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.
Beggar's description
Of what I've been missing
Exploit your position
Don't think I didn't listen
Hey I hope you're feeling
A little better now
Success is so tragic
Pain is your gadget
Your tongue's just lashing
Just bitching by habit
Hey I hope you're feeling
A little purer now
Hey I hope you're feeling
Securer now
Help me I plea
I don't understand
Your ways and means
You smashing young man
Help me to see
The good you have planned
You're wearing thin
You smashing young man
You preach synthetic-like
Peace is an oversight
It's nothing to ignite
Your self-lit spotlight
Hey I hope you're feeling
A little special now
Hey I want to tell you
I think you're special now
I don't recall asking for guidance
I don't recall wanting to
I don't recall bowing before you
But I'm so impressed
With the kindness in your attitude
Of what I've been missing
Exploit your position
Don't think I didn't listen
Hey I hope you're feeling
A little better now
Success is so tragic
Pain is your gadget
Your tongue's just lashing
Just bitching by habit
Hey I hope you're feeling
A little purer now
Hey I hope you're feeling
Securer now
Help me I plea
I don't understand
Your ways and means
You smashing young man
Help me to see
The good you have planned
You're wearing thin
You smashing young man
You preach synthetic-like
Peace is an oversight
It's nothing to ignite
Your self-lit spotlight
Hey I hope you're feeling
A little special now
Hey I want to tell you
I think you're special now
I don't recall asking for guidance
I don't recall wanting to
I don't recall bowing before you
But I'm so impressed
With the kindness in your attitude
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
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This song is about Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins. He went on ranting about how Collective Soul's Shine was a rip off of Drown. Collective Soul was able to prove this allagation wrong by providing a demo tape with the song on it which was made years before Drown was ever released.
The band denies that that's what it's about, naturally. But, looking at the lyrics, how could it be about anything else? Every word fits.
I heard that Corgan claimed that Shine was a ripoff of 'Rhinoceros'.
i heard this song was bout ross...(former collective soul lead guitarist:(...)what bout him though im non sure..
i heard it was about Billy Corgan... billy corgan once at a pumpkins concert was complaining about how the intro to "Shine" sounds to him like it ripped off the one in "drown". i believe his rant went something like, colelctive soul sucks, sollective soul sucks, they stole my fuckin song, collective soul sucks...i dunno though...this was supposedly his retaliation to sir corgan.
@pinkubus_floyd And if you watch the video to the Barenaked Ladies' song "Alternative Girlfriend" you'll see them smashing pumpkins. <br />
This song always reminded me of that Boss From Hell that everyone has had. All the accusations that Collective Soul makes of this smashing young man in this song seem to fit the description.
No doubt it's about Corgan. Right on! I dig a lot of Pumpkins songs, but they are not nearly as talented as Collective Soul, which is one of the most underrated bands of the last decade. Great song too.
Ah, I love this song! It reminds me of all the pretty young men trying too hard to get ahead that they burn up before they get a chance to appreciate anything, and that even though they're beautiful and wonderful and hard, they're still just people. As perfect as their flaws are, they're still flaws.
HAHAHA BURN! awesome. :)
Maybe its about Billy...or guys such as him. You know the type who are narcissistic, and think only their view counts, since they think when they were born, someone crowned them king. It could be about the pretty boy type as well, the one who thinks he's too perfect and that everyone should bow before him because he has some kind of god complex. and also he thinks he's gods gift to women too.
I have a 24 year old guy in this corporate office I work in and I swear the lyrics in this song could've been written explicitly for him. He's a big asshole, and thinks cause he's good looking that he can do no wrong and will get everywhere in life. He's so fake, kissing everyones ass and expecting them to kiss his ass in return. I hope someone does the right thing and shows Mr. Hot Shot the door one day. He needs a big slice of humble pie.
Along with many other collective soul songs i feel it has a christian meaning. just to get it started ill say it sounds like a bad experience in a legalistic church and its referring to the preacher maybe being too caught up in himself and preaching condemnation for all without really getting the point.
It could be interpreted that way, but as has been illustrated below by other people Collective Soul/Ed Roland have a history with the Smashing Pumpkins/Billy Corgan. Corgan tried to sue Roland over the Collective Soul song "Shine" claiming that it was a plagiarized Pumpkins song. Corgan ultimately lost in court because Roland was able to produce a demo of "Shine" that was recorded years before the song Corgan was claiming to be plagiarized.<br /> <br /> There's no direct quotes to prove that this song is explicitly about Corgan, but read between the lines. It's ambiguous on purpose but the ambiguity is pretty subtle considering the title of the song.