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.
Hey, hey, my, my
Rock and roll can never die
There's more to the picture
Than meets the eye
Hey, hey, my, my
Out of the blue and into the black
You pay for this, but they give you that
And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black
The king is gone but he's not forgotten (Johnny Rotten, Johnny Rotten)
Is this the story of Johnny Rotten? (Johnny Rotten, Rotten Johnny)
It's better to burn out 'cause rust never sleeps
The king is gone but he's not forgotten
Hey, hey, my, my
Rock and roll can never die
There's more to the picture
Than meets the eye
Rock and roll can never die
There's more to the picture
Than meets the eye
Hey, hey, my, my
Out of the blue and into the black
You pay for this, but they give you that
And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black
The king is gone but he's not forgotten (Johnny Rotten, Johnny Rotten)
Is this the story of Johnny Rotten? (Johnny Rotten, Rotten Johnny)
It's better to burn out 'cause rust never sleeps
The king is gone but he's not forgotten
Hey, hey, my, my
Rock and roll can never die
There's more to the picture
Than meets the eye
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) Lyrics as written by Jeff Blackburn Neil Young
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The last time I dropped acid I was broke. A friend gave me some.
I wandered off when it kicked in, I think they may have thought I was freaking out.
I just had to piss and listen to this song. It set the mood of the trip. Incredible night.
As soon as I walked back I saw my former sponsor from AA. I walked up to him and tried to explain why I wasn't in AA. Why I quit calling him. I was at ease.
The funny part is another friend came up with a marijuana vaporizer and said his friend from Colorado brought it. My former sponsor got all awkward so I said something about federalism and how it was interesting how this was possible.
Anyways my sponsor walked off and I had to explain to my friend why I was trying to make him uncomfortable. Haha great night.
I need to call some of those guys. Get a good poker game going.
I will never join a group that tells me who I can associate with.