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.
I think I know the answer
I stumbled on and all the world fell down
And all the sky went silent
Cracked like glass and slowly
Tumbled to the ground
They all say if you look hard
You'll find your way back home
Born without a friend
And bound to die alone
I'm thinking of your highness
And crying long upon the loss
I've found
And on the plus and minus
zero chance of ever
Turning this around
Why doesn't anyone believe
In loneliness
Stand up and everyone will see
Your holiness
They say if you look hard
You'll find your way back home
Born without a friend
And bound to die alone
I stumbled on and all the world fell down
And all the sky went silent
Cracked like glass and slowly
Tumbled to the ground
They all say if you look hard
You'll find your way back home
Born without a friend
And bound to die alone
I'm thinking of your highness
And crying long upon the loss
I've found
And on the plus and minus
zero chance of ever
Turning this around
Why doesn't anyone believe
In loneliness
Stand up and everyone will see
Your holiness
They say if you look hard
You'll find your way back home
Born without a friend
And bound to die alone
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For me, this song serves as a cautionary tale for how the majority of society contends with the emotional and mental suffering of other individuals. Especially in western culture, we are taught to “pull ourselves up by our bootstraps”, or “look hard [and] find our way back home” as the lyrics state. This insinuates that there is a one-size-fits-all remedy to any type of suffering - to just try harder ourselves - and that we are expected to find & have all of answers ourselves. However, that token piece of advice often does little to return a person from despair. The ineffective nature of that advice is shown in this line: “born without a friend, and bound to die alone”. ‘Zero Chance’ does a remarkable job of conveying despair & isolation. When examined, it shows us the importance of sincerity when checking up on our friends. Check up on someone you love today, not to fulfill the status quo, but from the most sincere place in your heart. We all know what it is like to suffer, so let us do what we can to help someone find their way home once again.