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.
Hear the screams from Center 42
Loud enough to bust your brains out
The opposition's tongue is cut in two
Keep off the streets 'cause you're in danger
One hundred thousand disparos
Lost in the jails in South America
Curl up baby
Curl up tight
Curl up baby
Keep it all out of sight
Undercover
Keep it all out of sight
Undercover of the night
The sex police are out there on the streets
Make sure the past laws are not broken
The race militia has got itchy fingers
All the way from New York back to Africa
Curl up baby
Keep it all out of sight
Curl up baby
Sleep with all out of sight
Curl up baby
Keep it all out of sight
Undercover
Undercover
Undercover
Keep it all out of sight
Undercover of the night
All the young men they've rounded up
Sent to camps back in the jungle
And people whisper, people double-talk
At once their fathers act so humble
All the young girls they have got the blues
They're heading on back to Center 42
Keep it undercover
Keep it out of sight
Keep it undercover
Keep it out of sight
Undercover
Keep it out of sight
Undercover
Keep it out of sight
Undercover of the night
Down in the bars, the girls are painted blue
Done up in lace, done up in rubber
The john's are jerky little G.I. Joe's
On R&R from Cuba and Russia
The smell of sex
The smell of suicide
All these things I just can't keep inside
Undercover
Keep it all out of sight
Undercover of the night
Undercover of the night
Undercover of the night
Undercover of the night
Undercover
Undercover, undercover the night
Loud enough to bust your brains out
The opposition's tongue is cut in two
Keep off the streets 'cause you're in danger
One hundred thousand disparos
Lost in the jails in South America
Curl up baby
Curl up tight
Curl up baby
Keep it all out of sight
Undercover
Keep it all out of sight
Undercover of the night
The sex police are out there on the streets
Make sure the past laws are not broken
The race militia has got itchy fingers
All the way from New York back to Africa
Curl up baby
Keep it all out of sight
Curl up baby
Sleep with all out of sight
Curl up baby
Keep it all out of sight
Undercover
Undercover
Undercover
Keep it all out of sight
Undercover of the night
All the young men they've rounded up
Sent to camps back in the jungle
And people whisper, people double-talk
At once their fathers act so humble
All the young girls they have got the blues
They're heading on back to Center 42
Keep it undercover
Keep it out of sight
Keep it undercover
Keep it out of sight
Undercover
Keep it out of sight
Undercover
Keep it out of sight
Undercover of the night
Down in the bars, the girls are painted blue
Done up in lace, done up in rubber
The john's are jerky little G.I. Joe's
On R&R from Cuba and Russia
The smell of sex
The smell of suicide
All these things I just can't keep inside
Undercover
Keep it all out of sight
Undercover of the night
Undercover of the night
Undercover of the night
Undercover of the night
Undercover
Undercover, undercover the night
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
Undercover of the Night Lyrics as written by Mick Jagger Keith Richards
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
Theres a kettle drum in this,I'm sure thats what I'm hearing. Another great one. :)