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.
Something is about to give
I can feel it coming
I think I know what it means
I'm not afraid to die
I'm not afraid to live
And when I'm flat on my back
I hope to feel like I did
And hardness, it sets in
You need some protection
The thinner the skin
I want you to know
That you don't need me anymore
I want you to know
You don't need anyone or anything at all
Who's to say where the wind will take you
Who's to say what it is will break you
I don't know which way the wind will blow
Who's to know when the time's come around
Don't want to see you cry
I know that this is not goodbye
In summer I can taste the salt in the sea
There's a kite blowing out of control on a breeze
I wonder what's gonna happen to you
You wonder what has happened to me
I'm a man, I'm not a child
A man who sees
The shadow behind your eyes
Who's to say where the wind will take you
Who's to say what it is will break you
I don't know where the wind will blow
Who's to know when the time's come around
Don't want to see you cry
I know that this is not goodbye
Did I waste it?
Not so much I couldn't taste it
Life should be fragrant
Roof top to the basement
The last of the rockstars
When hip-hop drove the big cars
In the time when new media
Was the big idea
That was the big idea
I can feel it coming
I think I know what it means
I'm not afraid to die
I'm not afraid to live
And when I'm flat on my back
I hope to feel like I did
And hardness, it sets in
You need some protection
The thinner the skin
I want you to know
That you don't need me anymore
I want you to know
You don't need anyone or anything at all
Who's to say where the wind will take you
Who's to say what it is will break you
I don't know which way the wind will blow
Who's to know when the time's come around
Don't want to see you cry
I know that this is not goodbye
In summer I can taste the salt in the sea
There's a kite blowing out of control on a breeze
I wonder what's gonna happen to you
You wonder what has happened to me
I'm a man, I'm not a child
A man who sees
The shadow behind your eyes
Who's to say where the wind will take you
Who's to say what it is will break you
I don't know where the wind will blow
Who's to know when the time's come around
Don't want to see you cry
I know that this is not goodbye
Did I waste it?
Not so much I couldn't taste it
Life should be fragrant
Roof top to the basement
The last of the rockstars
When hip-hop drove the big cars
In the time when new media
Was the big idea
That was the big idea
Lyrics submitted by yuri_sucupira
Kite Lyrics as written by Dave Evans Adam Clayton
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Ave Grave
Thee More Shallows
Thee More Shallows
Siberian Kiss
Glassjaw
Glassjaw
its amazing how far music can come.. 24 years after it released and its one of the most heartfelt songs ive heard
Corpse I Fell In Love With
Gadjits, The
Gadjits, The
He reuses the verse melody from the previous album's "Dirty Little Religion", the topics of the verses are all over the place, and he packs too many words into one line (goes to show...) and too few in another (it's pretty hard to find), and rhymes "Henley Regatta" with "Persona non grata", but gets away with it all as only he could.
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Just augmenting my previous post:
My Dad is 82 years old and, though my brothers and sisters have seen it coming for quite a while, took his first serious fall recently where he couldn't get back up.
I think this song is Bono's meditation on mortality, inspired both by his Dad's death and death threats that he himself received. So I think it's about his relationship with his Dad, his kids, and us, his fans. Bono's Dad wanted him to know that he didn't need him, his Dad, anymore. And Bono is telling his kids (and us) that we don't need him anymore.
But I sure appreciate him nonetheless.
There is only one question I can think of when I hear this song... and that is "Is there anyway this song could be any better?".
No. This song is an example of why U2 are one of the greatest bands in the world. From the orchestra loop that enters the song, to edges slide guitar and the rhythm section knowing exactly how to set the mood even further. I swear if I just heard each word Bono sings in this song alone, I would probably be moved. The amount of emotion and feel in his voice is incredible, and when he is singing "I want you to know that you don't need me anymore", I can't help but almost cry. I don't know what this song is about, but to me its about losing someone... or being the one who is being lost. He is almost saying "Everything will be alright... I can't tell you why I know it, but it will...". This song is one of the most beautiful and meaningful songs I have ever heard. Although almost every song by U2 makes me feel this way, some are special, and this is one of them.
This song is written so it could take on many a meanings. One could be the loss of a relationship between a man and a women and another could be the end of the band. However, Bono, when playing this live, always said it was for his dad who died. I suppose it is in the end up to the listener.
i think it's like loosing someone that you really care about... or something along that line.
along that line, each person will bring their own perspective... which is what make sthis whole thing interesting i guess! ...but as to what this one sees, it's not so much about someone you loose as from them? recently lost someone very close + to an extent this sums up what he wanted to tell everyone grieving for him, in a statement of faith "...i don't want to see you cry i know that this is not goodbye"
This is about losing somebody you love. Although Bono did write it with his Dad in mind, I read somewhere that this song was for his kids-for when HE died.
Anyway, it's a beautiful song.
yeah i always thought the lyrics sounded like something a parent would say to their kid. the whole song is warning them of how life is and how to handle things.
Apparently Bono wrote this to his loved ones, about his own assasination, which he believes will happen sometime. But its another one of Bono's beautiful songs where the words can mean something in many different situations.
I think that it talks about the death of a remaining parent.The parent is old and knows that (s)he is going to die soon, so (s)he tries to prepair the child for that