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.
River splashes against the rocks,
And I scale the slope,
I hope the tracks won't,
Lead me down to dark black pits,
Or places where we fall to bits,
If she were there I'd hold her down,
I'd push her under while she drowns
And couldn't breathe and claw for air-
She doesn't care for my despair,
Or is it me?
The one that's wrong?
You see it in the sea,
River cools where I belong,
In my Mersey paradise
As I stare an oil wheel comes sailing by,
And I feel like,
Growing fins and falling in,
With the bricks the bikes, the rusty tin
I swim around without a care,
I'm eating sand when I need air,
You can bet your life
I'll meet a pike who'll wolf me down for tea tonight
I want to be, I want to be,
Where the drownings are,
(drownings are),
You see it in the sea,
River cools where I belong,
In my Mersey paradise
I want to be, I want to be,
Where the drownings are,
(drownings are),
You see it in the sea,
River cools where I belong,
Oh yeah
I want to be, I want to be,
Where the drownings are,
(drownings are),
You see it in the sea,
River cools where I belong,
In my Mersey paradise.
And I scale the slope,
I hope the tracks won't,
Lead me down to dark black pits,
Or places where we fall to bits,
If she were there I'd hold her down,
I'd push her under while she drowns
And couldn't breathe and claw for air-
She doesn't care for my despair,
Or is it me?
The one that's wrong?
You see it in the sea,
River cools where I belong,
In my Mersey paradise
As I stare an oil wheel comes sailing by,
And I feel like,
Growing fins and falling in,
With the bricks the bikes, the rusty tin
I swim around without a care,
I'm eating sand when I need air,
You can bet your life
I'll meet a pike who'll wolf me down for tea tonight
I want to be, I want to be,
Where the drownings are,
(drownings are),
You see it in the sea,
River cools where I belong,
In my Mersey paradise
I want to be, I want to be,
Where the drownings are,
(drownings are),
You see it in the sea,
River cools where I belong,
Oh yeah
I want to be, I want to be,
Where the drownings are,
(drownings are),
You see it in the sea,
River cools where I belong,
In my Mersey paradise.
Lyrics submitted by Bo, edited by cornerofroom
Mersey Paradise Lyrics as written by John Squire Ian George Brown
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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I'm from liverpool and agree that its a piss take. But i think its a brilliant pastiche of sun-drenched beachboysy pop, but rather than about california its about a the scruffy countryside fringing the mersey between Manchester and Liverpool where the roses used to play as kids. I used to play there and the song fits it perfectly - ironic genius!