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.
Tell your friends not to think out loud
Until they swallow
Whisper things into my brain
Your voice sounds so hollow
I am not a leader of men
Since I prefer to follow
Do you think I could have a drink
Since it's so hard to swallow
Yeah, so hard to swallow
Turn your television off
And I will sing a song
And if you suddenly have the urge
You can sing along
I touch your hand, touch your face
I think the fruit is rotten
Give me lessons on how to breathe
'Cause I think I've forgotten
Yeah, I think I've forgotten
One day, out to a cliff
That overlooks the water
I jumped in to save a girl
It was somebody's daughter
And now the ring that's on my hand
Was given to me by her
And to this day we all sit around
And dream of ways to get higher
Yeah, to get much higher
Oh, tell your friends not to think out loud
Until they swallow
Whisper things into my brain
Your voice sounds so hollow, yeah
I am not a leader of men
Since I prefer to follow
Do you think I could have a drink
Since it's so hard to swallow
Yeah, so hard to swallow
Until they swallow
Whisper things into my brain
Your voice sounds so hollow
I am not a leader of men
Since I prefer to follow
Do you think I could have a drink
Since it's so hard to swallow
Yeah, so hard to swallow
Turn your television off
And I will sing a song
And if you suddenly have the urge
You can sing along
I touch your hand, touch your face
I think the fruit is rotten
Give me lessons on how to breathe
'Cause I think I've forgotten
Yeah, I think I've forgotten
One day, out to a cliff
That overlooks the water
I jumped in to save a girl
It was somebody's daughter
And now the ring that's on my hand
Was given to me by her
And to this day we all sit around
And dream of ways to get higher
Yeah, to get much higher
Oh, tell your friends not to think out loud
Until they swallow
Whisper things into my brain
Your voice sounds so hollow, yeah
I am not a leader of men
Since I prefer to follow
Do you think I could have a drink
Since it's so hard to swallow
Yeah, so hard to swallow
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hmmm.....could the line "so hard to swallow" have to do with swallowing your pride? it makes sense to me because if you look at the 1st verse it says: "telly our friends not to think out loud until they swallow" it could mean not talk until you are ready to get ridiculed for what you say, plus he says its hard to swallow, so he could be sayin its hard to swallow his own pride...i dunno, just a suggestion
Mushrooms, mushrooms, mushrooms!!!
@rzatheraza LMAO!!! I AGREE!
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someone has NO life
He may be speakin metaphorically.
I always thought it was about a man being reluctant about taking a leadership role. I guess song meanings are much deeper than their titles suggest.
The title makes this self explanitory, they're talking about not being able to lead, yet they've been put up on a pedalstal. The part about saving the girl is true, and in the lyrics he's trying to say that all this makes him nervous as well as infering to the girls drowning.
i used to like the 'how you remind me song' so i bought the single and it had this as a b-side and now i hate 'how you remind me' for it is too overplayed, but this song is definatly the best
Although I'm sure it has little to do with the song's meaning, the play "Death of a Salesman" by Arthur Miller contains the line...
"I am not a leader of men, Willy, and neither are you. You were never anything but a hard-working drummer who landed in the ash can like all the rest of them!"
Also of interest, a previous line in the play spoken to the same character...
"When a deposit bottle is broken, you don't get your nickel back."
@dedinthewater I think this is the best comment ever. Whether its true or not, i love it. Peace
this song is fucking tankin. love it.