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.
Get yourself cooler, lay yourself low
Coincidental murder, with nothing to show
When the judge's constipation go to his head
And his wife's aggravation, you're soon enough dead
It's the same old story, same old song and dance, my friend
It's the same old story, same old song and dance, my friend
Gotcha with the cocaine they found with your gun
No smoothy face lawyer to getcha undone
Say love ain't the same on the south side of town
You could look, but you ain't gonna find it around
It's the same old story, same old song and dance, my friend
It's the same old story, same old story
Same old song and dance
Fate comes a-knockin', doors start lockin'
Your old time connection, change your direction
Ain't gonna change it, can't rearrange it
Can't stand the pain when it's all the same to you, my friend
When you're low down and dirty, from walkin' the street
With your old hurdy-gurdy, no one to meet
Say love ain't the same, on the south side of town
You could look, but you ain't gonna find it around
It's the same old story, same old song and dance, my friend
It's the same old story, same old story
Same old song and dance, yeah
Coincidental murder, with nothing to show
When the judge's constipation go to his head
And his wife's aggravation, you're soon enough dead
It's the same old story, same old song and dance, my friend
It's the same old story, same old song and dance, my friend
Gotcha with the cocaine they found with your gun
No smoothy face lawyer to getcha undone
Say love ain't the same on the south side of town
You could look, but you ain't gonna find it around
It's the same old story, same old song and dance, my friend
It's the same old story, same old story
Same old song and dance
Fate comes a-knockin', doors start lockin'
Your old time connection, change your direction
Ain't gonna change it, can't rearrange it
Can't stand the pain when it's all the same to you, my friend
When you're low down and dirty, from walkin' the street
With your old hurdy-gurdy, no one to meet
Say love ain't the same, on the south side of town
You could look, but you ain't gonna find it around
It's the same old story, same old song and dance, my friend
It's the same old story, same old story
Same old song and dance, yeah
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It's a story about people who make fucked up choices...if you don't change your ways, life's never going to change for you. It's the same old story, the same old song and dance.