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.
Suzanne takes you down to a place by the river
You can hear the boats go by
You can spend the night forever
And you know that she's half crazy
That's why you want to be there
And she feeds you tea and oranges
That come all the way from China
And just when you want to tell her
That you have no love to give her
Then she gets you on her wavelength
And lets the river answer
That you've always been her lover
And you want to travel with her
And you want to travel blind
And you think you maybe trust her
For she's touched your perfect body with her mind
And Jesus was a sailor
When he walked upon the water
And he stood a long time watching
From a lonely wooden tower
And when he knew for certain
Only drowning men could see him
He said "All men shall be sailors then
Until the sea shall free them"
But he himself was broken
Long before the sky could open
Forsaken, almost human
He sank beneath your wisdom like a stone
And you want to travel with him
And you want to travel blind
And you think you'll maybe trust him
For he's touched your perfect body with his mind
Suzanne takes you down
To a place by the river
You can hear the boats go by
You could spend the night forever
And the sun pours down like honey
On our lady of the harbour
And she shows you where to look
Beneath the garbage and the flowers
There are heroes in the seaweed
And children in the morning
They are looking out for love
They will look that way forever
While Suzanne holds the mirror
And you want to travel with her
And you want to travel blind
And you think maybe you trust her
For she's touched your perfect body with her mind
You can hear the boats go by
You can spend the night forever
And you know that she's half crazy
That's why you want to be there
And she feeds you tea and oranges
That come all the way from China
And just when you want to tell her
That you have no love to give her
Then she gets you on her wavelength
And lets the river answer
That you've always been her lover
And you want to travel with her
And you want to travel blind
And you think you maybe trust her
For she's touched your perfect body with her mind
And Jesus was a sailor
When he walked upon the water
And he stood a long time watching
From a lonely wooden tower
And when he knew for certain
Only drowning men could see him
He said "All men shall be sailors then
Until the sea shall free them"
But he himself was broken
Long before the sky could open
Forsaken, almost human
He sank beneath your wisdom like a stone
And you want to travel with him
And you want to travel blind
And you think you'll maybe trust him
For he's touched your perfect body with his mind
Suzanne takes you down
To a place by the river
You can hear the boats go by
You could spend the night forever
And the sun pours down like honey
On our lady of the harbour
And she shows you where to look
Beneath the garbage and the flowers
There are heroes in the seaweed
And children in the morning
They are looking out for love
They will look that way forever
While Suzanne holds the mirror
And you want to travel with her
And you want to travel blind
And you think maybe you trust her
For she's touched your perfect body with her mind
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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Great lyrics . . .but they are by Leonard Cohen. And Judy Collins covered it beautifully before Denver did.