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.
The boy with the thorn in his side
Behind the hatred there lies
A murderous desire for love
How can they look into my eyes
And still they don't believe me?
How can they hear me say those words
Still, they don't believe me?
And if they don't believe me now
Will they ever believe me?
And if they don't believe me now
Will they ever, they ever believe me?
The boy with the thorn in his side
Behind the hatred there lies
A plundering desire for l-l-love
How can they see the love in our eyes
And still they don't believe us?
And after all this time
They don't want to believe us
And if they don't believe us now
Will they ever believe us?
And when you want to live, how do you start?
Where do you go? Who do you need to know?
Behind the hatred there lies
A murderous desire for love
How can they look into my eyes
And still they don't believe me?
How can they hear me say those words
Still, they don't believe me?
And if they don't believe me now
Will they ever believe me?
And if they don't believe me now
Will they ever, they ever believe me?
The boy with the thorn in his side
Behind the hatred there lies
A plundering desire for l-l-love
How can they see the love in our eyes
And still they don't believe us?
And after all this time
They don't want to believe us
And if they don't believe us now
Will they ever believe us?
And when you want to live, how do you start?
Where do you go? Who do you need to know?
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery, edited by Mellow_Harsher
The Boy With the Thorn In His Side Lyrics as written by Johnny Marr Steven Morrissey
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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This is truly my favorite song, simply for the fact that it's really obliquely about doing your weekly shopping