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.
Six, six, six, Dunkin' Donuts
A twenty inch veggie pizza from Gumby's
Extra jalapenos on the side
And a case of Asahi Dry
I wish to speak with Timothy Leary
Lemmy, jello, and Ice Cube Too
Cartoon of Lucky's with filters
And bring a CNN news crew
Talahasse, Florida
Four AM, June 14, '91
Capitol Building's occupied
Broke the glass, walked right inside
Wouldn't be advisable to enter
You don't know the number of hostiles
Of it anyone's got guns
Or is there's hostages
I just want to speak my mind
More for you than just one sound bite
This whole world is disturbing me
I wanna cut a rap record each month
And mail my little pinkie to George Bush
Agh, agh
Where are my friends
Where are you
Where are you
I can't believe it's come to this
Sharpshooters on surrounding roofs
Traffic blocked off by SWAT troops
Evacuate the people inside
Pretend we're CNN, say Leary's dead
I just want to speak my mind
More for you than just one sound bite
Twelve forty five, he emerged unharmed
J.D. in one hand, in the other, cigars
Hendrix t-shirt and his underwear on
Guess what, he never had no gun
I only broadcast my freakout to the world
I was a prisoner for twenty two years
When I broke through that door, I was free
Not to mention pretty damn lucky
(Nowadays, boy, you'd just get shot)
A twenty inch veggie pizza from Gumby's
Extra jalapenos on the side
And a case of Asahi Dry
I wish to speak with Timothy Leary
Lemmy, jello, and Ice Cube Too
Cartoon of Lucky's with filters
And bring a CNN news crew
Talahasse, Florida
Four AM, June 14, '91
Capitol Building's occupied
Broke the glass, walked right inside
Wouldn't be advisable to enter
You don't know the number of hostiles
Of it anyone's got guns
Or is there's hostages
I just want to speak my mind
More for you than just one sound bite
This whole world is disturbing me
I wanna cut a rap record each month
And mail my little pinkie to George Bush
Agh, agh
Where are my friends
Where are you
Where are you
I can't believe it's come to this
Sharpshooters on surrounding roofs
Traffic blocked off by SWAT troops
Evacuate the people inside
Pretend we're CNN, say Leary's dead
I just want to speak my mind
More for you than just one sound bite
Twelve forty five, he emerged unharmed
J.D. in one hand, in the other, cigars
Hendrix t-shirt and his underwear on
Guess what, he never had no gun
I only broadcast my freakout to the world
I was a prisoner for twenty two years
When I broke through that door, I was free
Not to mention pretty damn lucky
(Nowadays, boy, you'd just get shot)
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Ballad of Marshall Ledbetter Lyrics as written by Eric R Boucher Al Jourgensen
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
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I just recently learned through Wikipedia that this song is based on a true story - Marshall Ledbetter was a college student who broke into the Florida State Capitol Building in 1991, made that strange list of demands (including wanting to talk to Jello Biafra), and was eventually arrested peaceably after a police standoff.