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.
This is the accent of the half hearted land
Does it all make sense now
And if the ship was built in bottled sand
Does it all make sense now
The anchors kiss was scrawled
In dyslexic crayon
Yes it all makes sense now
Is this just a life preserver
Of a bivouac tenure
The tropic of cancer answered
Drink the quicksand
A mirror was splintered on the deck floor
Does it all make sense now
A stowaway that lived beneath this hull
Does it all make sense now
The anchors kiss was scrawled
In dyslexic crayon
Yes it all makes sense now
Is this just a life preserver
Or bivouac tenure
This tropic of cancer answered;
Drink the quicksand
It's gills will swim faster after a branch
From the shore
Breathe the taste of salt water
Dry heave up and overboard
Ponce De Leon wrinkles
Let's make it young again
Boat drinks for captains
Row our boat away stowaway
It all makes sense now
If our map was torn navigate, navigate
If your compass broke navigate, navigate
Does it all make sense now
And if the ship was built in bottled sand
Does it all make sense now
The anchors kiss was scrawled
In dyslexic crayon
Yes it all makes sense now
Is this just a life preserver
Of a bivouac tenure
The tropic of cancer answered
Drink the quicksand
A mirror was splintered on the deck floor
Does it all make sense now
A stowaway that lived beneath this hull
Does it all make sense now
The anchors kiss was scrawled
In dyslexic crayon
Yes it all makes sense now
Is this just a life preserver
Or bivouac tenure
This tropic of cancer answered;
Drink the quicksand
It's gills will swim faster after a branch
From the shore
Breathe the taste of salt water
Dry heave up and overboard
Ponce De Leon wrinkles
Let's make it young again
Boat drinks for captains
Row our boat away stowaway
It all makes sense now
If our map was torn navigate, navigate
If your compass broke navigate, navigate
Lyrics submitted by cbennett, edited by alex114943
Lopsided Lyrics as written by Jim Ward Cedric Bixler
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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yeah, m4t3k is right. if you listen to the version of this song that is live from the wireless, that's what cedric says.