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.
Skin and bones, you never did come home
Crashing on my heart through the telephone
I remember the tall grass waving
In past lives, old poems
I must have lived a lifetime without you
You must've ended up somebody's angel
I remember you loving the radio
New waves, and old stones
Hey, hey little Tommy gun
I guess we're never gonna end up the lucky ones
If I never see you again
Have a round on me love, hallelujah, nobody wins
The queen is gone, she died from a sad song
I lost most of myself pleasing everyone
I had to learn how to begin again
It's alright, move on
Hey, hey little Tommy gun
I guess we're never gonna end up the lucky ones
If I never see you again
Have a round on me love, hallelujah, nobody wins
(Hallelujah) but have a round on your friend
(Hallelujah) if I never see you again
(Hallelujah) have a round on your friend
And hey, hey little Tommy gun
I guess we're never gonna end up the lucky ones
And if I never see you again
Have a round on me love, hallelujah
And hey, hey pretty baby
I still remember you driving me crazy
And if I never see you again
Have a round on me love, hallelujah, nobody wins
(Hallelujah) and nobody wins
(Hallelujah) and nobody wins
(Hallelujah) if I never see you again
(Hallelujah) you can blame it on the wind
Crashing on my heart through the telephone
I remember the tall grass waving
In past lives, old poems
I must have lived a lifetime without you
You must've ended up somebody's angel
I remember you loving the radio
New waves, and old stones
Hey, hey little Tommy gun
I guess we're never gonna end up the lucky ones
If I never see you again
Have a round on me love, hallelujah, nobody wins
The queen is gone, she died from a sad song
I lost most of myself pleasing everyone
I had to learn how to begin again
It's alright, move on
Hey, hey little Tommy gun
I guess we're never gonna end up the lucky ones
If I never see you again
Have a round on me love, hallelujah, nobody wins
(Hallelujah) but have a round on your friend
(Hallelujah) if I never see you again
(Hallelujah) have a round on your friend
And hey, hey little Tommy gun
I guess we're never gonna end up the lucky ones
And if I never see you again
Have a round on me love, hallelujah
And hey, hey pretty baby
I still remember you driving me crazy
And if I never see you again
Have a round on me love, hallelujah, nobody wins
(Hallelujah) and nobody wins
(Hallelujah) and nobody wins
(Hallelujah) if I never see you again
(Hallelujah) you can blame it on the wind
Nobody Wins Lyrics as written by Butch Walker Brian Fallon
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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Fallon sticks to the theme of his album in Painkillers with this one. Unlike Honey Magnolia, in this song he just tells it plain and simple in his usual poetic lyrics that Nobody Wins when the relationship falls out.