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.
Who gives a fuck about an Oxford comma?
I've seen those English dramas too, they're cruel
So if there's any other way
To spell the word, it's fine with me, with me
Why would you speak to me that way?
Especially when I always said that I
Haven't got the words for you
All your diction drippin' with disdain
Through the pain, I always tell the truth
Who gives a fuck about an Oxford comma?
I climbed to Dharamsala too, I did
I met the highest Lama
His accent sounded fine to me, to me
Check your handbook, it's no trick
Take the chapstick, put it on your lips
Crack a smile, adjust my tie
Know your boyfriend, unlike other guys
Why would you lie 'bout how much coal you have?
Why would you lie 'bout somethin' dumb like that?
Why would you lie 'bout anythin' at all?
First the window, then it's to the wall
Lil Jon, he always tells the truth
Check your passport, it's no trick
Take the chapstick, put it on your lips
Crack a smile, adjust my tie
Know your butler, unlike other guys
Why would you lie 'bout how much coal you have?
Why would you lie 'bout somethin' dumb like that?
Why would you lie 'bout anythin' at all?
First the window, then it's to the wall
Why would you tape my conversations?
Show your paintings at the United Nations
Lil Jon, he always tells the truth
I've seen those English dramas too, they're cruel
So if there's any other way
To spell the word, it's fine with me, with me
Why would you speak to me that way?
Especially when I always said that I
Haven't got the words for you
All your diction drippin' with disdain
Through the pain, I always tell the truth
Who gives a fuck about an Oxford comma?
I climbed to Dharamsala too, I did
I met the highest Lama
His accent sounded fine to me, to me
Check your handbook, it's no trick
Take the chapstick, put it on your lips
Crack a smile, adjust my tie
Know your boyfriend, unlike other guys
Why would you lie 'bout how much coal you have?
Why would you lie 'bout somethin' dumb like that?
Why would you lie 'bout anythin' at all?
First the window, then it's to the wall
Lil Jon, he always tells the truth
Check your passport, it's no trick
Take the chapstick, put it on your lips
Crack a smile, adjust my tie
Know your butler, unlike other guys
Why would you lie 'bout how much coal you have?
Why would you lie 'bout somethin' dumb like that?
Why would you lie 'bout anythin' at all?
First the window, then it's to the wall
Why would you tape my conversations?
Show your paintings at the United Nations
Lil Jon, he always tells the truth
Lyrics submitted by carlitalolitax
Oxford Comma Lyrics as written by Christopher William Tomson Christopher Joseph Baio
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Here's what I think-- The Song is called "Oxford Comma", and it's clearly addressed to an ex-lover, it's a breakup song. The "Oxford Comma" in this case, stands in for everything that is pretentious and conceited about this girl. She's someone who is very concerned about being smarter than everyone in the room--so she corrects people on trivial things like "oxford commas" so that she can feel superior. "If there's any other way to spell the word..."--The girl tends to correct people on spelling mistakes--the singer realizes that correcting people on unusual spellings is trivial. "I've seen the English dramas"-- The singer is saying that the girl's exposure to high culture does not make her better than other people. "Why would you lie about how much coal you have"-- "coal" means "useless possessions", like "coal in your stocking". Why would you lie to make yourself appear better than others? "...about anything at all"-- Just what it says--Why are you deceitful? "window, wall, lil' jon"-- I think this is just saying that Lil Jon, in his street-dialect style, is far less pretentious than this girl is. "tape conversations"--Just another break-up accusation, it's a deceitful and hurtful behavior, and she's a deceitful person "paintings...united nations"--it's just the sort of thing that a pretentious ivy-league girl would want to do--have her paintings hung in the united nations, oohh look at how sophisticated I am. Right? :)
I don't think John Negroponte is involved in this song in any way, shape, or form. You guys are pulling that out of your ass.
I agree with this interpretation. I was thinking about taking it a little further. Coal in some languages, like in German (Kohle) has a direct reference to money. So why do you care about how much money you have maybe??