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 look good in a glass pack
I look good and mean
I look good in metallic sick wraparound blackout tease
I scud along the horizon, I drink some sweet tree
I get high in my low-ass boot-cut jean
I like being seen
I look good with my drink-eat-no-sleep, take-a-leap longevity
I get high on my attitude, latitude, 1973
I'm in deep
My head's on fire and high esteem
Carry my dead, bored, been there, done that, anything
Oh, the wake-up bomb
Oh, the wake-up bomb
Oh, the wake-up bomb
Oh, the wake-up bomb
My head's on fire and high esteem
Get drunk and sing along to Queen
Practice my T-Rex moves and make the scene
Carry my dead, bored, been there, done that, anything
I had to knock a few buildings over
I make an ugly mess
I had to blow a gasket
Drop transmission
I had to decompress
I had to write the great American novel
I had a neutron bomb
I had to teach the world to sing by the age of 21
I wake up (I wake up)
I wake up (I wake up)
I threw up when I saw what I'd done
Oh, the wake-up bomb
Oh, the wake-up bomb
My head's on fire and high esteem
Get drunk and sing along to Queen
Practice my T-Rex moves and make the scene
Yeah, I'd rather be anywhere doing anything
I've had enough, I've seen enough, I've had it all, I'm giving up
I won the race, I broke the cup, I drank it all, I spit it up
I've had enough, I've seen enough, I've had it all, I'm giving up
I won the race, I broke the cup, I drank it all, I spit it up
Yeah, atomic, supersonic
What a joke, I'm dumb
See ya, don't want to be you
Lunch meat, Pond scum
My head's on fire in high esteem
Get drunk and sing along to Queen
Practice my T-Rex moves and make the scene
Yeah, I'd rather be anywhere doing anything
Yeah, I'd rather be anywhere doing anything
Yeah, I'd rather be anywhere doing anything
Yeah
I look good and mean
I look good in metallic sick wraparound blackout tease
I scud along the horizon, I drink some sweet tree
I get high in my low-ass boot-cut jean
I like being seen
I look good with my drink-eat-no-sleep, take-a-leap longevity
I get high on my attitude, latitude, 1973
I'm in deep
My head's on fire and high esteem
Carry my dead, bored, been there, done that, anything
Oh, the wake-up bomb
Oh, the wake-up bomb
Oh, the wake-up bomb
Oh, the wake-up bomb
My head's on fire and high esteem
Get drunk and sing along to Queen
Practice my T-Rex moves and make the scene
Carry my dead, bored, been there, done that, anything
I had to knock a few buildings over
I make an ugly mess
I had to blow a gasket
Drop transmission
I had to decompress
I had to write the great American novel
I had a neutron bomb
I had to teach the world to sing by the age of 21
I wake up (I wake up)
I wake up (I wake up)
I threw up when I saw what I'd done
Oh, the wake-up bomb
Oh, the wake-up bomb
My head's on fire and high esteem
Get drunk and sing along to Queen
Practice my T-Rex moves and make the scene
Yeah, I'd rather be anywhere doing anything
I've had enough, I've seen enough, I've had it all, I'm giving up
I won the race, I broke the cup, I drank it all, I spit it up
I've had enough, I've seen enough, I've had it all, I'm giving up
I won the race, I broke the cup, I drank it all, I spit it up
Yeah, atomic, supersonic
What a joke, I'm dumb
See ya, don't want to be you
Lunch meat, Pond scum
My head's on fire in high esteem
Get drunk and sing along to Queen
Practice my T-Rex moves and make the scene
Yeah, I'd rather be anywhere doing anything
Yeah, I'd rather be anywhere doing anything
Yeah, I'd rather be anywhere doing anything
Yeah
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
The Wake-Up Bomb Lyrics as written by Peter Buck Bill Berry
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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One day you might realize that all you have done has been wrong and / or worthless. This song is about a person who has realized that and wants to leave his past "glories" behind to try new things.
I don't know if this is the meaning that Stipe intended - I have never read any claims that Michael Stipe has or had bipolar and I don't think he has any mental illness - but personally I find this song to be such a perfect description of bipolar, which I have.
During a manic episode your thoughts race ("heads on fire"), you become overconfident, egotistical ("self esteem") and believe you are a highly attractive person ("I look good etc.") and you feel like you don't need to sleep ("no sleep"). You also believe you can achieve anything, no matter how unrealistic ("I had to write the great American novel", "I had to teach the world to sing by the age of 21"). You also jump from one thing to the next, seeking novelty ("I'd rather be anywhere doing anything").
After the high comes the crash into depression, the realization that you are not as superhuman as you thought you were and the consequences of your irresponsible behaviour ("I threw up when I saw what I'd done"), ("I've had enough, I've seen enough, I've had it all, I'm giving up", "What a joke, I'm dumb").
Perhaps I am just projecting my own meaning into a song that but it seems too perfect to be a coincidence.
Of course the song isn't JUST about mania - there are also cultural references to the 70s and 80s and I am not sure what they mean except that Stipe grew from an adolescent to an adult during these decades - but it is a pretty damn good description.
The song stands for a great night! but its over and they dont want to do it again. It is also the state of music comparing queen and T-rex to oasis.
@littlelostme Good jeebus, it's got nothing to do with that. He's a fan of Queen and T. Rex and the whole glam rock and stylish projection they had. Nothing to do with Oasis or the like.
@littlelostme Good jeebus, it's got nothing to do with that. He's a fan of Queen and T. Rex and the whole glam rock and stylish projection they had. Nothing to do with Oasis or the like.
i tihnk its kinda nostalgic, looking back on the 70s when the guys were teenagers
@Little_Baby_Nothing Yeah, pretty sure you're much closer than some of these people on that one.
Heehee I love the opening line
I LOOUK GOOUD IN THE GLASS PACK!
This seems to be Stipe speaking autobiographically, looking back on his teen years/early 20s with disdain now for the attitude he had then. Specifically, the younger version of the singer was self-impressed, confident that he would achieve tremendous success ("write the great American novel") and partying too hard. (I think "wake up bomb" may be referring to a hangover.)
Of course, Stipe has ended up enormously successful, but that doesn't seem to lessen his disdain for his earlier hubris. This may be because he wasn't as successful as he thought he would be (he hasn't written the "great American novel") or because he's learned that success isn't so meaningful ("I've had it all; I'm giving up").
I really don't think this is Stipe being autobiographical.
Duh. This is Michael Stipe having a pop at Liam Gallagher from the band Oasis when the whole Britpop thing was in full swing.
The arrogant, swaggering Liam, with his band that sound like Status Quo/The Beatles etc
Even down to the line "Supersonic. What a joke"
Supersonic being a song (released as a single) from Oasis debut album
@geminder Wtf does this have to do with Liam friggin' Gallagher aside from one word? When did he ever talk about liking Queen or T. Rex? Wtf did he care about writing the great American novel? You're making a huge leap with little to base it on.
@geminder not so simplistic, but yes he\'s having a pop at Liam and more importantly himself
geminder above is correct but does not go far enough.
This song is a character assasination of Liam Gallagher of Oasis.
Why? Possibly because of this incident.... REM played two dates at Milton Keynes Bowl UK on the Monster tour..the summer of Britpop. The first date had Blur as lead support act, the second Oasis. (I saw the Blur supported concert, my friend the Oasis)
Anyway, Liam of Oasis chose to slag off Blur with the statement "I wish Damon Albarn would get AIDS and die," More or less.
Wake Up Bomb is the first track on New Adventures in Hi-Fi, which was the album following Monster.