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.
I guess you have to have a problem if you want to invent a contraption
First, you cause a train wreck then they put me in traction
Well, first came an action and then a reaction
But you can't switch around for your own satisfaction
Well, you burnt my house down and got mad at my reaction
Well, in every complicated situation of a human relation
Makin' sense of it all takes a whole lot of concentration
Well, you can blame a baby for her pregnant ma
And if there's one of these unavoidable laws
It's that you just can't take the effect and make it the cause
No
Well, you can't take the effect and make it the cause
I didn't rob a bank because you made up the law
Blame me for robbing Peter, don't you blame Paul
Can't take the effect and make it the cause
I ain't the reason that you gave me no reason to return your call
You built a house of cards and got shocked when you saw them fall
Yeah, well, I ain't saying I'm innocent, in fact, the reverse
But if you're headed to the grave, you don't blame the hearse
You're like a little girl yelling at her brother 'cause you lost his ball
yeah
Well, you keep blaming me for what you did, but that ain't all
The way you clean up the wreck is enough to give one pause, yes
Well, you seem to forget just how this all started
I'm reacting to you because you left me broken-hearted
See, you just can't take the effect and make it the cause
Well you can't take the effect and make it the cause
I didn't rob a bank because you made up the law
Blame me for robbing Peter, but don't you blame Paul
Can't take the effect and make it the cause
First, you cause a train wreck then they put me in traction
Well, first came an action and then a reaction
But you can't switch around for your own satisfaction
Well, you burnt my house down and got mad at my reaction
Well, in every complicated situation of a human relation
Makin' sense of it all takes a whole lot of concentration
Well, you can blame a baby for her pregnant ma
And if there's one of these unavoidable laws
It's that you just can't take the effect and make it the cause
No
Well, you can't take the effect and make it the cause
I didn't rob a bank because you made up the law
Blame me for robbing Peter, don't you blame Paul
Can't take the effect and make it the cause
I ain't the reason that you gave me no reason to return your call
You built a house of cards and got shocked when you saw them fall
Yeah, well, I ain't saying I'm innocent, in fact, the reverse
But if you're headed to the grave, you don't blame the hearse
You're like a little girl yelling at her brother 'cause you lost his ball
yeah
Well, you keep blaming me for what you did, but that ain't all
The way you clean up the wreck is enough to give one pause, yes
Well, you seem to forget just how this all started
I'm reacting to you because you left me broken-hearted
See, you just can't take the effect and make it the cause
Well you can't take the effect and make it the cause
I didn't rob a bank because you made up the law
Blame me for robbing Peter, but don't you blame Paul
Can't take the effect and make it the cause
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"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
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This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Pretty obvious meaning, you cant blame the person you fucked over for getting fucked over, as silly as it may seem, people do it all the time.
Well, haha this song OBVIOUSLY has nothing to do with the war in Iraq. It's a fun, catchy song about a guy who's getting bitched at by his girl (either his ex or his girlfriend or his object of unrequited love) for reacting to her bitchiness. The greatest line ever is:
I ain't the reason that you gave me no reason to return your call
Jack White is a genius. These lyrics are proof.
"If you're headed to the grave don't blame the hearse"
One of my favorite Stripes songs. A little Bible reference in this one. I guess you guys know Jack almost became a Preacher before he hit it big, right?
How on earth do people take such an obvious (but brilliant) song and get war and abortion?
It's about blaming somebody else for the outcome of your actions.
I got it in one line there, was there really any need for the essays on Iraq?
This song is very fun and catchy.
you seem to forget just how this song started i'm reacting to you cos you left me broken hearted
best white stripes song ever
obvious meaning, don't do something and blame someone else for it, especially the person you're doing it to!
The lyrics to this are just a little bit wrong...
I guess you have to have a probelm if you want to invent a contraption First you cause a trainwreck then they put me in traction well first came an action and then a reaction but you can't switch 'em around for your own satisfaction well you burnt my house down and then got mad at my reaction
well in every complicated situation of a human relation, making sense of it all takes a whole lot of concentration well you can't blame a baby for her pregnant ma and if there's one of these on her auto applause
its just that you can't just take the effect and make it the cause
well you can't take the effect and make it the cause i didn't rob a bank because you made up the law blame me for robbing peter but don't you blame paul can't take the effect and make it the cause
i aint the reason that you gave me no reason to return your call you built a house of cards and got shocked when you saw them fall well i aint saying i'm innocent in fact the reverse but if your heading to the grave you don't blame the hearse you're like a little girl yelling at her brother cos you lost his ball
you keep blaming me for what you did but that aint all the way you clean up a wreck is enough to get one caused you seem to forget just how this song started i'm reacting to you cos you left me broken hearted
its just that you can't just take the effect and make it the cause
well you can't take the effect and make it the cause i didn't rob a bank cos you made up the law blame me for robbing peter don't you blame paul can't take the effect and make it the cause
Awesome song. Jack's voice in this song is adorable. The lyrics are unmistakenly candid... and straight forward.
i didn't rob a bank cos you made up the law
Also, perhaps expecting people to live and act by your rules.