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.
Bad man, such a sad man
Was it ever enough
Will you ever find a new obsession
Was a bad man, like a blind man
So lost in the dark
Still searching for his own salvation
Bad man, different madman
You can never return
And you're never gonna find redemption now
Bad man, a bad man
Another madman
Oh, bad man, what's the reason why?
Oh, innocents always have to die
By your hand
No, I will never understand
Why these cowards bow to your demands
They're all victims of another bad man
Bad man, b-b-bad man
Bad man, b-b-bad man
Bad man
No, you didn't think that we were ready for war
And you questioned our determination
Take it bad, man
'Cause we're not with dealing with your shit anymore
You're about to have an education
Damn, man, got a bad man
Need to settle the score
There's no way that you can be forgiven now
Bad man, a bad man
A fucking madman
Oh, bad man, what's the reason why?
Oh, innocents always have to die
By your hand
No, I will never understand
Why these cowards bow to your demands
They're all victims of another bad man
Oh, bad man, what's the reason why?
Oh, innocents always have to die
By your hand
No, I will never understand
Why these cowards bow to your demands
They're all victims of another bad man
Bad man, what's the reason why?
Oh, innocents always have to die
By your hand
No, I will never understand
Why these cowards bow to your demands
They're at the mercy of another bad man
Bad man, b-b-bad man
Bad man, b-b-bad man
Forever at the mercy of another bad man
Was it ever enough
Will you ever find a new obsession
Was a bad man, like a blind man
So lost in the dark
Still searching for his own salvation
Bad man, different madman
You can never return
And you're never gonna find redemption now
Bad man, a bad man
Another madman
Oh, bad man, what's the reason why?
Oh, innocents always have to die
By your hand
No, I will never understand
Why these cowards bow to your demands
They're all victims of another bad man
Bad man, b-b-bad man
Bad man, b-b-bad man
Bad man
No, you didn't think that we were ready for war
And you questioned our determination
Take it bad, man
'Cause we're not with dealing with your shit anymore
You're about to have an education
Damn, man, got a bad man
Need to settle the score
There's no way that you can be forgiven now
Bad man, a bad man
A fucking madman
Oh, bad man, what's the reason why?
Oh, innocents always have to die
By your hand
No, I will never understand
Why these cowards bow to your demands
They're all victims of another bad man
Oh, bad man, what's the reason why?
Oh, innocents always have to die
By your hand
No, I will never understand
Why these cowards bow to your demands
They're all victims of another bad man
Bad man, what's the reason why?
Oh, innocents always have to die
By your hand
No, I will never understand
Why these cowards bow to your demands
They're at the mercy of another bad man
Bad man, b-b-bad man
Bad man, b-b-bad man
Forever at the mercy of another bad man
Lyrics submitted by EternalTearsOfSorrow
Bad Man Lyrics as written by Dan Donegan Andrew Fulk
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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n. The bands drummer Mike Wengren spoke about the lyrical inspiration for the song. He said: "It's not pointing fingers at [Russian president Vladimir] Putin directly, but it's heavily influenced by the situation that's going on over there in Ukraine. But it could used, though… I mean, there's a list — whether it's a personal list or it's a worldwide list, there's a long list of people that could fit that description right there.