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.
Stuffed my heart in a bag slammed the back door
If I get home it'd be a home no more
Took off runnin' in the middle of the night
I was aimed for anything that felt half right
Look out baby I'm gone a little ride
I see my name written on the center line
Moon looks good air is cool
Every bone been broken in the golden rule
Well I'm flyin' through Dothan with radio
Taylor's ole time opry's playin' hank snow
Sing's my nightmares in his song
I say I'm with ya man I'm just movin' on
Look out baby your wish came true
You got your freedom the house and the whole canoe
I got the things that I need
I took the car, my pride and three pairs of jeans
My brain is bleedin' got nails in my spine
But I ain't gonna stop for that empty line
Radio's fadin' road's like a snake
It's two in the mornin' and I'm wide awake
Look out baby gates of Eden got closed
But New Orlean's open see the pretty lights glow
I'm goin' in to get myself lost and found
It didn't take too goddamn long to tear a good thing down
It may not be ideal but at least we're not running at the mouth
I-10 to San Anton' woke up and went south
Fleeced at the border for thirty five and some change
But that's a small price to pay runnin' from the pain
Look out baby I'm gone a little ride
There's a brush fire on the highway gonna burn both sides
Wish I could throw our sins in the flame and smoke
I'll call you up if and when I reach hope
Gone a little ride
Baby I'm gone
I'm gone a little ride
Baby I'm gone
I'm gone a little ride
I'm gone gone gone
I'm gone a little ride
I'm gone gone gone gone gone gone gone gone gone gone gone
Gone gone gone gone gone gone gone gone
And you can kiss it bye bye bye
If I get home it'd be a home no more
Took off runnin' in the middle of the night
I was aimed for anything that felt half right
Look out baby I'm gone a little ride
I see my name written on the center line
Moon looks good air is cool
Every bone been broken in the golden rule
Well I'm flyin' through Dothan with radio
Taylor's ole time opry's playin' hank snow
Sing's my nightmares in his song
I say I'm with ya man I'm just movin' on
Look out baby your wish came true
You got your freedom the house and the whole canoe
I got the things that I need
I took the car, my pride and three pairs of jeans
My brain is bleedin' got nails in my spine
But I ain't gonna stop for that empty line
Radio's fadin' road's like a snake
It's two in the mornin' and I'm wide awake
Look out baby gates of Eden got closed
But New Orlean's open see the pretty lights glow
I'm goin' in to get myself lost and found
It didn't take too goddamn long to tear a good thing down
It may not be ideal but at least we're not running at the mouth
I-10 to San Anton' woke up and went south
Fleeced at the border for thirty five and some change
But that's a small price to pay runnin' from the pain
Look out baby I'm gone a little ride
There's a brush fire on the highway gonna burn both sides
Wish I could throw our sins in the flame and smoke
I'll call you up if and when I reach hope
Gone a little ride
Baby I'm gone
I'm gone a little ride
Baby I'm gone
I'm gone a little ride
I'm gone gone gone
I'm gone a little ride
I'm gone gone gone gone gone gone gone gone gone gone gone
Gone gone gone gone gone gone gone gone
And you can kiss it bye bye bye
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Dan Takes Five Lyrics as written by Daniel John Baird
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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Ah, the days of Rabbit Leopold's Glorious-yet-Tragic Results of Misspent Youth! Beginning Adulthood and Living to Tell about it. The Geogia Satellites were the right band at the right time considering that Rock was going through its dull and drab periods with many classic rockers-going adult contemporary-think of Steve Winwood, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Sting, Rod Stewart and Robert Palmer-all of them British, the rise of adult alternative with the likes of Indigo Girls and 10,000 Maniacs, the peak of hair metal-Bon Jovi and Def Leppard and the early rumblings of Alternative Nation-Guns n' Roses, Nirvana, Metallica, Jane's Addiction and Soul Asylum. Here were the Satellites, a ragtag and unrepentant Southern Rock band still keeping the Rock Dream Alive and Fighting to the Death to light the flame that was lit by the likes of the Allmans, Skynyrd and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The Satellites reached their artistic zenith with In the Land of Salvation and Sin-with a title like that, one might expect a record about religion given that its origins are in the South-but that's where the similarity ends. Instead, Salvation is basically a concept album/Rock Opera about divorce and why love falls apart and to pieces! Its narrator, lead singer/writer/guitarist Dan Baird was angry and ticked-off! Salvation reaches its coda/finale with the Satellites' hardest-ever rocker with the strange title Dan Takes Five which was Baird's way of screaming "I'm outta here babe!-I'll call you up if and when I'll reach hope!/Baby I'm gone and you can Kiss It Bye Bye Bye!"-the angriest Southern Rocker Anthem I've Ever Heard! No Questions Asked! No Opportunity Necesssary! No Experience Needed!