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 keep swinging my hand through a swarm of bees 'cause I
I want honey on my table
I keep swinging my hand through a swarm of bees 'cause I
I want honey on my table
But I never get it right
No, I never get it right
I keep swinging my hand through a swarm of bees
I can't understand why they're stinging me
But I'll do what I want
I'll do what I please
I'll do it again till I've got what I need
I'll rip and smash through the hornet's nest
Do you understand I deserve the best?
Till you do what I want
I'll do what I please
I'll do it again till I've got what I need
I try to stick this pin through a butterfly 'cause I
I like all the pretty colors
It just fell apart, so I flung it in the fire
To burn with all the others
'Cause I never get it right
No, I never get it right
I keep swinging my hand through a swarm of bees
I can't understand why they're stinging me
But I'll do what I want
I'll do what I please
I'll do it again till I've got what I need
I'll rip and smash through the hornet's nest
Do you understand I deserve the best?
Till you do what I want
I'll do what I please
I'll do it again till I've got what I need
This time, I'll get it right
This time, I'll get it right
It's gonna be this time, I'll get it right
God, let it be this time I get it right
So I'm cutting that branch off the cherry tree
Singing, "This will be my victory,"
Then I see them coming after me
And they're following me across the sea
And now they're stinging my friends and my family
And I don't know why this is happening
But I'll do what I want
I'll do what I please
I'll do it again till I've got what I need
I keep swinging my hand through a swarm of bees 'cause I
I want honey on my table
I want honey on my table
I keep swinging my hand through a swarm of bees 'cause I
I want honey on my table
But I never get it right
No, I never get it right
I keep swinging my hand through a swarm of bees
I can't understand why they're stinging me
But I'll do what I want
I'll do what I please
I'll do it again till I've got what I need
I'll rip and smash through the hornet's nest
Do you understand I deserve the best?
Till you do what I want
I'll do what I please
I'll do it again till I've got what I need
I try to stick this pin through a butterfly 'cause I
I like all the pretty colors
It just fell apart, so I flung it in the fire
To burn with all the others
'Cause I never get it right
No, I never get it right
I keep swinging my hand through a swarm of bees
I can't understand why they're stinging me
But I'll do what I want
I'll do what I please
I'll do it again till I've got what I need
I'll rip and smash through the hornet's nest
Do you understand I deserve the best?
Till you do what I want
I'll do what I please
I'll do it again till I've got what I need
This time, I'll get it right
This time, I'll get it right
It's gonna be this time, I'll get it right
God, let it be this time I get it right
So I'm cutting that branch off the cherry tree
Singing, "This will be my victory,"
Then I see them coming after me
And they're following me across the sea
And now they're stinging my friends and my family
And I don't know why this is happening
But I'll do what I want
I'll do what I please
I'll do it again till I've got what I need
I keep swinging my hand through a swarm of bees 'cause I
I want honey on my table
Lyrics submitted by Thricetones
Black Honey Lyrics as written by Edward Carrington Breckenridge Dustin Michael Kensrue
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is not hard to figure out, but that doesn't subtract from the painful truth the song carries. He's talking about the United States going to war in the Middle East for personal gain (oil is black honey) and the effects that it has on us. We keep getting stung each time we go to someone else's country and destroy people's homes and lives while our government pretends to be waging war for our safety. If you don't want to get stung, don't swing your hand through the swarm of bees. It also references the greed and selfishness of American culture "do what I want, do what please, I'll do it again till I got what I need", and "do you understand I deserve the best". The swarm following us home across the sea is a reference to sleeper cells and domestic terrorism in western countries: San Bernardino, Paris, Brussels, etc. ISIS is just the newest swarm we have created ourselves and are following us home to "sting" our friends and family. The butterfly part is interesting in that it seems to be reflecting on our wastefulness and carelessness in destroying things over and over and not learning the result of our actions (threw it in the fire to burn with all the others). The part he repeats "but I never get it right" and then "this time I'll get it right" parallels this. We keep going to war, to reap death and destruction, while a select few profit, and then blame the "bees" for stinging us. We are doomed to do this over and over until we realize the result of our actions.
@Fr1dge Absolutely just shared this comment on Facebook. This is the most beautiful description of what this song is about I could ever imagine. It's so simple, but extremely powerful.
@Fr1dge I shared your meaning as well. Thanks for your incite! I am an idealist. The only way we would ever face the future of mankind, and into the space race is to swallow our pride and live as one people!!! I'm speaking globally. Great interpretation!!!
@Fr1dge <br /> Very interesting interpretation. Just goes to show how a song can lyrically mold itself depending on the listener. I have to disagree considering Thrice and Dustin's Christian background. I'm always looking for a biblical reference in most Thrice songs considering that they are in fact a Christian band (lots and lots of biblical verses hidden in Thrice songs). To me the song is talking about chasing sinful pleasure and continually getting stung by its consequences. However I can understand your perspective and in all honesty the song does fit your interpretation lyrically. It could most definitely be a hidden undertone but considering the band's background, it definitely isn't what the song says to me. Either way, the beauty of music is that it speaks to each of us individually. God bless!
@Fr1dge I agree with you. Especially towards the end when the lyrics say they come after the friends and family. I envisioned terrorist attacks.
@Fr1dge I think it's a bit of a stretch to say this song is about America's oil grab in the middle east. But great that you can interpret it as such. But I believe the song is pretty blunt that it's about heroin addiction considering the huge heroin crisis here in the U.S. And that a lot of users shoot up through their hands and after a while their hands looks like they have been swarmed by bees or yellow jackets. I have seen this first hand and the song accurately portrays addict mentality and how it destroys peoples lives. And just how hard it is to get away from it and start a new, but yeah anyways this song is about heroin abuse.