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'm standing outside your window, baby
And there you are
Another year, another candle's burning
For the party girl
No one even knows that you're there
Happy Birthday, no one cares
You come around here,
You'd better bring a witness
Everyone in here's on the guest list
And when you're gone you won't be missed
Keep one eye open
When you kiss
Your wishes won't be coming true this year
Now darling don't you cry
We're going to teach you everything
You'll learn to get by
Now lesson number one in homicide
Is emotional murder is no crime
You come around here,
You'd better bring a witness
Everyone in here's on the guest list
And when you're gone you won't be missed
Keep one eye open
When you kiss
Now sticks and stones, baby, break your bones
But the names, in here, can kill
We'd let you leave
But no one else wants you
Your ransom was not made
Now you ain't got to stand up tall
But now baby, you must stand up
You come around here,
You'd better bring a witness
Everyone in here's on the guest list
Now we've never been so impressed
Keep one eye open when, whenever you kiss
And there you are
Another year, another candle's burning
For the party girl
No one even knows that you're there
Happy Birthday, no one cares
You come around here,
You'd better bring a witness
Everyone in here's on the guest list
And when you're gone you won't be missed
Keep one eye open
When you kiss
Your wishes won't be coming true this year
Now darling don't you cry
We're going to teach you everything
You'll learn to get by
Now lesson number one in homicide
Is emotional murder is no crime
You come around here,
You'd better bring a witness
Everyone in here's on the guest list
And when you're gone you won't be missed
Keep one eye open
When you kiss
Now sticks and stones, baby, break your bones
But the names, in here, can kill
We'd let you leave
But no one else wants you
Your ransom was not made
Now you ain't got to stand up tall
But now baby, you must stand up
You come around here,
You'd better bring a witness
Everyone in here's on the guest list
Now we've never been so impressed
Keep one eye open when, whenever you kiss
Lyrics submitted by CrzyGmOfPkr19
Witness Lyrics as written by Jakob Dylan
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Man i can't belive no one has any comments on this song yet. This is my favorite song on Breach. So sad the way he tells this story about a girl and how she has all these people at her birthday party, her suposed "friends". And then he tells her to watch her back because they all want her dead and no one cares if she dies. But in the end of it all he tells her to look beyond these people and stand up and be who you got to be.
I love this song. It is one of my favortie Wallflower songs. Jakob's voice is so spooky and haunting. I think it is about how in life there are people in the world who you think are your friends, but really just use and abuse you. When you feel like no one cares about and no one will help you "No one else wants you your ranson was not made." you have to stand up and be strong. This so is so beautiful
I love this song. It is one of my favortie Wallflower songs. Jakob's voice is so spooky and haunting. I think it is about how in life there are people in the world who you think are your friends, but really just use and abuse you. When you feel like no one cares about and no one will help you "No one else wants you your ranson was not made." you have to stand up and be strong. This so is so beautiful