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.
'Cause he gets up in the morning
And he goes to work at nine
And he comes back home at five-thirty
Gets the same train every time
'Cause his world is built 'round punctuality
It never fails
And he's oh, so good
And he's oh, so fine
And he's oh, so healthy
In his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively
And his mother goes to meetings
While his father pulls the maid
And she stirs the tea with councilors
While discussing foreign trade
And she passes looks, as well as bills
At every suave young man
'Cause he's oh, so good
And he's oh, so fine
And he's oh, so healthy
In his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively
And he likes his own backyard
And he likes his fags the best
'Cause he's better than the rest
And his own sweat smells the best
And he hopes to grab his father's loot
When pater passes on
'Cause he's oh, so good
And he's oh, so fine
And he's oh, so healthy
In his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively
And he plays the stocks and shares
And he goes to the regatta
He adores the girl next door
'Cause he's dying to get at her
But his mother knows the best about
The matrimonial stakes
'Cause he's oh, so good
And he's oh, so fine
And he's oh, so healthy
In his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively
And he goes to work at nine
And he comes back home at five-thirty
Gets the same train every time
'Cause his world is built 'round punctuality
It never fails
And he's oh, so good
And he's oh, so fine
And he's oh, so healthy
In his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively
And his mother goes to meetings
While his father pulls the maid
And she stirs the tea with councilors
While discussing foreign trade
And she passes looks, as well as bills
At every suave young man
'Cause he's oh, so good
And he's oh, so fine
And he's oh, so healthy
In his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively
And he likes his own backyard
And he likes his fags the best
'Cause he's better than the rest
And his own sweat smells the best
And he hopes to grab his father's loot
When pater passes on
'Cause he's oh, so good
And he's oh, so fine
And he's oh, so healthy
In his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively
And he plays the stocks and shares
And he goes to the regatta
He adores the girl next door
'Cause he's dying to get at her
But his mother knows the best about
The matrimonial stakes
'Cause he's oh, so good
And he's oh, so fine
And he's oh, so healthy
In his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively
Lyrics submitted by magicnudiesuit
A Well Respected Man Lyrics as written by Ray Davies
Lyrics © BROADWAY MUSIC CORPORATION, Kassner Associated Publishers Ltd
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The Kinks were the only ones really doing any social commentary stuff in England in the 60s, or certainly no-one else was doing it as good as this. Kinda similar in lyrical content, though not style, as 'Plastic Man'.
I totally disagree with your point that this song was used for a different effect in Juno.<br /> <br /> This song is played when Bleeker is preparing for his morning run, and not only do the lyrics that you hear fit in with him, so does the rest of the song.<br /> <br /> I think libertine_17 summed up the song pretty accurately; a man who has been brought up "respectably" and is expected to fit into the slot that society has fitted him in. However, his family hides secrets just as any family does, and at closer inspection his life isn't as perfect as it may seem.<br /> <br /> In the film there is a moment when Juno says to Bleeker "you're, like, the coolest person I've ever met, and you don't even have to try, you know..."<br /> Bleeker replies "I try really hard, actually"<br /> <br /> The line in the song "'Cause he's dying to get at her" fits in with the film quote, because it shows how Bleeker has these feelings he hides from everybody else.<br /> <br /> I think the people who chose the music to Juno did a fantastic job, as not only does it all keep to a similar style, all the lyrics fit in really well for all the different characters and scenes for which they are played :)<br />