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.
Once you've left a lonely rage on its own, it grows
And dynamite stuffed in a mailbox doesn't smoke until it blows
And, oh, all the tears in four tiny years
Well, look at me, I'm frightening my friends
You better roll me
I bought a map of the moon
There was a crater with my name on it and a really good view
There I was, getting drunk in your room
Because I wanted to throw my weight around
And, oh, all the tears in four tiny years
Well, look at me, I'm frightening my friends
You better roll me home
You better roll me home
You better roll me home
And dynamite stuffed in a mailbox doesn't smoke until it blows
And, oh, all the tears in four tiny years
Well, look at me, I'm frightening my friends
You better roll me
I bought a map of the moon
There was a crater with my name on it and a really good view
There I was, getting drunk in your room
Because I wanted to throw my weight around
And, oh, all the tears in four tiny years
Well, look at me, I'm frightening my friends
You better roll me home
You better roll me home
You better roll me home
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As much as I've enjoyed this song, I hadn't really thought about the lyrics until now.
A woman has been long mistreated in her relationship and the anger is only now about to blow up in an explosive outburst. She's gotten very drunk; "roll me home" is a joking reference as to how you may deal with someone who's very drunk.
Why Crater Lake? A huge mountain in prehistoric times exploded in an incredibly violent volcanic explosion, blowing off a mile of its height, with the rest slumping into a huge crater that later filled up with water. That's Crater Lake today. And that explosion is what she's likening her anger to.
I'm not sure of all the reasons why she mentioned the Moon; there are plenty of craters there. When she says that a crater has a good view, she's thinking about being there, isolated, instead of here on Earth in her painful relationship.
@rikdad Love that someone else out there is still listening to "Whip Smart" in 2017!