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.
Take this roof away from me
I’m staying here till something picks me up
Call the boy we used to see
Running wild until he had to stop
Ghosts were rising high in the air
They’ve been hiding for so long
All these frightened eyes you have spared
They’ve been scared all along
Take this sertraline relief
I’m down but I have fled the enemy
Shake some prosperous belief
We’ll steer towards its immortality
Boy, believe me
Boy, believe me
Ghosts were rising high in the air
They’ve been hiding for so long
All these frightened eyes you have spared
They’ve been scared all along
Ghosts were rising high in the air
They’ve been hiding for so long
All these frightened eyes you have spared
They’ve been scared all along
Ghosts were rising high in the air..
Ghosts were rising high in the air…
I’m staying here till something picks me up
Call the boy we used to see
Running wild until he had to stop
Ghosts were rising high in the air
They’ve been hiding for so long
All these frightened eyes you have spared
They’ve been scared all along
Take this sertraline relief
I’m down but I have fled the enemy
Shake some prosperous belief
We’ll steer towards its immortality
Boy, believe me
Boy, believe me
Ghosts were rising high in the air
They’ve been hiding for so long
All these frightened eyes you have spared
They’ve been scared all along
Ghosts were rising high in the air
They’ve been hiding for so long
All these frightened eyes you have spared
They’ve been scared all along
Ghosts were rising high in the air..
Ghosts were rising high in the air…
Lyrics submitted by EternalTearsOfSorrow
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This song is about shrugging off the burden (or ghosts) of depression that haunt a lot of us & learning to really live again. The depression/anxiety medication 'sertraline' is even mentioned in the lyrics.