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.
There's a million fucking reasons that you got it bad
But everybody's leaving in a body bag, go
Save your problems for somebody else who gives a damn
'Cause you won't find me waiting on your promised land, no
Oh, you think you've got it bad?
I'm telling you to bite down and face it
You're never gonna do much or change shit
When all you say is "Fuck that and fuck this"
Don't let them save you from yourself
Lights out, embrace it
Your heart is beating faster, it's racing
So you go on and on and on and on
Oh my god, just shut your fucking mouth
Bring it down
Only one of us gets through
Two in, one out, and it's not you
Run for your life
There's nothing you can do
Necks snap when I show up
I say one word and it blows up
Run for your life
I'm taking what's mine and your time has come
I'm telling you to bite down and face it
You're never gonna do much or change shit
When all you say is "Fuck that and fuck this"
Don't let them save you from yourself
Lights out, embrace it
Your heart is beating faster, it's racing
So you go on and on and on and on
Oh my god, just shut your fucking mouth
There'll be no second coming
There'll be no lessons learned
All hail the king of nothing
Behold your empire of dirt, fuck
Behold your empire of dirt
So tell me what it's like at the bottom
Bodies stackin' up and you're soon to be forgotten
I gave you what you wanted, got the whole world watching
Just to see me drive the last nail in the coffin, yeah (all hail)
There'll be no second coming (all hail)
All hail the king of nothing
You think you've got it bad?
Well, you're leaving in a body bag
I'm telling you to bite down and face it
You're never gonna do much or change shit
When all you say is "Fuck that and fuck this"
Don't let them save you from yourself
Lights out, embrace it
Your heart is beating faster, it's racing
So you go on and on and on and on
Oh my god, just shut your fucking mouth
There's a million fucking reasons that you got it bad
But everybody's leaving in a body bag
But everybody's leaving in a body bag, go
Save your problems for somebody else who gives a damn
'Cause you won't find me waiting on your promised land, no
Oh, you think you've got it bad?
I'm telling you to bite down and face it
You're never gonna do much or change shit
When all you say is "Fuck that and fuck this"
Don't let them save you from yourself
Lights out, embrace it
Your heart is beating faster, it's racing
So you go on and on and on and on
Oh my god, just shut your fucking mouth
Bring it down
Only one of us gets through
Two in, one out, and it's not you
Run for your life
There's nothing you can do
Necks snap when I show up
I say one word and it blows up
Run for your life
I'm taking what's mine and your time has come
I'm telling you to bite down and face it
You're never gonna do much or change shit
When all you say is "Fuck that and fuck this"
Don't let them save you from yourself
Lights out, embrace it
Your heart is beating faster, it's racing
So you go on and on and on and on
Oh my god, just shut your fucking mouth
There'll be no second coming
There'll be no lessons learned
All hail the king of nothing
Behold your empire of dirt, fuck
Behold your empire of dirt
So tell me what it's like at the bottom
Bodies stackin' up and you're soon to be forgotten
I gave you what you wanted, got the whole world watching
Just to see me drive the last nail in the coffin, yeah (all hail)
There'll be no second coming (all hail)
All hail the king of nothing
You think you've got it bad?
Well, you're leaving in a body bag
I'm telling you to bite down and face it
You're never gonna do much or change shit
When all you say is "Fuck that and fuck this"
Don't let them save you from yourself
Lights out, embrace it
Your heart is beating faster, it's racing
So you go on and on and on and on
Oh my god, just shut your fucking mouth
There's a million fucking reasons that you got it bad
But everybody's leaving in a body bag
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Vocalist Eric Vanlerberghe’s heavy hitting verses are contrasted by co-vocalist Brian Burkheiser’s lightweight vocals in a way that expresses the emotional disconnection from someone.