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.
On both banks of the river, red obsidian,heavy smoke
Leather slings, feathered arrows, many deities carried off in ropes
Big drums, small wagers, cold daggers, lambs
But all goes very quiet at the sudden shifting of the sand
Fear and loathing highway burning
We come to scalp your souls
Trench warfare demolition
Unleash the dogs of war
Fuel injected suicide machine animal instinct, killing disease
Hell on Earth I inflict the world is burning the sky is falling
Ayatollah of Rock'n'rolla
Ayatollah of Rock'n'rolla
Failed crusaders roam the land
Hearts of Wind, lungs of sand
Fuel injected suicide machine
Animal instinct killing disease
Ayatollah of Rock'n'rolla
Ayatollah of Rock'n'rolla
Sanctuary burning looting and pillaging killing and screaming
Punishing coming brain washing death dealing pain inflicting
Terror bringing Devil's breathing face smashing bomb blasting thunder roaring
Failed crusaders roam the land
Hearts of Wind, lungs of sand
I am defected nuclear head follow me till the end
I was rejected children septic human flesh I ate
Fuel injected suicide machine animal instinct killing disease
Ayatollah of Rock'n'rolla
Ayatollah of Rock'n'rolla
The stars quickened westward, the broken beast charge away
Speaking of the Angels that many years ago fell upon the plain
Covenant, vengeance, the mortality of Men
Another day at the doorstep begging mercy before the palace of the Djinn
Leather slings, feathered arrows, many deities carried off in ropes
Big drums, small wagers, cold daggers, lambs
But all goes very quiet at the sudden shifting of the sand
Fear and loathing highway burning
We come to scalp your souls
Trench warfare demolition
Unleash the dogs of war
Fuel injected suicide machine animal instinct, killing disease
Hell on Earth I inflict the world is burning the sky is falling
Ayatollah of Rock'n'rolla
Ayatollah of Rock'n'rolla
Failed crusaders roam the land
Hearts of Wind, lungs of sand
Fuel injected suicide machine
Animal instinct killing disease
Ayatollah of Rock'n'rolla
Ayatollah of Rock'n'rolla
Sanctuary burning looting and pillaging killing and screaming
Punishing coming brain washing death dealing pain inflicting
Terror bringing Devil's breathing face smashing bomb blasting thunder roaring
Failed crusaders roam the land
Hearts of Wind, lungs of sand
I am defected nuclear head follow me till the end
I was rejected children septic human flesh I ate
Fuel injected suicide machine animal instinct killing disease
Ayatollah of Rock'n'rolla
Ayatollah of Rock'n'rolla
The stars quickened westward, the broken beast charge away
Speaking of the Angels that many years ago fell upon the plain
Covenant, vengeance, the mortality of Men
Another day at the doorstep begging mercy before the palace of the Djinn
Lyrics submitted by sepultura1987
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