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.
If she wants to dance and drink all night
Well, there's no one that can stop her
She's going till the house lights come up or her stomach spills onto the floor
This night is gonna end when we're damn well ready for it to be over
Worked all week long, now the music is playing on our time
Yeah, we do what we do to get by, and then we need a release
Bah bah bah, bah bah bah-bah-bah bah
Bah bah bah, bah bah bah-bah-bah bah
Bah bah bah, bah bah bah-bah-bah bah
Bah bah bah, bah bah bah-bah-bah bah
You get mixed up with the wrong guys
You get messed up on the wrong drugs
Sometimes the party takes you places that you didn't really plan on going
When people see the track marks on her arm, she knows what they're thinking
She keeps on working for that minimum
As if a high school education gave you any other options, you know
They don't know nothing about redemption
They don't know nothing about recovery
Some people just aren't the type for marriage and family
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's gonna grow up to be a junkie (bah bah bah)
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's gonna grow up to sleep alone (bah bah bah-bah-bah bah)
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's gonna grow up to be a junkie (bah bah bah)
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's gonna grow up to sleep alone (bah bah bah-bah-bah bah)
She's out of step with the style
She don't know where the action's happening
You know the downtown club scene ain't nothing like it used to be
You reach a point where there's not a lie in the world
That you could use to make the boys believe you're still in your twenties
But they keep getting younger, don't they, baby?
She's not waiting for someone to come over and ask for the privilege
She can still hear that rebel yell just as loud as it was in 1983, you know
There ain't no Johnny coming home to share a bed with her, and she doesn't care
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's gonna grow up to be a junkie (bah bah bah)
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's gonna grow up to sleep alone (bah bah bah-bah-bah bah)
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's gonna grow up to be a junkie (bah bah bah)
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's gonna grow up to sleep alone (bah bah bah-bah-bah bah)
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's gonna grow up to be a junkie (bah bah bah)
And if she had to live it all over again, you know she wouldn't change anything for the world
Well, there's no one that can stop her
She's going till the house lights come up or her stomach spills onto the floor
This night is gonna end when we're damn well ready for it to be over
Worked all week long, now the music is playing on our time
Yeah, we do what we do to get by, and then we need a release
Bah bah bah, bah bah bah-bah-bah bah
Bah bah bah, bah bah bah-bah-bah bah
Bah bah bah, bah bah bah-bah-bah bah
Bah bah bah, bah bah bah-bah-bah bah
You get mixed up with the wrong guys
You get messed up on the wrong drugs
Sometimes the party takes you places that you didn't really plan on going
When people see the track marks on her arm, she knows what they're thinking
She keeps on working for that minimum
As if a high school education gave you any other options, you know
They don't know nothing about redemption
They don't know nothing about recovery
Some people just aren't the type for marriage and family
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's gonna grow up to be a junkie (bah bah bah)
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's gonna grow up to sleep alone (bah bah bah-bah-bah bah)
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's gonna grow up to be a junkie (bah bah bah)
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's gonna grow up to sleep alone (bah bah bah-bah-bah bah)
She's out of step with the style
She don't know where the action's happening
You know the downtown club scene ain't nothing like it used to be
You reach a point where there's not a lie in the world
That you could use to make the boys believe you're still in your twenties
But they keep getting younger, don't they, baby?
She's not waiting for someone to come over and ask for the privilege
She can still hear that rebel yell just as loud as it was in 1983, you know
There ain't no Johnny coming home to share a bed with her, and she doesn't care
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's gonna grow up to be a junkie (bah bah bah)
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's gonna grow up to sleep alone (bah bah bah-bah-bah bah)
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's gonna grow up to be a junkie (bah bah bah)
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's gonna grow up to sleep alone (bah bah bah-bah-bah bah)
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's gonna grow up to be a junkie (bah bah bah)
And if she had to live it all over again, you know she wouldn't change anything for the world
Lyrics submitted by CowardOfTheYear
Thrash Unreal Lyrics as written by Thomas James Gabel
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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In the autobiography "Tranny" Tom/Laura stated that this song was somewhat inspired by his ex-wife. This greatly bothered the ex-wife and her mom informed Tom/Laura of this at the ex-wife's funeral.