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.
Here's my story, it's sad but true
It's about a girl that I once knew
She took my love then ran around
With every single guy in town
Hey, hey
Whoa (bum de hey, de hey, de hey, hey)
Whoa (bum de hey, de hey, de hey, hey)
Whoa (bum de hey, de hey, de hey)
La, la, la, la
Whoa (hey, hey, bum de hey, de hey, de hey, hey)
(Bum de hey, de hey, de hey, hey)
(Bum de hey, de hey, de hey)
(Ah)
Yeah, I should have known it from the very start
This girl'll leave me with a broken heart
Ah, listen people what I'm telling you
A keep away from a Runaround Sue, yeah
I might miss her lips and the smile on her face
The touch of our hand and this girl's warm embrace
So if you don't want to cry like I do
A keep away from a Runaround Sue
Whoa (hey, hey, bum de hey, de hey, de hey, hey)
Whoa (bum de hey, de hey, de hey, hey)
Whoa (bum de hey, de hey, de hey)
(Ah)
She likes to travel around, yeah
She'll love you and she'll put you down
Now people let me put you wise
Sue goes out with other guys
Here's the moral and the story from the guy who knows
I fell in love and my love still grows
Ask any fool that she ever knew, they'll say
Keep away from a Runaround Sue
Yeah, keep away from this girl
I know, know what she'll do
Keep away from Sue
(Ah)
She likes to travel around, yeah
She'll love you and she'll put you down
Now people let me put you wise
She goes out with other guys
Here's the moral and the story from that guy who knows
I fell in love and my love still grows
Ask any fool that she ever knew, they'll say
Keep away from a Runaround Sue, yeah
Stay away from that girl
Don't you know what she'll do now
Whoa (hey, bum de hey, de hey, de hey, hey)
Whoa (hey, hey)
It's about a girl that I once knew
She took my love then ran around
With every single guy in town
Hey, hey
Whoa (bum de hey, de hey, de hey, hey)
Whoa (bum de hey, de hey, de hey, hey)
Whoa (bum de hey, de hey, de hey)
La, la, la, la
Whoa (hey, hey, bum de hey, de hey, de hey, hey)
(Bum de hey, de hey, de hey, hey)
(Bum de hey, de hey, de hey)
(Ah)
Yeah, I should have known it from the very start
This girl'll leave me with a broken heart
Ah, listen people what I'm telling you
A keep away from a Runaround Sue, yeah
I might miss her lips and the smile on her face
The touch of our hand and this girl's warm embrace
So if you don't want to cry like I do
A keep away from a Runaround Sue
Whoa (hey, hey, bum de hey, de hey, de hey, hey)
Whoa (bum de hey, de hey, de hey, hey)
Whoa (bum de hey, de hey, de hey)
(Ah)
She likes to travel around, yeah
She'll love you and she'll put you down
Now people let me put you wise
Sue goes out with other guys
Here's the moral and the story from the guy who knows
I fell in love and my love still grows
Ask any fool that she ever knew, they'll say
Keep away from a Runaround Sue
Yeah, keep away from this girl
I know, know what she'll do
Keep away from Sue
(Ah)
She likes to travel around, yeah
She'll love you and she'll put you down
Now people let me put you wise
She goes out with other guys
Here's the moral and the story from that guy who knows
I fell in love and my love still grows
Ask any fool that she ever knew, they'll say
Keep away from a Runaround Sue, yeah
Stay away from that girl
Don't you know what she'll do now
Whoa (hey, bum de hey, de hey, de hey, hey)
Whoa (hey, hey)
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Dion married Sue in 1963, two years after the song hit #1. They're still married today. She stayed with him through some very difficult times. They have three daughters. In 2007, he was nominated for the 'Best Blues Album' Grammy Award.