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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I think that just maybe people read into the lyrics a little too much. Yorke stated that a lot of his writing consists of stream-of-consciousness snippets that are glued together. If there is an actually meaning to this, I think it can be taken at face value.
When I hear it, I simply see a children or maybe two young teens skinny dipping on a lake at night. While there might be some sexual undertone to it, there might not be. If anything, I think Yorke is referring to the purity and innocence of the situation, and one's courage to be vulnerable/naked.
The first verse may be encouragement to take off the clothes, and second verse encourages the shy/reluctant person to become fully vulnerable (take off that last layer of clothing.)
Slight of hand (it's easy to slipping off one's clothes) Jump off the end Into a clear lake No one around (it's ok, you can shed your layers and jump in, no one is watching) Just dragonflies Fantasize (lose yourself in the moment) No one gets hurt (there's no harm in doing it... it's natural)
You've done nothing wrong Slide your hand (take off that last piece of clothing) Jump off the end The water's clear And innocent The water's clear And innocent (this last two lines re-affirm the innocence of the moment)