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.
Never in all of my life
Have I seen eyes as empty as these streets of my city
On a Saturday night,
All the green of your eyes says "Go, leave it all behind."
But I don't need to be reminded a change is gonna come.
I can feel it on the tip of your tongue.
And I feel alive.
We met up once we'd settled the sun
Between the heat and the work week
The fear is we could use some sleep
But sleep to the superfluous man means better use for beds
And I'll bet I'm coming home alone tonight.
I don't need to be reminded that this is how it was.
I moved on, I passed a billboard down my block
That asks if I've had enough, and aloud I say "I've had too much,"
When the truth is, I'm just getting started.
Now all the barlights are blinking in time
To Mexican music, it's taunting the pavement
And I feel alive.
One of us sings, and one of us drinks,
And one of us has nothing at all.
So he calls us all sheep
I'm the Little Bo Peep of the bunch.
(I take their tales and I'm ready to go)
The he swears he's gotta take this call
Man, I get scared he's gonna leave us too soon.
We were the get rich quick kids,
We never got it right
So we settled for the center of town
Where all the rich white kids is out looking for a fight
Got the blond one staring me down.
And I really wanna take a swing
I can't help but remember James Dean
See we are part of the few who agree
That hey, he lived life fast
But he died.
He died.
He died.
Me, I'm gonna live forever.
Now all the barlights are blinking in time
To Mexican music, it's taunting the pavement
And for the first time
In a long time
I feel alive
Have I seen eyes as empty as these streets of my city
On a Saturday night,
All the green of your eyes says "Go, leave it all behind."
But I don't need to be reminded a change is gonna come.
I can feel it on the tip of your tongue.
And I feel alive.
We met up once we'd settled the sun
Between the heat and the work week
The fear is we could use some sleep
But sleep to the superfluous man means better use for beds
And I'll bet I'm coming home alone tonight.
I don't need to be reminded that this is how it was.
I moved on, I passed a billboard down my block
That asks if I've had enough, and aloud I say "I've had too much,"
When the truth is, I'm just getting started.
Now all the barlights are blinking in time
To Mexican music, it's taunting the pavement
And I feel alive.
One of us sings, and one of us drinks,
And one of us has nothing at all.
So he calls us all sheep
I'm the Little Bo Peep of the bunch.
(I take their tales and I'm ready to go)
The he swears he's gotta take this call
Man, I get scared he's gonna leave us too soon.
We were the get rich quick kids,
We never got it right
So we settled for the center of town
Where all the rich white kids is out looking for a fight
Got the blond one staring me down.
And I really wanna take a swing
I can't help but remember James Dean
See we are part of the few who agree
That hey, he lived life fast
But he died.
He died.
He died.
Me, I'm gonna live forever.
Now all the barlights are blinking in time
To Mexican music, it's taunting the pavement
And for the first time
In a long time
I feel alive
Lyrics submitted by SomthinCorporat
Barlights Lyrics as written by Jack Antonoff Andrew Dost
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Hipgnosis Songs Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I met Nate from the band last night and he said that this is his favorite song to play live from Aim & Ignite. :) I definitely agree with @xbaba35x about the 2nd verse- how the lines "Then he swears he's gotta take this call/ Man, I get scared he's gonna leave us too soon" is about Jack and Steel Train.