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.
You will never rest
Until the stars burn out
My day is done
I love the sound of no one coming by
Tomb beneath the trees
The name unsung
The darkness in the cracks
I am not what you have waited for
Trust
Nothing is enough
This hunting ground
I need the freedom to control my own
I need the sound of rain
Wearing dependence down
The line must be kept so thin
To live near life
Not within
No need to take the test
Before the dark must shine
Reflect my eyes
And strip this creation of mine
Tomorrow is so long
The dead end king is here
Black wings upon his back
Until the stars burn out
My day is done
I love the sound of no one coming by
Tomb beneath the trees
The name unsung
The darkness in the cracks
I am not what you have waited for
Trust
Nothing is enough
This hunting ground
I need the freedom to control my own
I need the sound of rain
Wearing dependence down
The line must be kept so thin
To live near life
Not within
No need to take the test
Before the dark must shine
Reflect my eyes
And strip this creation of mine
Tomorrow is so long
The dead end king is here
Black wings upon his back
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I believe this is about someone who fell in love with someone who was suicidal. They are describing the agony of this and how they know the person wishes to die (tomb beneath the trees) ...
this line is them reaching the realization that as much as they still love this person their love may not be enough to save them from themselves.
*trust nothing is enough this is them realizing that they can love the person with all of themselves but in the end they they trust it'll never be enough to save them from ending their life
this hunting ground, I need the freedom to control my own this is them feeling the pain through the person they love and envisioning them the attack of grief (hunting) them down and how they seek freedom from the pain to have their own peaceful life again but they still love the person.
I need the sound of rain, wearing dependence down the line must be kept so thin to live near life not within This is them wanting to be freed from the dependence of this person they love because they can't bare seeing them being so suicidal but they still wanna be their for them (in their life in some way...not in a lover way as it's becoming too complicated)
the last paragraph of the song is them essentially giving their permission for the one they love to end their life as they feel they have no way to save them (no need to take the test) they realize this person is dying inside they don't need to test them (strip this creation of mine) this is them giving their final blessing to their love to end their life ...the creation being the burden/void that's been forming within them since realizing their love was suicidal. * the dead end king is here black wings upon his back this is them witnessing the suicide.
@EternalTearsOfSorrow I like both interpretations but this one hits closer to home. I think the last section could be put differently, how? At the moment I'm not too sure but I do think yours fits as well, maybe I'll leave another comment later. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, really; this is what I'm going through and its been two days since I've heard from her. I'm scared shes made another attempt, shes shut down again at least which is what it built up from last time.<br /> <br /> Never imagined it would be like this, I don't even really know how I got into this... its all blurred by since October. "Tomorrow is so long" ah, really like this line another long day of probably not hearing a word, dependence and worrying. I wish I hadn't sat down and listened to the lyrics, I can only hope that it doesn't end in pain. I try to be there for her even when she closes herself off I can tell most of the time that she needs someone.