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.
We’re running out of space
But falling into place
The cracks we fill no fault of ours
Although we take the blame
Did you think that you could take
The bend and then the break
With promises of gold you claimed
Were fiction yesterday?
Do you feel alive?
Don’t go outside
Hold your breath;
This could be the end
We’re running blind
On borrowed time
Tell me my friend;
Do you fear death?
The choices you made were only
Protecting your riches
Ignoring the signs
You buried your heads in the sand
But when this is over and we
Find gaps in the stitches
Let it be known you’ve got
Blood on your hands
Do you feel alive?
Don’t go outside
Hold your breath;
This could be the end
We’re running blind
On borrowed time
Tell me my friend;
Do you fear death?
But falling into place
The cracks we fill no fault of ours
Although we take the blame
Did you think that you could take
The bend and then the break
With promises of gold you claimed
Were fiction yesterday?
Do you feel alive?
Don’t go outside
Hold your breath;
This could be the end
We’re running blind
On borrowed time
Tell me my friend;
Do you fear death?
The choices you made were only
Protecting your riches
Ignoring the signs
You buried your heads in the sand
But when this is over and we
Find gaps in the stitches
Let it be known you’ve got
Blood on your hands
Do you feel alive?
Don’t go outside
Hold your breath;
This could be the end
We’re running blind
On borrowed time
Tell me my friend;
Do you fear death?
Lyrics submitted by EternalTearsOfSorrow
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
I think this is about not owning up to one's past discrepancies. Furthermore it outlines how those who hide behind their lies & betrayals and think that they'll never have them come back around to punish them some day are simply existing in a fantasy world.