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.
Slight of hand
Jump off the end
Into a clear lake
No one around
Just dragonflies
Fantasize
No one gets hurt
You've done nothing wrong
Slide your hand
Jump off the end
The water's clear
And innocent
The water's clear
And innocent
Jump off the end
Into a clear lake
No one around
Just dragonflies
Fantasize
No one gets hurt
You've done nothing wrong
Slide your hand
Jump off the end
The water's clear
And innocent
The water's clear
And innocent
Lyrics submitted by maggotbrain, edited by MrMagpie, Jibab53, urwellkeen, meatballiz, eXdeaTh, TomChaton, Acht, BIRDDUDE830, stangamla, newmanic, Gardo
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let me preface this by saying that i love the entire new album. BUT, this song stopped me in my tracks...it is so effing beautiful and haunting.
here's my stab at the meaning, for what it's worth. i think it is the speaker's attempt to rewrite history. this rewritten history is encased in a codex (thus the title). in this history, what was once a "slight of hand", meaning a trick done by or onto him, is then changed to "slide of hand", which to me gives the connotation of affection or tender touch. before he changes it, he says (and seemingly needs to believe) that "no one gets hurt". it's likely that in the true story of things, this is NOT the case. i think the water references could be the cleansing force... but in my humble opinion, i think maybe it's tears.
i am probably way off, but that's my initial reaction to it.
I like your theory about it. Especially the "slight of hand"...to ..."slide of hand" part being wrongs he's done to perhaps changing to tenderness or maybe reaching out? And I think you could be correct on both with the cleansing force of the water/lake. It could be cleansing as in washing away "sins" ...but it could be also be tears...(maybe a nod to a 'cry a river of tears' phrase??) which also happen to be cleansing for the soul as well. So works both ways I think.