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.
Once in a lifetime
(Once in a lifetime)
I wanna drink, wanna think, write a song about it
I wanna smoke, make a joke, try to hide the damage
I wanna drive this car right over the edge
Of every bad idea I didn't have yet
I look at you, look at me, feeling kinda tragic
Dazed and confused, hard to see where we lost the magic
I never meant to be hypocritical
This fucking crazy ride's left me cynical
And just like that
I know there's no turning back
We already made this bed
And I can't even sleep in it
Once in a lifetime, never the right time
Take it fast and kill me slow
Try to forget you, gotta pretend to
'Til I hit an all time low
Once in a lifetime, never the right time
To throw out everything we had
Try to forget you, gotta pretend to
I hope a heart only breaks this bad
Once in a lifetime
(Once in a lifetime)
I try to run, try to hide just forget about it
I tell myself every night I could live without it
I wanna say goodbye to the loneliness
But every time I do, I make another mess
And just like that
I know there's no looking back
We already made this bed
And I can't even sleep in it
Once in a lifetime, never the right time
Take it fast and kill me slow
Try to forget you, gotta pretend to
'Til I hit an all time low
Once in a lifetime, never the right time
To throw out everything we had
Try to forget you, gotta pretend to
I hope a heart only breaks this bad
Once in a lifetime
Once in a lifetime
Once in a lifetime
Once in a lifetime
And just like that
I know there's no turning back
We already made this bed
And I can't even sleep in it
Once in a lifetime, never the right time
Take it fast and kill me slow
Try to forget you, gotta pretend to
('Til I hit an all time low)
Once in a lifetime, never the right time
To throw out everything we had
Try to forget you, gotta pretend to
I hope a heart only breaks this bad
Once in a lifetime
Once in a lifetime (a heart only breaks this bad)
Once in a lifetime
Once in a lifetime
(Once in a lifetime)
I wanna drink, wanna think, write a song about it
I wanna smoke, make a joke, try to hide the damage
I wanna drive this car right over the edge
Of every bad idea I didn't have yet
I look at you, look at me, feeling kinda tragic
Dazed and confused, hard to see where we lost the magic
I never meant to be hypocritical
This fucking crazy ride's left me cynical
And just like that
I know there's no turning back
We already made this bed
And I can't even sleep in it
Once in a lifetime, never the right time
Take it fast and kill me slow
Try to forget you, gotta pretend to
'Til I hit an all time low
Once in a lifetime, never the right time
To throw out everything we had
Try to forget you, gotta pretend to
I hope a heart only breaks this bad
Once in a lifetime
(Once in a lifetime)
I try to run, try to hide just forget about it
I tell myself every night I could live without it
I wanna say goodbye to the loneliness
But every time I do, I make another mess
And just like that
I know there's no looking back
We already made this bed
And I can't even sleep in it
Once in a lifetime, never the right time
Take it fast and kill me slow
Try to forget you, gotta pretend to
'Til I hit an all time low
Once in a lifetime, never the right time
To throw out everything we had
Try to forget you, gotta pretend to
I hope a heart only breaks this bad
Once in a lifetime
Once in a lifetime
Once in a lifetime
Once in a lifetime
And just like that
I know there's no turning back
We already made this bed
And I can't even sleep in it
Once in a lifetime, never the right time
Take it fast and kill me slow
Try to forget you, gotta pretend to
('Til I hit an all time low)
Once in a lifetime, never the right time
To throw out everything we had
Try to forget you, gotta pretend to
I hope a heart only breaks this bad
Once in a lifetime
Once in a lifetime (a heart only breaks this bad)
Once in a lifetime
Once in a lifetime
Lyrics submitted by thoseguiltyeyes
Once In A Lifetime Lyrics as written by Andrew Goldstein Alexander Gaskarth
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Yes ! This is one of my favorite Talking Heads songs. The 80s rock.