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.
Flowers for Charlie, you know
I'm not a good G.I. Joe
Because I always aim low
And I won't fight you
Popularity war
I'd be a clown in the corp
Taking over the store
It's a cop out
I don't want to win
New friends anymore
There's a world within
But I can't call out
Kiss me quickly
I'm in a hurry
And I've got worry enough
Trying to stay around
Brought you a flower
From the other side
It's a free world
You don't have to hide
I'm not a good G.I. Joe
Because I always aim low
And I won't fight you
Popularity war
I'd be a clown in the corp
Taking over the store
It's a cop out
I don't want to win
New friends anymore
There's a world within
But I can't call out
Kiss me quickly
I'm in a hurry
And I've got worry enough
Trying to stay around
Brought you a flower
From the other side
It's a free world
You don't have to hide
Lyrics submitted by dragonflower44
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I think this song is basically about what it says it's about, all be it with a bit of an extended metaphor. Charlie, as some have pointed is a general army term for the enemy, and the song is indeed about a war. As many have also pointed out Charlie was also Elliott's step father and they were locked in a war of popularity, perhaps competing for his mother's affections. It's not entirely unheard of for there to be jealousy between step parents and biological children and vice versa. What Elliott is saying is that he doesn't want to fight this popularity war, but he's not trying to win Charlie over either, he's not trying to make friends. He simply doesn't want to worry about this issue, because staying alive gives him enough to worry about. He ends the song by basically telling Charlie not to tip toe around him because the war is over, it's a free world and he can do what he wants. So it's not so much about forgiving Charlie as it is about giving up on a sort of active resentment and animosity.
@Scribbler17 I think you’re interpretation nailed it
@Scribbler17 I think you’re interpretation nailed it
@Scribbler17 I think you’re interpretation nailed it
@Scribbler17 I think you’re interpretation nailed it. You wrote out thoughts I was never able to put so concisely. Even the idea that the war is now over for him, while heavily borrowing some melody from John Lennon’s "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)".
@Scribbler17 Yeah quite neat interpretation. From the first comments I only think they dont even have a clue. People from 04 - 05 seem quite stupid. But also we didn't have Elliot's Biographies we have today.