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.
Attention, attention, get down on the floor
Don't reach for your pockets, don't run for the door
Attention, attention, it's urgent, it's real
The cameras are rolling, the envelopes sealed
Attention attention
By the way did I mention
The stories I hear are the stories I tell
Like jumping over buildings and sneaking outa hell
Intention, retention, it's all in your head
That greedy little mistress, they tied in in your bed
Attention attention,
By the way did I mention
Nothing 'bout me is ordinary
My friends all say I'm going crazy
I don't hear a word that they say
'Cause the voices in my head are legendary
But I'll never tell 'em where the bodies are buried
Keeps them coming back every day
Oh no, oh no
They're just villains in my mind doin' time
Oh no, oh no
They're just matches burning holes in my soul
Attention attention 'cause this ain't a stunt
The judges are racist, the juries corrupt
The shelves are all empty but the seats are all filled
You're a shiny new penny, I'm a hundred Dollar bill
Attention attention,
By the way did I mention
Nothing 'bout me is ordinary
My friends all say I'm going crazy
I don't hear a word that they say
'Cause the voices in my head are legendary
But I'll never tell 'em where the bodies are buried
Keeps them coming back every day
Oh no, oh no
They're just villains in my mind doin' time
Oh no, oh no
They're just matches burning holes in my soul
Attention, attention
Attention, attention
They're just villains in my mind doin' time
Nothing 'bout me is ordinary
My friends all say I'm going crazy
I don't hear a word that they say
'Cause the voices in my head are legendary
But I'll never tell 'em where the bodies are buried
Keeps them coming back every day
Oh no, oh no
They're just villains in my mind doin' time
Oh no, oh no,
They're just matches burning holes in my soul
Oh no, oh no
They're just villains in my mind doin' time
Oh no, oh no,
They're just matches burning holes in my soul
Attention, attention
Attention, attention
Don't reach for your pockets, don't run for the door
Attention, attention, it's urgent, it's real
The cameras are rolling, the envelopes sealed
Attention attention
By the way did I mention
The stories I hear are the stories I tell
Like jumping over buildings and sneaking outa hell
Intention, retention, it's all in your head
That greedy little mistress, they tied in in your bed
Attention attention,
By the way did I mention
Nothing 'bout me is ordinary
My friends all say I'm going crazy
I don't hear a word that they say
'Cause the voices in my head are legendary
But I'll never tell 'em where the bodies are buried
Keeps them coming back every day
Oh no, oh no
They're just villains in my mind doin' time
Oh no, oh no
They're just matches burning holes in my soul
Attention attention 'cause this ain't a stunt
The judges are racist, the juries corrupt
The shelves are all empty but the seats are all filled
You're a shiny new penny, I'm a hundred Dollar bill
Attention attention,
By the way did I mention
Nothing 'bout me is ordinary
My friends all say I'm going crazy
I don't hear a word that they say
'Cause the voices in my head are legendary
But I'll never tell 'em where the bodies are buried
Keeps them coming back every day
Oh no, oh no
They're just villains in my mind doin' time
Oh no, oh no
They're just matches burning holes in my soul
Attention, attention
Attention, attention
They're just villains in my mind doin' time
Nothing 'bout me is ordinary
My friends all say I'm going crazy
I don't hear a word that they say
'Cause the voices in my head are legendary
But I'll never tell 'em where the bodies are buried
Keeps them coming back every day
Oh no, oh no
They're just villains in my mind doin' time
Oh no, oh no,
They're just matches burning holes in my soul
Oh no, oh no
They're just villains in my mind doin' time
Oh no, oh no,
They're just matches burning holes in my soul
Attention, attention
Attention, attention
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher, edited by kittylover91
Attention Attention Lyrics as written by Eric Bass Brent Smith
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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It's like your alter ego jumps into the room all of a sudden & starts messing you with you, pushing you around a little bit. Then you start going into the psychological part of the song. It's the other dimension of the individual & both sides are at odds.