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.
The innocence of sleeping children
Dressed in white and slowly dreaming
Stops all time
I slow my steps and start to blur
So many years have filled my heart
I never thought I'd say those words
Further we go
And older we grow
The more we know
The less we show
Further we go
And older we grow
The more we know
The less we show
The very first time I saw your face
I thought of a song and quickly changed the tune
The very first time I touched your skin
I thought of a story and rushed to reach the end too soon
Oh, remember
Oh, please don't change
And so the fall came, thirteen years
A shiny ring, and how I could forget your name
The air no longer in my throat
Another perfect lie is choked
But it always feels the same
So they, close together
Dressed in red and yellow
Innocent forever
Sleeping children, in their blue soft rooms
Still dream
Further we go
And older we grow
The more we know
The less we show
Further we go
And older we grow
The more we know
The less we show
Dressed in white and slowly dreaming
Stops all time
I slow my steps and start to blur
So many years have filled my heart
I never thought I'd say those words
Further we go
And older we grow
The more we know
The less we show
Further we go
And older we grow
The more we know
The less we show
The very first time I saw your face
I thought of a song and quickly changed the tune
The very first time I touched your skin
I thought of a story and rushed to reach the end too soon
Oh, remember
Oh, please don't change
And so the fall came, thirteen years
A shiny ring, and how I could forget your name
The air no longer in my throat
Another perfect lie is choked
But it always feels the same
So they, close together
Dressed in red and yellow
Innocent forever
Sleeping children, in their blue soft rooms
Still dream
Further we go
And older we grow
The more we know
The less we show
Further we go
And older we grow
The more we know
The less we show
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Primary was first played as "Cold Colours". Except for the chorus, the lyrics were different. I read somewhere that it was dedicated to Ian Curtis. ??? Don't know if its true. One of The Cure's best.
Yeah it is. According to Wikipedia Rob used to dedicate it to him before they sang it in the early days. Given what's written below about him saying it's about dying young would mean that makes sense too...
@monster36604 he's recently said on a radio interview that it's probably NOW more about Kylie minogue