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.
(Grow the nanobots up)
Grow the nanobots up
(Grow them in the cracks in the sidewalk)
Grow them in the cracks in the sidewalk
Wind the nanobots up (wind them up and ask them a question)
Wind them up and ask them a question
(Raise the yellow bots up)
Raise the yellow bots up
(Raise them up and make them respect us)
Raise them up and make them respect us
Wind the marching bots up (wind them up and wish them away)
Wind them up and wish them away
What with all the hullabaloo
We very nearly forgot about you
Now all the old troubles will soon be at an end
When all the neurons begin when we send the signal
To the newborn citizenship
Of the micronations
Sleeper cells awaken, now this is your time
Hear the voices calling to their confederates
See the tiny figures stretching their limbs
Stand back and watch them
Grow the nanobots up
Grow them in the cracks in the sidewalk
Wind the nanobots up
Wind them up and wish them away
The sun is rising in the wrong place
I would decorate the room but there's no more space
All I see is pictures of matchstick men
I turn my back for two minutes and they've grown again
Re-arranging beds
Eating what's available
In some hand-me-downs
Making do with leftovers
Bunking up, sharing comic books
Sitting three-deep on each other's laps
In a vat stacked up on other-thans
Driving on a tidal wave where they
(Grow the nanobots up)
Grow the nanobots up
(Grow them in the cracks in the sidewalk)
Grow them in the cracks in the sidewalk
Wind the nanobots up (wind the nanobots up)
Wind them up and wish them away
Raise the yellow bots up (raise the yellow bots up)
Raise them up and make them respect us
(Raise them up and make them respect us)
Wind the marching bots up (wind the nanobots up)
Wind them up and make them to send a signal
To the newborn citizenship
Of the micronations
Sleeper cells awaken now
This is your, this is your time
Grow the nanobots up
(Grow them in the cracks in the sidewalk)
Grow them in the cracks in the sidewalk
Wind the nanobots up (wind them up and ask them a question)
Wind them up and ask them a question
(Raise the yellow bots up)
Raise the yellow bots up
(Raise them up and make them respect us)
Raise them up and make them respect us
Wind the marching bots up (wind them up and wish them away)
Wind them up and wish them away
What with all the hullabaloo
We very nearly forgot about you
Now all the old troubles will soon be at an end
When all the neurons begin when we send the signal
To the newborn citizenship
Of the micronations
Sleeper cells awaken, now this is your time
Hear the voices calling to their confederates
See the tiny figures stretching their limbs
Stand back and watch them
Grow the nanobots up
Grow them in the cracks in the sidewalk
Wind the nanobots up
Wind them up and wish them away
The sun is rising in the wrong place
I would decorate the room but there's no more space
All I see is pictures of matchstick men
I turn my back for two minutes and they've grown again
Re-arranging beds
Eating what's available
In some hand-me-downs
Making do with leftovers
Bunking up, sharing comic books
Sitting three-deep on each other's laps
In a vat stacked up on other-thans
Driving on a tidal wave where they
(Grow the nanobots up)
Grow the nanobots up
(Grow them in the cracks in the sidewalk)
Grow them in the cracks in the sidewalk
Wind the nanobots up (wind the nanobots up)
Wind them up and wish them away
Raise the yellow bots up (raise the yellow bots up)
Raise them up and make them respect us
(Raise them up and make them respect us)
Wind the marching bots up (wind the nanobots up)
Wind them up and make them to send a signal
To the newborn citizenship
Of the micronations
Sleeper cells awaken now
This is your, this is your time
Lyrics submitted by JohnnyLurg, edited by ShadowCal
Nanobots Lyrics as written by John Linnell John Flansburgh
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Well, the official video really gives you the best clue about what they are saying. As artificial intelligence improves, we run the risk of it rebelling against us. This is also true of the youth of this world.