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.
Took a friend I found across some blood red river
Never did find my way home in time to forgive her
Why must people always want what they can't have?
Why must people always grab what they'd never grasp?
How did we get so far?
How do we move so fast away
From the lilac-lilied lake
I'm sure we used to stay?
Is it only a dream away?
Took a raft I found across some blood red river
Never did find my way home in time for my dinner
Why must people always want what they never have?
Why is it a crime to miss a part of you that's bled?
How did we get so far?
How do we move so fast away
From the lilac-lilied lake?
I'm sure we used to stay
Is it only a dream away?
Only a dream away, away
Lost a friend I found down some blood red river
Never did find my way home in time to forget her
Why must people always want what they can't have?
Why must people always take but forget to ask?
How do we get so far?
How do we move so fast away
From the lilac-lilied lake
Where I'm told we used to play
Is it only a dream away?
Only a dream, only a dream away, away
Never did find my way home in time to forgive her
Why must people always want what they can't have?
Why must people always grab what they'd never grasp?
How did we get so far?
How do we move so fast away
From the lilac-lilied lake
I'm sure we used to stay?
Is it only a dream away?
Took a raft I found across some blood red river
Never did find my way home in time for my dinner
Why must people always want what they never have?
Why is it a crime to miss a part of you that's bled?
How did we get so far?
How do we move so fast away
From the lilac-lilied lake?
I'm sure we used to stay
Is it only a dream away?
Only a dream away, away
Lost a friend I found down some blood red river
Never did find my way home in time to forget her
Why must people always want what they can't have?
Why must people always take but forget to ask?
How do we get so far?
How do we move so fast away
From the lilac-lilied lake
Where I'm told we used to play
Is it only a dream away?
Only a dream, only a dream away, away
Lyrics submitted by nicole, edited by sharkycharming
Blood Red River Lyrics as written by Beth Orton
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"nicole" must be deaf. Here are the correct lyrics (which I also submitted as an edit, but those never seem to get approved). I don't know why it says it was edited by sharkycharming because none of my edits have showed up above.
Took a friend I found across some blood red river Never did find my way home in time to forgive her Why must people always want what they can't have? Why must people always grab what they'd never grasp?
How did we get so far? How do we move so fast away From the lilac-lilied lake I'm sure we used to stay? Is it only a dream away?
Took a raft I found across some blood red river Never did find my way home in time for my dinner Why must people always want what they never have? Why is it a crime to miss a part of you that's bled?
How did we get so far? How do we move so fast away From the lilac-lilied lake? I'm sure we used to stay Is it only a dream away? Only a dream away, away
Lost a friend I found down some blood red river Never did find my way home in time to forget her Why must people always want what they can't have? Why must people always take but forget to ask?
How do we get so far? How do we move so fast away From the lilac-lilied lake Where I'm told we used to play Is it only a dream away? Only a dream, only a dream away, away