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.
Did you ever really stare at me?
Did you ever really stare at me
Like I stared at you?
I ate flowers in the backyard
A finely neutered fruit
Shot a hundred arrows at a doe
A hundred sparrows booed
Did you ever really stare at me?
Did you ever really stare?
Did you ever really stare at me
Like I stared at you?
Don't run
Don't run, little rabbit, run
Don't run
Don't run, little bunny, run
Did you ever really stare at me?
Did you ever really stare?
Did you ever really stare at me
Like I stared at you?
Did you ever ride a bear for me?
Did you ever really care
Did you ever really care for me
Like I cared for you?
Don't run
Don't run
Don't run
Don't run
Did you ever really stare at me
Like I stared at you?
I ate flowers in the backyard
A finely neutered fruit
Shot a hundred arrows at a doe
A hundred sparrows booed
Did you ever really stare at me?
Did you ever really stare?
Did you ever really stare at me
Like I stared at you?
Don't run
Don't run, little rabbit, run
Don't run
Don't run, little bunny, run
Did you ever really stare at me?
Did you ever really stare?
Did you ever really stare at me
Like I stared at you?
Did you ever ride a bear for me?
Did you ever really care
Did you ever really care for me
Like I cared for you?
Don't run
Don't run
Don't run
Don't run
Lyrics submitted by wild_ cosmia, edited by LararlayLaithe
Neutered Fruit Lyrics as written by Anne Clark
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Reminds me of Marina Abramović, a Serbian performance artist - in 2010 she performed "The Artist is Present" at the Museum of Modern Art. She would sit immobile opposite a chair in which anyone could sit and she would silently maintain eye contact with them. People went through intensely emotional experiences - fear, love, challenge, anger...some of the performances are on Youtube, it is fascinating to watch