Newsgroups: alt.music.smash-pumpkins Subject: meaning of 33 for all those who care (was Re: What is 33?) From: wormwood@progsoc.uts.edu.au (//rev8:11) Date: Fri, 04 Oct 1996 18:09:02 GMT On Sat, 28 Sep 1996 23:15:41 -0600, Chad McHardy wrote: >this was mentioned on this newsgroup before, but since 33 was Jesus' age when he died, >it might possibly be about the life of 'our savior' for all those who's not on lissy and so aren't sick of 33 interpretations, here is my interpretation of 33 -- i wasn't going to post this again cos there are so many of you (as the way i've experience it on lissy) who like living in your own little box and curse the things you do not understand. but dont get me wrong there's heaps of you who appreciate someone else's opinions. so this is for those people. and all those who dont, fuck off. ----======---- -THIRTY-THREE let me start off by saying that this song begins with the last supper and ends with jesus' resurrection -- the song follows the rhythm of time. this is a significant departure from what i originally thought -- that it's about jesus prior to his arrest. the song focuses on jesus' thoughts and feelings but events (as it turned out) also played a major part. }}thirty-three the title suggests, instantly in my view, a song about jesus, for 33 is considered a sacred age because it was the number of years jesus had lived on earth. in other words, he was 33 when he was crucified (this point have been *repeatedly* mentioned -- im sure everyone's sick of it -- too bad). -THE LAST SUPPER ----======---- }}speak to me in a language i can hear }}humour me before i have to go }}deep in thought i forgive everyone this shows jesus' feelings and thoughts the night before his arrest. here, jesus is seeking comfort: "speak to me ..." note that he knew that he was going to be arrested and crucified and believes that this is what *must* be done. thus: "before i *have to* go". jesus was troubled about what lied ahead: "deep in thought ..." and wished to get it off his mind: "humour me ..." }}as the cluttered streets greet me once again }}i know i cant be late, supper's waiting on the table jesus is making his way to join his disciples ("as the cluttered streets greet me") in a feast (the last supper): "supper's waiting". cluttered streets simply means that the street is crowded and busy. }}tomorrow's just an excuse away again, jesus' feelings. he feels as if he should not be acting and feeling the way he is just because he knew he is about to go. like the old thing goes -- live for today not tomorrow. -JESUS' ARREST (THE NEXT DAY) ----======---- }}so i pull my collar up and face the cold, on my own. jesus knew that he must do this alone. he knew his disciples are going to deny him: he said to his disiciples on that night: "But a time ...has come, when you will be scattered ... You will leave me all alone" (john 16:32). and his prediction came true and he did `face the cold' (to face something that is not pleasant) on his own. (note also jesus' prediction that peter would deny him 3 times). he's now accepting the inevitable: "so *I* pull my collar up *and face* the cold", indicating willingness. (compare this to how he felt yesterday (above)). -JESUS' PERSECUTION, AND THE CARRYING OF THE CROSS (GOOD FRIDAY) ----======---- [the following are two of my favourite lines, showing billy's poetic ingenuity] }}the earth laughs beneath my heavy feet }}at the blasphemy in my old jangly walk thanks to CcH2ocC and cody, i now hold these lines to mean: during jesus' trial, he was mocked and laugh at. when he carried the cross he also faced the same humiliation: "the earth laughs". "the earth" means people -- jesus had refered to people as `the world' on several occations (a simile for earth i guess). "my heavy feet" means that he is carrying the cross. "my old jangly walk" also indicate that he is carrying the cross. remember that he collapsed several times during the carrying of the cross.[a heavy thing like i'm not surprise his leg's jangling] "blasphemy" means to disrespect something that is sacred, so "blasphemy in... my walk" means that he is not walking like a `king'. -JESUS' DEATH (GOOD FRIDAY) ----======---- }steeple guide me to my heart and home steeple symbolise jesus' father. steeple is that pointy thing on top of a church. it is high, and it is holy. so jesus' father guides him (his soul) home. [chorus] (see below) -JESUS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS (SATURDAY) ----======---- }}the sun is out and up and down again "the sun is *out*": end of a day (friday) "and up": new day -- sunrise (saturday morning) "and down": sunset (saturday night) }}graceful swans of never topple to the earth swans in chritianity symbolises Jesus' blood. "swans of *never*" i'm not sure of. but if you take the first letter of each words: Swans Of Never, you get: `son' -- jesus. now, the next day would be sabbath day (sunday) so the jews requested for the bodies (incl. jesus') to be removed from the crosses as sabbath day was holy. when jesus' body was taken down from the cross, the roman guards noted that he was dead, but to make sure, one of them pierced his side with a spear, causing an instantaneous rush of blood and water from the wound created: thus, "graceful swans of never [his blood] topple to the earth". }}and for a moment i lose myself }}wrapped up in the pleasures of the world after his body was taken down, they anointed it with spice and wrapped it in a shrine, thus: "wrapped ... in the pleasures of the world [the shrine and the spice]". -JESUS' RESURRECTION (EASTER SUNDAY) ----======---- }}i've journeyed here and there and back again jesus' life on earth: "here" jesus' death: "there" and jesus' resurrection: "back again". -JESUS APPEARED TO HIS DISCIPLES (POST EASTER SUNDAY) ----======---- }}but in the same old haunts i still find my friends haunts also mean a frequently visited place (or a hangout) -- his disciples ("my friends") were together, in a house ("same old haunts"), where jesus first appeared to them ("find my friends") }}mysteries not ready to reveal jesus said the following to his disciples before he departed: "it is not for you to know the times or dates the father has set by his own authority": acts 1:7 }}sympathies i'm ready to return he felt sorry that he must leave -- he understood how his disciples felt. ----======---- [chorus] this is the chorus so it doesn't follow the above story: }}i know i'll make it, love can last forever ... }}i'll make the effort, love can last forever ... these 2 lines is obvious. jesus is willing to go through with it. "love can last forever" means just that. }}tomorrow's just an excuse }}graceful swans of never ... (see above) }}and you can make it last, forever you ... etc. i assume a connexion here with that of jesus' washing of his disciples' feet. he's telling them to love others as he had loved them. he's also telling them to establish his church: "you can make it last", as he had told peter that he was the stone on which his church will be built, and "take care of my sheep" etc. ----======---- ok, that's where the story ends. feel free to post your views, if you disagree with something, if you want to correct or add something, or if you just plain hate me. peace -tris ps, if you hate me, i dont give a fuck :-) ___________________________________________________________________ |[]_NOTEPAD_-_signature.txt________________________________[_][=][x]| |_File__Edit__View__Window__Help____________________________________| |Help Topics F1| |Search | +----------------+--------------------+ yours sincerely, |About Wormwood >|http://www.progsoc. | tris +----------------|uts.edu.au/~wormwood| +--------------------+ the university of technology, |/darcy ka-boom boom!| sydney +------------------+ --