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.
Looking up from underneath
Fractured moonlight on the sea
Reflections still look the same to me
As before I went under
And it's peaceful in the deep
Cathedral where you cannot breathe
No need to pray, no need to speak
Now I am under all
And it's breaking over me
A thousand miles down to the sea bed
Found the place to rest my head
(Never let me go, never let me go)
(Never let me go, never let me go)
And the arms of the ocean are carrying me
And all this devotion was rushing out of me
And the crashes are heaven for a sinner like me
But the arms of the ocean delivered me
Though the pressure's hard to take
It's the only way I can escape
It seems a heavy choice to make
But now I am under, oh
And it's breaking over me
A thousand miles down to the sea bed
Found the place to rest my head
(Never let me go, never let me go)
(Never let me go, never let me go)
And the arms of the ocean are carrying me
And all this devotion was rushing out of me
And the crashes are heaven for a sinner like me
But the arms of the ocean delivered me
And it's over and I'm going under
But I'm not giving up, I'm just giving in
I'm slipping underneath
So, so cold and so sweet
In the arms of the ocean, so sweet and so cold
And all this devotion, I never knew at all
And the crashes are heaven for a sinner released
In the arms of the ocean delivered me
(Never let me go, never let me go)
(Never let me go, never let me go)
Delivered me
(Never let me go, never let me go)
(Never let me go, never let me go)
(Never let me go, never let me go)
Delivered me
(Never let me go, never let me go)
(Never let me go, never let me go)
Delivered me
(Never let me go, never let me go)
And it's over and I'm going under
But I'm not giving up, I'm just giving in
I'm slipping underneath
Ooh, so cold and so sweet
Fractured moonlight on the sea
Reflections still look the same to me
As before I went under
And it's peaceful in the deep
Cathedral where you cannot breathe
No need to pray, no need to speak
Now I am under all
And it's breaking over me
A thousand miles down to the sea bed
Found the place to rest my head
(Never let me go, never let me go)
(Never let me go, never let me go)
And the arms of the ocean are carrying me
And all this devotion was rushing out of me
And the crashes are heaven for a sinner like me
But the arms of the ocean delivered me
Though the pressure's hard to take
It's the only way I can escape
It seems a heavy choice to make
But now I am under, oh
And it's breaking over me
A thousand miles down to the sea bed
Found the place to rest my head
(Never let me go, never let me go)
(Never let me go, never let me go)
And the arms of the ocean are carrying me
And all this devotion was rushing out of me
And the crashes are heaven for a sinner like me
But the arms of the ocean delivered me
And it's over and I'm going under
But I'm not giving up, I'm just giving in
I'm slipping underneath
So, so cold and so sweet
In the arms of the ocean, so sweet and so cold
And all this devotion, I never knew at all
And the crashes are heaven for a sinner released
In the arms of the ocean delivered me
(Never let me go, never let me go)
(Never let me go, never let me go)
Delivered me
(Never let me go, never let me go)
(Never let me go, never let me go)
(Never let me go, never let me go)
Delivered me
(Never let me go, never let me go)
(Never let me go, never let me go)
Delivered me
(Never let me go, never let me go)
And it's over and I'm going under
But I'm not giving up, I'm just giving in
I'm slipping underneath
Ooh, so cold and so sweet
Lyrics submitted by ValH1618, edited by Cryhavic, Michelle31, OsbornLove, sabanana, Elluna, IsaFlow, CyberDream, MycroftJr, starchmuffin, Cat97, culprit, malina5432no, novembermayhem
Never Let Me Go Lyrics as written by Tom Harpoon Paul Epworth
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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This song blew me away the first time I heard it! Her best vocal effort yet in my opinion.
A couple lines I heard differently, not sure though:<br /> <br /> "Looking up from underneath"<br /> "Cathedral where you cannot breathe"