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.
And if I fall along the way
Pick me up and dust me off
And if I get too tired to make it
Be my breath so I can walk
And if I need some other love, then
You give me more than I can stand
And when my smile gets old and faded
Wait around, I'll smile again
Shouldn't be so complicated
Just hold me and then
Oh, just hold me again
Can you help me I'm bent?
I'm so scared that I'll never
Get put back together
Keep breaking me in
And this is how we will end
With you and me bent
And if I couldn't sleep could you sleep?
Could you paint me better off?
And could you sympathize with my needs?
I know you think I need a lot
I started out clean but I'm jaded
Just phoning it in
Oh, just breaking the skin
Can you help me I'm bent?
I'm so scared that I'll never
Get put back together
Keep breaking me in
And this is how we will end
With you and me bent
(How you and me)
Start bending me
It's never enough
'Til I feel all your pieces
Start bending me
Keep bending me until I'm completely broken in
Shouldn't be so complicated
Just touch me and then
Oh, just touch me again
Can you help me I'm bent?
I'm so scared that I'll never
Get put back together
Keep breaking me in
And this is how we will end
With you and me landing
Without understanding
Hell, I'd go there again
Can you help me, I'm bent?
I'm so scared that I'll never
Get put back together
Yeah, you're breaking me in
And this is how we will end
With you and me bent
Pick me up and dust me off
And if I get too tired to make it
Be my breath so I can walk
And if I need some other love, then
You give me more than I can stand
And when my smile gets old and faded
Wait around, I'll smile again
Shouldn't be so complicated
Just hold me and then
Oh, just hold me again
Can you help me I'm bent?
I'm so scared that I'll never
Get put back together
Keep breaking me in
And this is how we will end
With you and me bent
And if I couldn't sleep could you sleep?
Could you paint me better off?
And could you sympathize with my needs?
I know you think I need a lot
I started out clean but I'm jaded
Just phoning it in
Oh, just breaking the skin
Can you help me I'm bent?
I'm so scared that I'll never
Get put back together
Keep breaking me in
And this is how we will end
With you and me bent
(How you and me)
Start bending me
It's never enough
'Til I feel all your pieces
Start bending me
Keep bending me until I'm completely broken in
Shouldn't be so complicated
Just touch me and then
Oh, just touch me again
Can you help me I'm bent?
I'm so scared that I'll never
Get put back together
Keep breaking me in
And this is how we will end
With you and me landing
Without understanding
Hell, I'd go there again
Can you help me, I'm bent?
I'm so scared that I'll never
Get put back together
Yeah, you're breaking me in
And this is how we will end
With you and me bent
Lyrics submitted by punkmebabygal
Bent Lyrics as written by Robert Thomas Rob Thomas
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think it's interesting how all anyone writes about is how much Matchbox Twenty kicks ass. Don't get me wrong, I completely agree, but isn't this supposed to be a website where we comment on the meaning of the song?
Well, from watching Storytellers with Matchbox Twenty on it, Rob Thomas says how this song is saying that "Hey, I'm messed up over here, and you're messed up over there. Let's get together and this could be something good."
@RaineBM1185 It's about your thoughts on the song as well