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.
On the streets of the Springs,
with short hair and torn jeans
I saw her walking into the video store.
I held myself an aisle away
and peered over her shoulder
while she browsed through the videotapes
my heart leapt when she chose Angus, Real Genius, and The Sure Thing.
Forgot to check my own tapes out first;
the alarm went off as I followed her through the door
I followed her to Vinyl Ink.
Though I kept my distance I followed her through the stacks.
These were the records she found, and she held, and she later bought
The Fun Boy Three, Air Miami, then Kraftwerk,
considered The Soft Boys, but opted for Bandwagonesque.
George was still around then and he said
"Have you heard the Hit Parade record yet?"
Outside next to a parking meter
with a Karmann Ghia with no top and stickers which read
"Meat is Murder" "The Connells" "The Smiths", "Ministry Forever",
before I could fail to say hello
or she could even drive off my heart missed a beat.
She met some guy from The Ropers
and kissed him
as I looked away.
with short hair and torn jeans
I saw her walking into the video store.
I held myself an aisle away
and peered over her shoulder
while she browsed through the videotapes
my heart leapt when she chose Angus, Real Genius, and The Sure Thing.
Forgot to check my own tapes out first;
the alarm went off as I followed her through the door
I followed her to Vinyl Ink.
Though I kept my distance I followed her through the stacks.
These were the records she found, and she held, and she later bought
The Fun Boy Three, Air Miami, then Kraftwerk,
considered The Soft Boys, but opted for Bandwagonesque.
George was still around then and he said
"Have you heard the Hit Parade record yet?"
Outside next to a parking meter
with a Karmann Ghia with no top and stickers which read
"Meat is Murder" "The Connells" "The Smiths", "Ministry Forever",
before I could fail to say hello
or she could even drive off my heart missed a beat.
She met some guy from The Ropers
and kissed him
as I looked away.
Lyrics submitted by windmills221b, edited by RPGCoder
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
i adore this song! one of my many favourites by sprites. some would say the concept of the song (following a girl around just because you're attracted to her) sounds a bit stalkerish, but if you're the reclusive, introverted type this song speaks volumes about how you deal with crushes yourself. finally shy boys get a voice!
Yeah, I don't think I've followed someone to those lengths but I've been in that position. Great band, great song.
just a few corrections: craftwork=Kraftwerk carmengia=Karmann Ghia heart skipped=heart missed
Wow, yeah, the person who wrote these lyrics does not know his/her indie bands.
(It sounds to me like the record store is named "Vinyl Link," but I don't know this for a fact.)
"These were the records she found & she held & she lingered on: The Fun Boy Three, Air Miami, then Kraftwerk Considered the Soft Boys but opted for Bandwagonesque George was still around then & he said 'Have you heard the Hit Parade record yet?'"
Also, her Karmann Ghia would have had stickers by the Connells & Ministry.
(Bandwagonesque in the the breakthrough hit record by Teenage Fanclub, duh. I would've gone with the Soft Boys myself.)