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.
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
My cherie amour, lovely as a summer day
My cherie amour, distant as the Milky Way
My cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore
You're the only girl my heart beats for
How I wish that you were mine
In a café or sometimes on a crowded street
I've been near you, but you never noticed me
My cherie amour, won't you tell me how could you ignore
That behind that little smile I wore
How I wish that you were mine
La-la-la-la-la-la
La la la la la la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
Maybe someday, you'll see my face among the crowd
Maybe someday, I'll share your little distant cloud
Oh, cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore
You're the only girl my heart beats for
How I wish that you were mine
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
My cherie amour, lovely as a summer day
My cherie amour, distant as the Milky Way
My cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore
You're the only girl my heart beats for
How I wish that you were mine
In a café or sometimes on a crowded street
I've been near you, but you never noticed me
My cherie amour, won't you tell me how could you ignore
That behind that little smile I wore
How I wish that you were mine
La-la-la-la-la-la
La la la la la la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
Maybe someday, you'll see my face among the crowd
Maybe someday, I'll share your little distant cloud
Oh, cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore
You're the only girl my heart beats for
How I wish that you were mine
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la
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I agree with the previous comment. This is one of my favorite songs ever. I do think it's ironic, however, that Stevie Wonder can write about seeing this girl in the crowd when he is blind. I can't help wondering how it made him feel to sing those words. Anyway, it's a great song.