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.
Oh naive little me
Asking what things you have seen
And you're vulnerable in your head
You'll scream and you'll wail till you're dead
Creatures fade by night
Following things that aren't right
And they're tired and they need to be lead
You'll scream and you'll wail till they're dead
But give me to a rambling man
Let it always be known that I was who I am
We're beaten, battered, and cold
My children will live just to grow old
But if I sit here and weep
I'll be blown over by the slightest of breeze
And the weak need to be lead
And the tender I'll carry to their bed
And it's a pale and cold affair
And I'll be damned if I'll be found there
But give me to a rambling man
Let it always be known that I was who I am
It's funny that the first chords that you come to
Are the minor notes that come to serenade you
And it's hard to accept yourself as someone
You don't desire
As someone you don't want to be
Oh give me to a rambling man
Let it always be known that I was who I am
Oh give me to the rambling man
Let it always be known that I was who I am
Asking what things you have seen
And you're vulnerable in your head
You'll scream and you'll wail till you're dead
Creatures fade by night
Following things that aren't right
And they're tired and they need to be lead
You'll scream and you'll wail till they're dead
But give me to a rambling man
Let it always be known that I was who I am
We're beaten, battered, and cold
My children will live just to grow old
But if I sit here and weep
I'll be blown over by the slightest of breeze
And the weak need to be lead
And the tender I'll carry to their bed
And it's a pale and cold affair
And I'll be damned if I'll be found there
But give me to a rambling man
Let it always be known that I was who I am
It's funny that the first chords that you come to
Are the minor notes that come to serenade you
And it's hard to accept yourself as someone
You don't desire
As someone you don't want to be
Oh give me to a rambling man
Let it always be known that I was who I am
Oh give me to the rambling man
Let it always be known that I was who I am
Lyrics submitted by schlust, edited by fiddling, maggieoomay
Rambling Man Lyrics as written by Laura Marling
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Beautiful...just...gah. I love it so much.