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.
Blinded, gagged and bound by confirmation
On this premise we iterate a lie
Why? Will stay unasked
They know, we know
It doesn't matter
Barren hollow words
No information
We're led to believe
In self-applied deceit
This trope of ignorance, disinformation
Made to confuse
To light the shortened fuse
Wading through the rubble of ideologies
Cherry picking madness
To the gospel of suckers
Sustenance for the greatest of ideas
Life is a machine, it will cater to me
Bow, serve, comply
Bared teeth, the lesson is complete
The stench of strange raw meat
Draw acolytes to feast
Rotting thoughts the treat
So who came up with your ideas?
Before, you spat them out like they were yours
Play the pawn
Knowing where hope lies
Where it goes to die
On this premise we iterate a lie
Why? Will stay unasked
They know, we know
It doesn't matter
Barren hollow words
No information
We're led to believe
In self-applied deceit
This trope of ignorance, disinformation
Made to confuse
To light the shortened fuse
Wading through the rubble of ideologies
Cherry picking madness
To the gospel of suckers
Sustenance for the greatest of ideas
Life is a machine, it will cater to me
Bow, serve, comply
Bared teeth, the lesson is complete
The stench of strange raw meat
Draw acolytes to feast
Rotting thoughts the treat
So who came up with your ideas?
Before, you spat them out like they were yours
Play the pawn
Knowing where hope lies
Where it goes to die
Lyrics submitted by EternalTearsOfSorrow
Light the Shortening Fuse Lyrics as written by Marten Hans Hagstrom Tomas Nils Haake
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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!
This seems to be about people being led like sheep to the slaughter & never questioning nor challenging their leader - just blindly going along.