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.
Where have all the virgins gone?
They left me here with nothing on
They tore my skin when they took my clothes
Left me here with broken bones
Dead eyes and the sweat and blood
Face down in the dirt and the dust
With nothing left of what was me
But praise the lord because he set me free
[Chorus]
Your paradise does not exist
It's a tomb that's full of emptiness
But if there is a paradise, hidden in the sky
I hope you never get to see it when you die
I am nothing but some scattered parts
A holy mess without a heart
All meat and bones and shredded skin
A shrapnel prayer in an IED
Suffocate in an empty tomb
And let the wolves in just to lick the wounds
And all the diamonds and all the gold
When I touched them they just turned to smoke
[Chorus]
Your paradise does not exist
It's a tomb that's full of emptiness
But if there is a paradise, hidden in the sky
I hope you never get to see it when you die
When you die
When you die
When you die
You coward fucking scum
Your paradise does not exist
It's a tomb that's full of emptiness
But if there is a paradise, hidden in the sky
I hope you never get to see it when you die
Your paradise does not exist
It's a tomb that's full of emptiness
And if there is a paradise, hidden in the sky
I hope you never get to see it when you die
When we stand before the gates
We'll see the shadows of swords wake
They left me here with nothing on
They tore my skin when they took my clothes
Left me here with broken bones
Dead eyes and the sweat and blood
Face down in the dirt and the dust
With nothing left of what was me
But praise the lord because he set me free
[Chorus]
Your paradise does not exist
It's a tomb that's full of emptiness
But if there is a paradise, hidden in the sky
I hope you never get to see it when you die
I am nothing but some scattered parts
A holy mess without a heart
All meat and bones and shredded skin
A shrapnel prayer in an IED
Suffocate in an empty tomb
And let the wolves in just to lick the wounds
And all the diamonds and all the gold
When I touched them they just turned to smoke
[Chorus]
Your paradise does not exist
It's a tomb that's full of emptiness
But if there is a paradise, hidden in the sky
I hope you never get to see it when you die
When you die
When you die
When you die
You coward fucking scum
Your paradise does not exist
It's a tomb that's full of emptiness
But if there is a paradise, hidden in the sky
I hope you never get to see it when you die
Your paradise does not exist
It's a tomb that's full of emptiness
And if there is a paradise, hidden in the sky
I hope you never get to see it when you die
When we stand before the gates
We'll see the shadows of swords wake
Lyrics submitted by sokorny
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
Frank said in an interview with Clash Music:
"This song is about suicide bombers and how they are all fucking scum. When we play this song my head is full of blood and rage and everything that is wrong with the world. I see beheadings and mass graves and orange boiler suits and people thrown from towers or stoned to death or set on fire or being shot to death hiding in a classroom or in a church or an office. And It makes me hate people."
clashmusic.com/features/premiere-frank-carter-the-rattlesnakes-rotten-ep