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.
I've had enough of this evil day
Cause you don't listen to a word I say
You just tell me that I'm gonna feel better
When my head gets buried in your sweater
I saved the butt from your cigar
I smoked it with the Queen of Myanmar
Ramadan riot and the screams awoke us
You and your sister put my fuck in focus
Monkey hangers got shit to give
But even monkey hangers have a place to live now
A little town on the seaside
I got the why and the whatnot friend
But you forgot to let me know when
Unnatural beauty wins again
Her heart races when you open the door
And you remind her what a lock is for
Take all the credit where credit is due
I take all the credit give none to you
You said one, two, ready, let's go
We're gonna go drinking where the amoral tits go
Big red, she's a big, big bird
Finding life here would be most absurd
Money hangers are kids to me
But even monkey hangers have a place to be
A little town in Teesside
You're making noise like a hungry cat
Without a clue where the rubbish is at
Unnatural beauty does that
Monkey town
Monkey town
Monkey town
Should of let that monkey drown
Monkey town
Monkey town
Should of let that monkey drown
Monkey town
Monkey town
Should of let that monkey drown
Monkey town
Monkey town
Should of let that monkey drown
Monkey town
Cause you don't listen to a word I say
You just tell me that I'm gonna feel better
When my head gets buried in your sweater
I saved the butt from your cigar
I smoked it with the Queen of Myanmar
Ramadan riot and the screams awoke us
You and your sister put my fuck in focus
Monkey hangers got shit to give
But even monkey hangers have a place to live now
A little town on the seaside
I got the why and the whatnot friend
But you forgot to let me know when
Unnatural beauty wins again
Her heart races when you open the door
And you remind her what a lock is for
Take all the credit where credit is due
I take all the credit give none to you
You said one, two, ready, let's go
We're gonna go drinking where the amoral tits go
Big red, she's a big, big bird
Finding life here would be most absurd
Money hangers are kids to me
But even monkey hangers have a place to be
A little town in Teesside
You're making noise like a hungry cat
Without a clue where the rubbish is at
Unnatural beauty does that
Monkey town
Monkey town
Monkey town
Should of let that monkey drown
Monkey town
Monkey town
Should of let that monkey drown
Monkey town
Monkey town
Should of let that monkey drown
Monkey town
Monkey town
Should of let that monkey drown
Monkey town
Lyrics submitted by hornytheclown
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Reference:
Monkey hanger: slang term for a resident of Hartlepool, England (a seaside town). The term comes from a legend about a monkey that washed up on the shore of Hartlepool of a French warship, that was hung for treason.
Teesside: a college/town (I think, not British) that is south of Hartlepool
Ramadan riots: Riots a couple of years ago in London during Ramadan