get in the bla the bla
Ha, thats why they loving, ahh
Dats real, when the chick that they talk about
Goddamn is the words that come out they mouth
She look good always, without a doubt
Ask for her, she back and caking ou
So they be watching while we wiggle around
Look at them drooling, niggas ain't used to dis sound
I keep em moving, all ma ladies put ya hands in the air
It's all right now we gonna keep you on ya feet the whole night now
Pop them bottles, yea drink that up man
Got you feeling crazy yea that was the plan
Waiting for me wasn't ready for dis
He got the game sewn up, know I'm talking bout Swizz
Yeah I know u wanna fight it but why would you try
We got them shaking everything from the hood to Dubai
Yea we do it big man why would we lie?
C'mon
(1, 2, 3 everybody!)
Get low, get low then pick up, pick up
Get your hands in the air it's a stick-up, stick-up
Shake your tambourines move it quicker, quicker
Shake it down in town get the pitch up, pitch up
Shake it shake it to the floor, gotta love that
How she keep it goin' on you know you love that
Shake it shake it to the floor you gotta love that
Get ya ass on the dance floor
Dance on the dance floor
Move em out the way
If they ain't doing it how you want y'all
You ain't gotta ask me
C'mon, don't need my permission
Y'all heard, what you waiting for?
Shake your tambourine go and get yourself a whistle and [Repeat: x4]
Lyrics submitted by kooky-gurl
Tambourine Lyrics as written by Charles Brown Carl Kidd
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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its amazing how far music can come.. 24 years after it released and its one of the most heartfelt songs ive heard
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There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
This songis about nothing. seriously. supposedly there's a dance called the 'Tambourine" but that doesn't even make sense.the song isn't even about a tambourine, and besides the sample, it only mentions a tambourine ONCE.
I LOVE this song.