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.
That's Paul's Boutique
Ask for Janice when you call there
For the best in men's clothing
Stop that train, I wanna get off
Well, it's 4AM, I've got the Haffenreffer ale
I've got nothing to lose so I'm pissin' on the third rail
Groggy eyed and fried, I'm headed for the station
A D-train ride to Coney Island vacation
Dedicated to the boofers in the back of the one train
They'll be kicking out windows high on cocaine
And then I jump the turnstile because I can't afford a token
Riding between the cars, pissin', smokin'
Head for the last car, fluorescent light blackout
Policeman told my homeboy, put that crack out
You know you light up when the lights go down
And then you read the New York post, Fulton St., downtown
Same faces every day, but you don't know their names
Party people going placed on the D-train
Stop that train, I wanna get off
Trench coat, wing tip, going to work
And you'll be pulling a train like Captain Kirk
Pick pocket gangsters paying their debts
I caught a bullet in the lung from Bernie Goetz
Overworked and underpaid, staring at the floor
Prostitutes spandex caught in the slide doors
And now you're stuck between the stations and it seems like an eternity
Sweating like swine in a flophouse fraternity
Fifty dollar fine, I'm disturbing the peace
The neck, turtle, the lease, creased
Hot cup of coffee and the donuts are Dunkin'
Friday night and Jamaica, Queens funkin'
Elevated platform, I'm never gonna conform
Riding over the diner where I always get my toast warm
Bust into the conductor's booth and bustin' out rhymes
Over the loud speaker about hard times
Sat across from a man readin' El Diario
Riding the train down from the El Barrio
Went from the station straight to Orange Julius
I bought a hot dog from man George Drakoulias
Ask for Janice when you call there
For the best in men's clothing
Stop that train, I wanna get off
Well, it's 4AM, I've got the Haffenreffer ale
I've got nothing to lose so I'm pissin' on the third rail
Groggy eyed and fried, I'm headed for the station
A D-train ride to Coney Island vacation
Dedicated to the boofers in the back of the one train
They'll be kicking out windows high on cocaine
And then I jump the turnstile because I can't afford a token
Riding between the cars, pissin', smokin'
Head for the last car, fluorescent light blackout
Policeman told my homeboy, put that crack out
You know you light up when the lights go down
And then you read the New York post, Fulton St., downtown
Same faces every day, but you don't know their names
Party people going placed on the D-train
Stop that train, I wanna get off
Trench coat, wing tip, going to work
And you'll be pulling a train like Captain Kirk
Pick pocket gangsters paying their debts
I caught a bullet in the lung from Bernie Goetz
Overworked and underpaid, staring at the floor
Prostitutes spandex caught in the slide doors
And now you're stuck between the stations and it seems like an eternity
Sweating like swine in a flophouse fraternity
Fifty dollar fine, I'm disturbing the peace
The neck, turtle, the lease, creased
Hot cup of coffee and the donuts are Dunkin'
Friday night and Jamaica, Queens funkin'
Elevated platform, I'm never gonna conform
Riding over the diner where I always get my toast warm
Bust into the conductor's booth and bustin' out rhymes
Over the loud speaker about hard times
Sat across from a man readin' El Diario
Riding the train down from the El Barrio
Went from the station straight to Orange Julius
I bought a hot dog from man George Drakoulias
Lyrics submitted by Obscure437
Caught in the Middle of a 3-Way Mix Lyrics as written by Adam Horovitz Michael Louis Diamond
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Alternate version of Stop That Train. It's on Def Before Dishonor.