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.
I was writing his story and he gave me a look
He was very handsome, distractingly so
And I never dreamed that he'd be my boyfriend
He wrote me letters, daily from prison
That said, "I know I've killed a few
But none of those women were you"
I couldn't speak, it was over for me
I'd found my Grim Reaper Prince
Well, he said he loved me, cooked me dinner
He cut my lungs out and made me feel thinner
And I'll never forget him now that it's over
The life that we had 'til they strapped him down
Oh, but how all the girls were jealous
'Cause he liked me the best!
Oh, and I couldn't breathe, it was true love indeed
But now my grim prince is gone
Well, I said I loved him when they strapped him in
But he wasn't crying, he took it like a man
And the families watched him as he breathed his last
I got very angry when they started to laugh
And say "now he's got what's coming
He was due his lot"
Oh and I couldn't see, there were tears on my cheek!
Goodbye my grim reaper prince
Goodbye my grim reaper prince
Goodbye, goodbye, I'll see you in a while
Goodbye, farewell, good luck
He was very handsome, distractingly so
And I never dreamed that he'd be my boyfriend
He wrote me letters, daily from prison
That said, "I know I've killed a few
But none of those women were you"
I couldn't speak, it was over for me
I'd found my Grim Reaper Prince
Well, he said he loved me, cooked me dinner
He cut my lungs out and made me feel thinner
And I'll never forget him now that it's over
The life that we had 'til they strapped him down
Oh, but how all the girls were jealous
'Cause he liked me the best!
Oh, and I couldn't breathe, it was true love indeed
But now my grim prince is gone
Well, I said I loved him when they strapped him in
But he wasn't crying, he took it like a man
And the families watched him as he breathed his last
I got very angry when they started to laugh
And say "now he's got what's coming
He was due his lot"
Oh and I couldn't see, there were tears on my cheek!
Goodbye my grim reaper prince
Goodbye my grim reaper prince
Goodbye, goodbye, I'll see you in a while
Goodbye, farewell, good luck
Lyrics submitted by rah8181, edited by Broadripple
A Journalist Falls In Love With Deathrow Inmate #16 Lyrics as written by Richard Charles Edwards
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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i thought emily wasnt in the band anymore...or is that not her singing in the background? Anyways, richard is a great song writer. Great song.