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.
Arriving in boats, black hooded coats
Tormentors climbed into my room
I crawled under my bed, covered my head
But they're flushin' me out with a broom
The leader, she's small, pinned my ass to the wall
For my seeds or she'd be losin' her past
Time after time, she'd be readin' my mind
But she never got the feelin' to last
Celebrate, celebrate, celebraid it
This is the critical mass
So far so good, I heard the other say
So good so far, they're takin' me away
I drink to you, your mind, her ass
We'll take a drink and break the glass
Celebrate, celebrate, celebreak it
This is the critical mass
Now the tallest of two, with a brush full of blue
Paints surrealist scenes on the wall
So I tell her for fun, that it's really well done
But she just ain't listenin' at all
She points to my heart, tellin' me if I'm smart
I'll practice and phase
Out and admit, when the shoe doesn't fit
And I went screaming out down the hall
Need it
Need your love
Just then I heard a poundin' on the door
We're all here, sang the voice of twenty more
I drink to you alas, we'll take a drink and break the glass
Celebrate, celebrate, celebreak it
We are the critical mass
Time and space, is takin' me away
Time erase, don't know the time of day
Tormentors climbed into my room
I crawled under my bed, covered my head
But they're flushin' me out with a broom
The leader, she's small, pinned my ass to the wall
For my seeds or she'd be losin' her past
Time after time, she'd be readin' my mind
But she never got the feelin' to last
Celebrate, celebrate, celebraid it
This is the critical mass
So far so good, I heard the other say
So good so far, they're takin' me away
I drink to you, your mind, her ass
We'll take a drink and break the glass
Celebrate, celebrate, celebreak it
This is the critical mass
Now the tallest of two, with a brush full of blue
Paints surrealist scenes on the wall
So I tell her for fun, that it's really well done
But she just ain't listenin' at all
She points to my heart, tellin' me if I'm smart
I'll practice and phase
Out and admit, when the shoe doesn't fit
And I went screaming out down the hall
Need it
Need your love
Just then I heard a poundin' on the door
We're all here, sang the voice of twenty more
I drink to you alas, we'll take a drink and break the glass
Celebrate, celebrate, celebreak it
We are the critical mass
Time and space, is takin' me away
Time erase, don't know the time of day
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Story has it that the lyrics are from a dream Jack Douglas had at the Cenacle... Steven was too f**ked up, didn't have any lyrics, so he just used what Jack had written. I don't recall having seen Jack elaborate on it anywhere else... so take that for what it's worth I guess. The Cenacle is where they recorded Draw the Line...during the worst days of their drugdom. ;)
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