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.
Knew you'd be a vision in white
How'd you get your pants so tight?
Don't know what you're doin'
But you must be livin' right, yeah
Oh, we got some places to see
I brought all the maps with me
So jump right in, it ain't no sin
Take a ride in my machine
City traffic movin' way too slow
Drop the pedal and go, go, go
We goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
Wind's against our backs
We goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
In my pink Cadillac
We goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
Wind's against our back
Ain't we ridin' on the freeway of love
In my pink Cadillac?
Never you mind the exit signs
We got lots of time
We can't quit 'til we get
To the other side, ide, ide
With the radio playin' our song
We keep rollin' along
Who knows how far our car can get
Before you think your love slowin' on down
City traffic's movin' way too slow
Drop the pedal and go, go come on now, go
We goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
Wind's against our backs
We goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
In my pink Cadillac
We goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
Wind's against our back
Ain't we ridin' on the freeway of love
In my pink Cadillac? Oh yeah
Here we go, one more time mmm
With the wind and your fingers in my hair
Kind of think we're going for an extended throw down
So drop the top baby
And let's cruise on into this better than ever street
City traffic's movin' way too slow
Drop the pedal and go, go, come on baby, go, do it for me now
We goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
Wind's against our back
We goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
In my pink Cadillac
We goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
Wind's against my back
Ain't we ridin' on the freeway of love
In my pink Cadillac?
What I want you to do baby
Get over to the left lane
And let's merge with peace, oh yeah
Take the love that's sent ya
And then in the right time
Go on over in love and satisfaction and joy, well
Ain't we riding babe, ain't we cruising down
Free, free, sweet
Go on after, awh let's be good to each other street
Well, see that little landmark over there
A whole lot of kisses and sweet stuff
We'll be just about, awh, awh, awh
And satisfaction road yeah, satisfaction yeah ooo ahhh
How'd you get your pants so tight?
Don't know what you're doin'
But you must be livin' right, yeah
Oh, we got some places to see
I brought all the maps with me
So jump right in, it ain't no sin
Take a ride in my machine
City traffic movin' way too slow
Drop the pedal and go, go, go
We goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
Wind's against our backs
We goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
In my pink Cadillac
We goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
Wind's against our back
Ain't we ridin' on the freeway of love
In my pink Cadillac?
Never you mind the exit signs
We got lots of time
We can't quit 'til we get
To the other side, ide, ide
With the radio playin' our song
We keep rollin' along
Who knows how far our car can get
Before you think your love slowin' on down
City traffic's movin' way too slow
Drop the pedal and go, go come on now, go
We goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
Wind's against our backs
We goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
In my pink Cadillac
We goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
Wind's against our back
Ain't we ridin' on the freeway of love
In my pink Cadillac? Oh yeah
Here we go, one more time mmm
With the wind and your fingers in my hair
Kind of think we're going for an extended throw down
So drop the top baby
And let's cruise on into this better than ever street
City traffic's movin' way too slow
Drop the pedal and go, go, come on baby, go, do it for me now
We goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
Wind's against our back
We goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
In my pink Cadillac
We goin' ridin' on the freeway of love
Wind's against my back
Ain't we ridin' on the freeway of love
In my pink Cadillac?
What I want you to do baby
Get over to the left lane
And let's merge with peace, oh yeah
Take the love that's sent ya
And then in the right time
Go on over in love and satisfaction and joy, well
Ain't we riding babe, ain't we cruising down
Free, free, sweet
Go on after, awh let's be good to each other street
Well, see that little landmark over there
A whole lot of kisses and sweet stuff
We'll be just about, awh, awh, awh
And satisfaction road yeah, satisfaction yeah ooo ahhh
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This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone).
And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
I can't believe no one has commented on this song. I loved this song when I was little! Aretha Rocks!!
I'd never really listened to the lyrics of this song before. Great song. It's about sex. Duh. The pink Cadillac being the singer's vagina. Woo! "So jump right in...Ain't no sin / Take a ride in my machine" ... "Goin' ridin' on the freeway of love / In my pink Cadillac"
And I suppose "maps" are condoms? :p
What does "better than ever street" mean?