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 used to hear the voices through the thin walls
Tension building up and I'd feel so small
Some nights I'd hide under the pillows 'cause I didn't know what else to do
Started singing just to get some attention
A melody to cut through the addiction
And every song I made turned into wishes
Some of them came true
Everyone rises, everyone falls
Everyone spends some nights alone
Rich or for poor
I'm always yours
You never left me on my own
Tell me who, who would I be without you?
No matter how much we lose
Every time I bet my life on you
We were never rich not even thousands
Mom was on her knees cleaning houses
I used to go to work with her some days
And dream and dance in the big hallways
Everyone's scared, everyone's scarred
Everyone spends some nights alone
But every high, every low
You never left me on my own
Tell me who, who would I be without you?
No matter how much we lose
Every time I bet my life on you
Tell me who, would I be without you?
Nothing I'd rather do
Every night I bet my life on you
Who would I be without you?
Went on the road to make my daddy proud
But I lost him and so I sang to the crowd
My only hope is that he's looking down thinking
"Oh my God, my daughter's doing it now"
Tell me who, who would I be without you?
No matter how much we lose
Every time I bet my life on you
Tell me who, would I be without you?
Nothing I'd rather do
Every night I bet my life on you
Who would I be without you?
Tension building up and I'd feel so small
Some nights I'd hide under the pillows 'cause I didn't know what else to do
Started singing just to get some attention
A melody to cut through the addiction
And every song I made turned into wishes
Some of them came true
Everyone rises, everyone falls
Everyone spends some nights alone
Rich or for poor
I'm always yours
You never left me on my own
Tell me who, who would I be without you?
No matter how much we lose
Every time I bet my life on you
We were never rich not even thousands
Mom was on her knees cleaning houses
I used to go to work with her some days
And dream and dance in the big hallways
Everyone's scared, everyone's scarred
Everyone spends some nights alone
But every high, every low
You never left me on my own
Tell me who, who would I be without you?
No matter how much we lose
Every time I bet my life on you
Tell me who, would I be without you?
Nothing I'd rather do
Every night I bet my life on you
Who would I be without you?
Went on the road to make my daddy proud
But I lost him and so I sang to the crowd
My only hope is that he's looking down thinking
"Oh my God, my daughter's doing it now"
Tell me who, who would I be without you?
No matter how much we lose
Every time I bet my life on you
Tell me who, would I be without you?
Nothing I'd rather do
Every night I bet my life on you
Who would I be without you?
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