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.
Destiny, destiny protect me from the world
Destiny, hold my hand, protect me from the world
Here we are, with our running and confusion
And I don't see no confusion anywhere
And if the world does turn
And if London burns
I'll be standing on the beach with my guitar
I want to be in a band
When I get to heaven
Anyone can play guitar and they won't be a nothing anymore
Grow my hair, grow my hair I am Jim Morrison
Grow my hair, I want to be want to be want to be Jim Morrison
Here we are, with our running and confusion
And I don't see no confusion anywhere
As if the world does turn
And if London burns
I'll be standing on the beach with my guitar
I want to be in a band
When I get to heaven
Anyone can play guitar and they won't be a nothing anymore
Destiny, hold my hand, protect me from the world
Here we are, with our running and confusion
And I don't see no confusion anywhere
And if the world does turn
And if London burns
I'll be standing on the beach with my guitar
I want to be in a band
When I get to heaven
Anyone can play guitar and they won't be a nothing anymore
Grow my hair, grow my hair I am Jim Morrison
Grow my hair, I want to be want to be want to be Jim Morrison
Here we are, with our running and confusion
And I don't see no confusion anywhere
As if the world does turn
And if London burns
I'll be standing on the beach with my guitar
I want to be in a band
When I get to heaven
Anyone can play guitar and they won't be a nothing anymore
Lyrics submitted by piesupreme, edited by mcrome
Anyone Can Play Guitar Lyrics as written by Edward John O'brien Colin Charles Greenwood
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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In this song frontman Thom Yorke heaps scorn on desperate wannabes who seek validation via rock stardom. According to Q magazine April 2008 everyone in the studio, from band to catering staff was roped in to play guitar. The track was then cut up and added to the arrangement. Yorke got the idea for the famous line "I wanna be Jim Morrison" after seeing Oliver Stone\'s movie The Doors. The line is meant to convey Yorke\'s dissatisfaction with the mythical status Morrison is given. This was made clear in the band\'s appearance at the MTV Beach House, where they played this song, and Yorke sang, "Maybe if I grow my hair I can become Jim Morrison," before shouting "Fat! Ugly! Dead!" The band\'s lead guitarist Jonny Greenwood played guitar with a paintbrush on this song. Jonny Greenwood has said "I never listened to guitar playing in any band, ever, I still don\'t, really. Worshiping guitarists is all buying guitar magazines. Anybody can play guitar, but writing songs is a far harder challenge. I\'d rather idolize someone like Elvis Costello than I would Steve Vai."