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.
Yeah, somebody on
Somebody hit me today and they were like
"Nah, just make sure, you know
You tell me what to do when I get there, you know?"
(June, you're a genius)
I said, I respect it, no problem
I got all these blessings just to give it to others anyway
Know what I'm sayin'?
Yeah
My hand's always open, for real
Ayy, thirty-three years, I gave that to the game
Thirty-three mil, I save that for the ring
Five hundred weeks, I fill the charts with my pain
Five hundred mil and I fall back in the 6ix
Finally give you niggas the space you need to exist
Michael Jackson shit, but the palace is not for kids
Still women sayin' it's childish the way we live
Brought a few Ws to the 6ix
Baby mama fluke, but I love her for who she is
Baby, Wayne and Tez responsible for this shit
Half the time, I question my consciousness in this shit
Other times, I question if compliments are legit
Full-time, I'm out here, confident as a bitch
Tryna make good on the promises that I give
Tryna make sure my accomplices are legit
Register the business in my brother's name
Thirty-five hunnid in the pocket, that should cover things
Certified loverman, trappin' out the motherland
Always move right, so my watch is on the other hand
She can try and play it down now, but she was a fan
People wanna know what's in my pockets, they don't understand
My assistant always findin' Percocet and rubber bands
Know my mom might not want to hear how I discover plans
Word to Sandra Graham, no one love you like your mother can
I watched Michael Rubin win a million off a couple hands
I decide what to see next like it's on demand
I decide what to be next like I'm switchin' plans
I'ma tell you what you feel next like the weatherman
I will split heads and break necks for my little man
6 God, praying hands like I'm a religious man
But I'm just a sicker man, wicked man
Look, we can argue back and forth, but who's the richer man?
Isn't that what matters in this world that we livin' in?
Bang those dividends, snakes stay slitherin'
How you plan to make it to the top by just fittin' it?
How you plan to take a nigga's spot by just givin' in?
How you gon' treat this shit like you gon' get to live again?
How you gettin' hype off one hit? Do that shit again
How you got a manager you met after you got the win?
Bet you got some niggas that'll love you to the bitter end
Bet you got somebody that's just smarter than your other friends
Give 'em a percentage, see what happens to your blessings then
You just need to stay close to your people
That was there when others could've been
Then when others should've been
Got a nigga starin' at the game like, "damn coach, put him in"
But you never listen, so you niggas going wood again
Got us in the crib, talkin' 'bout what niggas coulda been, shoulda been
And I got your girl on the second floor, beggin' me to put it in
And it's not because all of the money that you wouldn't spend
And it's not because I set it up to try and get revenge
It's because you niggas insecure, you ain't made men
It's because, even though you hate on me, we stay friends
It's because you niggas never learn when to say when, yeah
For real
Facts, you know what I'm sayin'
Yeah
Somebody hit me today and they were like
"Nah, just make sure, you know
You tell me what to do when I get there, you know?"
(June, you're a genius)
I said, I respect it, no problem
I got all these blessings just to give it to others anyway
Know what I'm sayin'?
Yeah
My hand's always open, for real
Ayy, thirty-three years, I gave that to the game
Thirty-three mil, I save that for the ring
Five hundred weeks, I fill the charts with my pain
Five hundred mil and I fall back in the 6ix
Finally give you niggas the space you need to exist
Michael Jackson shit, but the palace is not for kids
Still women sayin' it's childish the way we live
Brought a few Ws to the 6ix
Baby mama fluke, but I love her for who she is
Baby, Wayne and Tez responsible for this shit
Half the time, I question my consciousness in this shit
Other times, I question if compliments are legit
Full-time, I'm out here, confident as a bitch
Tryna make good on the promises that I give
Tryna make sure my accomplices are legit
Register the business in my brother's name
Thirty-five hunnid in the pocket, that should cover things
Certified loverman, trappin' out the motherland
Always move right, so my watch is on the other hand
She can try and play it down now, but she was a fan
People wanna know what's in my pockets, they don't understand
My assistant always findin' Percocet and rubber bands
Know my mom might not want to hear how I discover plans
Word to Sandra Graham, no one love you like your mother can
I watched Michael Rubin win a million off a couple hands
I decide what to see next like it's on demand
I decide what to be next like I'm switchin' plans
I'ma tell you what you feel next like the weatherman
I will split heads and break necks for my little man
6 God, praying hands like I'm a religious man
But I'm just a sicker man, wicked man
Look, we can argue back and forth, but who's the richer man?
Isn't that what matters in this world that we livin' in?
Bang those dividends, snakes stay slitherin'
How you plan to make it to the top by just fittin' it?
How you plan to take a nigga's spot by just givin' in?
How you gon' treat this shit like you gon' get to live again?
How you gettin' hype off one hit? Do that shit again
How you got a manager you met after you got the win?
Bet you got some niggas that'll love you to the bitter end
Bet you got somebody that's just smarter than your other friends
Give 'em a percentage, see what happens to your blessings then
You just need to stay close to your people
That was there when others could've been
Then when others should've been
Got a nigga starin' at the game like, "damn coach, put him in"
But you never listen, so you niggas going wood again
Got us in the crib, talkin' 'bout what niggas coulda been, shoulda been
And I got your girl on the second floor, beggin' me to put it in
And it's not because all of the money that you wouldn't spend
And it's not because I set it up to try and get revenge
It's because you niggas insecure, you ain't made men
It's because, even though you hate on me, we stay friends
It's because you niggas never learn when to say when, yeah
For real
Facts, you know what I'm sayin'
Yeah
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
When To Say When Lyrics as written by Anthony Costley Alonzo Thornhill
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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