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.
If you must wait,
Wait for them here in my arms as I shake
If you must weep,
Do it right here in my bed as I sleep
If you must mourn, my love
Mourn with the moon and the stars up above
If you must mourn,
Don't do it alone
If you must leave,
Leave as though fire burns under your feet
If you must speak,
Speak every word as though it were unique
If you must die, sweetheart
Die knowing your life was my life's best part
If you must die,
Remember your life
You are
You are
Oh, you are
You are
Oh
If you must fight,
Fight with yourself and your thoughts in the night
If you must work,
Work to leave some part of you on this earth
If you must live, darling one,
Just live
Just live
Just live
Wait for them here in my arms as I shake
If you must weep,
Do it right here in my bed as I sleep
If you must mourn, my love
Mourn with the moon and the stars up above
If you must mourn,
Don't do it alone
If you must leave,
Leave as though fire burns under your feet
If you must speak,
Speak every word as though it were unique
If you must die, sweetheart
Die knowing your life was my life's best part
If you must die,
Remember your life
You are
You are
Oh, you are
You are
Oh
If you must fight,
Fight with yourself and your thoughts in the night
If you must work,
Work to leave some part of you on this earth
If you must live, darling one,
Just live
Just live
Just live
Lyrics submitted by vice, edited by arhys, namadok, wecametodance, jupiter001
You Lyrics as written by Keaton Leslie Henson
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
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If you must wait, Wait for them here in my arms as I shake If you must weep, Do it right here in my arms as I sleep If you must mourn my love, Mourn with the moon and the stars up above
If you must mourn, Don't do it alone
If you must leave, Leave as though fire burns under your feet If you must speak, Speak every word as though it were unique If you must die sweetheart, Die knowing your life was my life's best part
If you must die, Remember your life
You are, you are
If you must fight, Fight with yourself and your thoughts in the night If you must work, Work to leave some part of you on this earth If you must live darling one, Just live