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.
When dreaming I'm guided to another world
Time and time again
At sunrise I fight to stay asleep
'Cause I don't wanna leave the comfort of this place
'Cause there's a hunger, a longing to escape
From the life I live when I'm awake
So let's go there
Let's make our escape
Come on, let's go there
Let's ask can we stay?
Can you take me higher?
To a place where blind men see
Can you take me higher?
To a place with golden streets
Although I would like our world to change
It helps me to appreciate
Those nights and those dreams
But, my friend, I'd sacrifice all those nights
If I could make the Earth and my dreams the same
The only difference is
To let love replace all our hate
So let's go there
Let's make our escape
Come on, let's go there
Let's ask can we stay?
Can you take me higher?
To a place where blind men see
Can you take me higher?
To a place with golden streets
So let's go there
Yeah, let's go there
Come on, let's go there
Let's ask can we stay?
Up high I feel like I'm alive for the very first time
Set up high I'm strong enough to take these dreams
And make them mine
Set up high I'm strong enough to take these dreams
And make them mine
Can you take me higher?
To a place where blind men see
Can you take me higher?
To a place with golden streets
Can you take me higher?
To a place where blind men see
Can you take me higher?
To a place with golden streets
Time and time again
At sunrise I fight to stay asleep
'Cause I don't wanna leave the comfort of this place
'Cause there's a hunger, a longing to escape
From the life I live when I'm awake
So let's go there
Let's make our escape
Come on, let's go there
Let's ask can we stay?
Can you take me higher?
To a place where blind men see
Can you take me higher?
To a place with golden streets
Although I would like our world to change
It helps me to appreciate
Those nights and those dreams
But, my friend, I'd sacrifice all those nights
If I could make the Earth and my dreams the same
The only difference is
To let love replace all our hate
So let's go there
Let's make our escape
Come on, let's go there
Let's ask can we stay?
Can you take me higher?
To a place where blind men see
Can you take me higher?
To a place with golden streets
So let's go there
Yeah, let's go there
Come on, let's go there
Let's ask can we stay?
Up high I feel like I'm alive for the very first time
Set up high I'm strong enough to take these dreams
And make them mine
Set up high I'm strong enough to take these dreams
And make them mine
Can you take me higher?
To a place where blind men see
Can you take me higher?
To a place with golden streets
Can you take me higher?
To a place where blind men see
Can you take me higher?
To a place with golden streets
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it's too bad your all wrong!!In the September 2000 edition of Spin magazine, Scott Stapp explained that this is is not about Christ's ascension to heaven or taking a big bong hit, but is about the power of lucid-dreaming: "You're physically asleep, but you're awake in your mind," he explains. He read a book about Hindu monks who have perfected the technique and thought it might help him squelch a recurring nightmare: He's running down a highway, closely pursued by a man with a gun. He turns left and hides behind a pillar beneath an overpass but gets shot anyway. Stapp says that once he learned how to lucid-dream, he was able to alter the nightmare so that he turned right and escaped. After he wrote "Higher" about the experience, he never had the nightmare again.
i need to learn how to use lucid-dreaming to exonerate someone from appearing in mine.<br /> i'm not one to dream about women often or at all, and she's not part of my reality anymore so i want to stop waking up from dreams involving her.<br /> <br /> CAN YOU AKE ME HIGHER?
that was completely tongue in cheek interview to prevent the Christophobes who hate and fear all things Christian in communist hollywood and fascist manhattan from attacking his band. This song is unequivocally about a Christian world view of the afterlife.
It's about taking the dream of Heaven and making it a reality on earth... "Up high I'm strong enough to take these dreams And make them mine".
I've had a lucid dream before, its really fun. It sucks I'm not in the state to try it again, my creativity is hampered. But anyway even if it there is some inspiration from the lucid dream I also think he put his faith in the song as well. Everyone knows where golden streets are- Heaven, and only blind men can see in heaven, so there has to be a spiritual reference there. Whatever I don't want to argue. I just like this song. A positive song for once.
Scott Stapp is having this reoccuring dream that he is in this far-away place (heaven). And he sees all these things on earth that are bad. And he wishes he could make his dreams the daily life on earth. AWESOME SONG!
All of you disgust me to a degree I haven't seen or heard in several weeks.
Creed is a terrific band that may not appeal to everyone but in the mean time does not try to. To those who 'hate' Creed, I find it sad that you find the time and energy to dislike a band so much where you find it necessary to post about it. I listen to what pacifies my mind and provides me with a pleasant state of mind. Granted, the genres do change over the course of a day depending on my mood, but for the most part this band is incredible. They are not one of my favorites but they have produced music, an astounding feat alone that most of you couldn't equal, but is has been better than average music. I like many genres of music including rap and trance along with reggae.
To those trying to defend this song and it's meaning, do not bother any longer. It seems obvious from the posts that I have glanced through, that the authors have no true clue what they are talking about. The fact that they take, let alone have, the time to bash another person's music is intriguing. I have always found that if you don't enjoy something, or you aren't required to do it, then you should reconsider.
Regarding the meaning of the song, several meanings emerge in my mind including the influence of drugs, religion, and other a few other topics. If I would have to guess from the lyrics, the video, and the musicians themselves, it would be about 'lucid dreaming'.
Have fun and take care.
Why are there only 3 (?!?!?!?!?!?!) Posts???? This is one of the best songs ever!!! The epitomy of the anguish of hope and how when you feel loved you feel like you can do anything!
You say that like there aren't any secular post-grunge bands out there.
Oops, I meant to say that to Newfoundfinch
sorry if that last comment offended anyone. that was just my roommate letting out some anger... peace
PS: I just read the lucid dreaming post. That is awesome stuff!
I love listening to this song on a rainy night.... great sound!
it's too bad your all wrong!!In the September 2000 edition of Spin magazine, Scott Stapp explained that this is is not about Christ's ascension to heaven or taking a big bong hit, but is about the power of lucid-dreaming: "You're physically asleep, but you're awake in your mind," he explains. He read a book about Hindu monks who have perfected the technique and thought it might help him squelch a recurring nightmare: He's running down a highway, closely pursued by a man with a gun. He turns left and hides behind a pillar beneath an overpass but gets shot anyway. Stapp says that once he learned how to lucid-dream, he was able to alter the nightmare so that he turned right and escaped. After he wrote "Higher" about the experience, he never had the nightmare again.