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.
Yeah, Oh
I stare at your face
Into your eyes
Outside there's so much passing us by
All of the sounds
All of the sights
Over the earth and under the sky
Too much cold and too much rain
Too much heartache to explain
Who needs the world when I've got you
Switch off the sun the stars and the moon
I've all I need inside of this room
Who needs the world when I've got you
Oh no no
I walk on the street
Talk in the dark
I see peoples dreams just falling apart
I open my arms
Tried to be true
Seems like my only truth is you
Am I wrong
Or am I right
All I want is you tonight
Who needs the world when I've got you
Switch off the sun the stars and the moon
I've all I need inside of this room
Who needs the world when I've got you
Who needs the stars so bright and the grass so green and the morning light
Who needs the wind to blow and the tide to rise
Who needs it...I don't know
I don't know
Yeah
Who needs the world when I've got you
Switch off the sun the stars and the moon
I've all I need inside of this room
Who needs the world when I've got you
Who needs the world when I've got you
Switch off the sun the stars and the moon
I've all I need inside of this room
Who needs the world when I've got you
Who needs the world when I've got you
I stare at your face
Into your eyes
Outside there's so much passing us by
All of the sounds
All of the sights
Over the earth and under the sky
Too much cold and too much rain
Too much heartache to explain
Who needs the world when I've got you
Switch off the sun the stars and the moon
I've all I need inside of this room
Who needs the world when I've got you
Oh no no
I walk on the street
Talk in the dark
I see peoples dreams just falling apart
I open my arms
Tried to be true
Seems like my only truth is you
Am I wrong
Or am I right
All I want is you tonight
Who needs the world when I've got you
Switch off the sun the stars and the moon
I've all I need inside of this room
Who needs the world when I've got you
Who needs the stars so bright and the grass so green and the morning light
Who needs the wind to blow and the tide to rise
Who needs it...I don't know
I don't know
Yeah
Who needs the world when I've got you
Switch off the sun the stars and the moon
I've all I need inside of this room
Who needs the world when I've got you
Who needs the world when I've got you
Switch off the sun the stars and the moon
I've all I need inside of this room
Who needs the world when I've got you
Who needs the world when I've got you
Lyrics submitted by AshleyRose
Who Needs the World Lyrics as written by Graham N Edwards Lauren N Christy
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Like a lot of the other comments are saying, I think this mainly about voyeurism. If the song was about his girlfriend, then why would he use the word spy. If you are a spy it means you shouldn't be caught, that is kind of the whole point, and if you are a voyeur, the whole point of the pleasure you get from it, is the fact that the other people don't know you are watching them. See a bit of a connection there?
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This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone).
And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
One of my favorite songs by him! Very sweet!