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.
Day is night in New York City
Smoke, like water, runs inside
Steel idle trees to pity
Every living thing that's died
Gonna hitch a ride
Head for the other side
Leave it all behind
Never change my mind
Gonna sail away
Sun lights another day
Freedom on my mind
Carry me away for the last time
Oh yeah
Life is like the coldest winter
People freeze the tears I cry
Words of hail their minds are into
I've got to crack this ice and fly
Gonna hitch a ride
Head for the other side
Leave it all behind
Never change my mind
Gonna sail away
Sun lights another day
Freedom on my mind
Carry me away for the last time
Gonna hitch a ride
Head for the other side
Leave it all behind
Never change my mind
Gonna sail away
Sun lights another day
Freedom on my mind
Carry me away for the last time
Smoke, like water, runs inside
Steel idle trees to pity
Every living thing that's died
Gonna hitch a ride
Head for the other side
Leave it all behind
Never change my mind
Gonna sail away
Sun lights another day
Freedom on my mind
Carry me away for the last time
Oh yeah
Life is like the coldest winter
People freeze the tears I cry
Words of hail their minds are into
I've got to crack this ice and fly
Gonna hitch a ride
Head for the other side
Leave it all behind
Never change my mind
Gonna sail away
Sun lights another day
Freedom on my mind
Carry me away for the last time
Gonna hitch a ride
Head for the other side
Leave it all behind
Never change my mind
Gonna sail away
Sun lights another day
Freedom on my mind
Carry me away for the last time
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I love the intertwining guitar leads in the solo; the way the notes ebb and flow together - sometimes in unison then in counterpoint. It is such an illuminating song - I always see sun shining through melting snow and icicles gleaming with refracted sunlight in my mind's eye when this song plays.
I always heard it as "Worlds of hell their minds are into"...
It's an ode to the chimera of absolute freedom in traveling.
I once hitch hiked for almost 2 years...so often this song insinuated itself into my reveries on the road.
An all time favorite tune.
It's a gorgeous tune. Sadly, I know every word to every song on that album, so I have to remind myself NOT to sing along whenever listening to Boston. The last time I listened to this particular track while in high school, a group of us (males and females)were partying all day/evening at a friend's cabin on the lake. I remember it was just past dusk and I was sitting alone (for a few minutes) on the edge of the dock with my feet dangling in the water as I looked up at the stars that were forming in the sky. The song was playing inside the cabin, but I could hear it from the dock. It was an amazingly peaceful few minutes alone.
I like what you said here a lot, HappyNewYear.<br /> <br /> Boston will rock forever.