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.
Is this the way it's gotta be?
Ignite the fire inside of me
Embrace the life of tragedy
A tide of war and broken dreams
I am torn in two
Hold on, hold on
We're barely alive
I am faded through
Hold on, hold on
The fallen arise
I will fight this war for you
And let the dawn of love survive
Broken, I crawl back to life
Is this the fate we fall between?
Deface the life inside of me
Drain the heart with atrophy
And take away the remedy
I am torn in two
Hold on, hold on
We're barely alive
I am faded through
Hold on, hold on
The fallen arise
I will fight this war for you
And let the dawn of love survive
Broken, I crawl back to life
Please, I am torn in two (hold on)
Hold on, hold on
We're barely alive
Please, I am faded through (hold on)
Hold on, hold on
The fallen arise
Please, I will fight this war for you (hold on)
And let the dawn of love survive
Broken, I crawl back to life
Hold on, rise
Hold on, rise
Hold on, rise
Hold on
Ignite the fire inside of me
Embrace the life of tragedy
A tide of war and broken dreams
I am torn in two
Hold on, hold on
We're barely alive
I am faded through
Hold on, hold on
The fallen arise
I will fight this war for you
And let the dawn of love survive
Broken, I crawl back to life
Is this the fate we fall between?
Deface the life inside of me
Drain the heart with atrophy
And take away the remedy
I am torn in two
Hold on, hold on
We're barely alive
I am faded through
Hold on, hold on
The fallen arise
I will fight this war for you
And let the dawn of love survive
Broken, I crawl back to life
Please, I am torn in two (hold on)
Hold on, hold on
We're barely alive
Please, I am faded through (hold on)
Hold on, hold on
The fallen arise
Please, I will fight this war for you (hold on)
And let the dawn of love survive
Broken, I crawl back to life
Hold on, rise
Hold on, rise
Hold on, rise
Hold on
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher, edited by TheCirius
Torn in Two Lyrics as written by Benjamin Burnley
Lyrics © Walt Disney Music Company
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song to me is about being way too deep into a hellish relationship with someone you love, where you can't cut yourself free of it & you hate what it has turned you in to. Love at its darkest core can turn someone into a monster as it can burn away anything & everything inside us till nothing mush else is left. Also just as a side note, I know lead singer Benjamin Burnley is experiencing a lot of pain & tiredness lately due to an undiagnosed mystery illness, so this song in part could be speaking to the strain of that as well.