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.
I'm the one you betrayed
Suffocate on the fame
Life eternal spent conjuring your ghost
Here in death, I agree
With the selfish and free
Trust is nothing but a knife across your throat
The end is coming for us
We've had enough
So get your hands (hands!) up (up!)
Pray for the holy ones
Your words are more than enough
To break the walls for the flood
Hands (hands!) up (up!)
Pray to the skies above
Your fear is left in the dust
We are the saints of the blood
In my circle of shame
Hero only in name
More like Judas left dead beneath the cross
Every night we obey
Justice has to be paid
To the evil that comes from all the cost
The end is coming for us
We've had enough
So get your hands (hands!) up (up!)
Pray for the holy ones
Your words are more than enough
To break the walls for the flood
Hands (hands!) up (up!)
Pray to the skies above
Your fear is left in the dust
We are the saints of the blood
(Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh)
We are the saints of the blood
(Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh)
We are the saints of the blood
(We are, we are
We are, we are
We are, we are)
We are the saints of the blood
(We are, we are
We are, we are
We are, we are)
The saints of the blood
The end is coming for us
We've had enough
So get your hands (hands!) up (up!)
Pray for the holy ones
Your words are more than enough
To break the walls for the flood
Hands (hands!) up (up!)
Pray to the skies above
Your fear is left in the dust
We are the saints of the blood
(Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh)
We are the saints of the blood
(Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh)
We are the saints of the blood
Suffocate on the fame
Life eternal spent conjuring your ghost
Here in death, I agree
With the selfish and free
Trust is nothing but a knife across your throat
The end is coming for us
We've had enough
So get your hands (hands!) up (up!)
Pray for the holy ones
Your words are more than enough
To break the walls for the flood
Hands (hands!) up (up!)
Pray to the skies above
Your fear is left in the dust
We are the saints of the blood
In my circle of shame
Hero only in name
More like Judas left dead beneath the cross
Every night we obey
Justice has to be paid
To the evil that comes from all the cost
The end is coming for us
We've had enough
So get your hands (hands!) up (up!)
Pray for the holy ones
Your words are more than enough
To break the walls for the flood
Hands (hands!) up (up!)
Pray to the skies above
Your fear is left in the dust
We are the saints of the blood
(Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh)
We are the saints of the blood
(Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh)
We are the saints of the blood
(We are, we are
We are, we are
We are, we are)
We are the saints of the blood
(We are, we are
We are, we are
We are, we are)
The saints of the blood
The end is coming for us
We've had enough
So get your hands (hands!) up (up!)
Pray for the holy ones
Your words are more than enough
To break the walls for the flood
Hands (hands!) up (up!)
Pray to the skies above
Your fear is left in the dust
We are the saints of the blood
(Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh)
We are the saints of the blood
(Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh)
We are the saints of the blood
Lyrics submitted by EternalTearsOfSorrow
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I think this songs saying that we here on earth are enough to break down barriers of fear/ evil & be the true saints this world needs (and not just in name, as some have been).