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.
Have you heard about trouble throughout the land
With the fascists and the left wing militants
Out of work executives are killing themselves
And the I.R.A. are killing everybody else
Don't panic, don't lose control
Keep your head, keep ahold
Act normal there's nothing wrong
Stay cool, just carry on
You gotta live life and be yourself
You can't live life for anyone else
You gotta live life that's all you do
Nobody gonna live your life for you
Don't get depressed when you read in the press
About world revolution and social unrest
Try not to panic when you switch on the news
And see crooked politicians and the unemployment queues
It's only life it's really fine
So don't you believe all you read in the headlines
Live life see it through
Carry on it's all you can do
You gotta live life for yourself, can't live for anyone else
You gotta live life, that's all you do
Nobody gonna live their life for you
Extra verse from long version
Trendy intellectuals always take action
For every cause that's ever been in fashion
Weekend revolutionaries protest and sing
Because they're dedicated followers of any old thing
They got every solution for every revolution
They live in the slums just like the poor people do
But they'd rather sniff coke instead of glue
Right-wing fascists beat up the blacks
Then they salute the Union Jack
You can't pretent there's nothing wrong
It's not the end, so just carry on
Oh, life's a mother, oh, life's a mother
Oh, life's a mother, oh, life's a mother
You gotta live life for yourself, can't live life for anyone else
You gotta live life
With the fascists and the left wing militants
Out of work executives are killing themselves
And the I.R.A. are killing everybody else
Don't panic, don't lose control
Keep your head, keep ahold
Act normal there's nothing wrong
Stay cool, just carry on
You gotta live life and be yourself
You can't live life for anyone else
You gotta live life that's all you do
Nobody gonna live your life for you
Don't get depressed when you read in the press
About world revolution and social unrest
Try not to panic when you switch on the news
And see crooked politicians and the unemployment queues
It's only life it's really fine
So don't you believe all you read in the headlines
Live life see it through
Carry on it's all you can do
You gotta live life for yourself, can't live for anyone else
You gotta live life, that's all you do
Nobody gonna live their life for you
Extra verse from long version
Trendy intellectuals always take action
For every cause that's ever been in fashion
Weekend revolutionaries protest and sing
Because they're dedicated followers of any old thing
They got every solution for every revolution
They live in the slums just like the poor people do
But they'd rather sniff coke instead of glue
Right-wing fascists beat up the blacks
Then they salute the Union Jack
You can't pretent there's nothing wrong
It's not the end, so just carry on
Oh, life's a mother, oh, life's a mother
Oh, life's a mother, oh, life's a mother
You gotta live life for yourself, can't live life for anyone else
You gotta live life
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Great solo through the middle of the track