| Sufjan Stevens – I Walked Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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evenfunnier, I also thought this was about having suicidal thoughts. At first I thought the lines, "I'm already dead/But I've come to explain/Why I left such a mess on the floor" were metaphorical, but then it dawned on me, "Did Royal Robertson commit suicide?" This is when I thought the song was about him. (He didn't kill himself, as it turns out.) Now I see the similarity to these lyrics by The Police, "Can't Stand Losing You," a suicide-as-revenge fantasy: I guess this is our last goodbye And you don't care so I won't cry You'll be sorry when I'm dead And all this guilt will be on your head |
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| Sufjan Stevens – Arnika Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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I too would like to know, who the hell are Arnika/Arnica and Bruno? The lyrics that are embedded in my mp3s show the title as "Arnika" and the name in the lyrics as "Arnica." Not sure if this is just a typo. Arnica with a "c" is a homeopathic treatment for bruises and sprains. Maybe he's feeling battered and bruised, literally or figuratively, or both? I always thought that the creaking was something like a rocking chair, a sound he kept in as part of a lo-fi feel. The Owl and The Tanager also has artifacts like that. You can hear him pressing down the pedals as he's playing the piano. It almost sounds like someone is rowing a boat. I really love that about ADP. If you haven't listened with headphones, give it a try. That last line, "No, I'm not afraid of death or strife or injury, accidents, they are my friends," just haunts me. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – Saul Bellow Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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"Get in solid walls With the know-it-alls" Anybody who has ever been through art school or grad school knows exactly what Sufjan is singing about. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – Heirloom Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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I think this song is about loneliness. A romantic relationship has ended, and he blames himself for driving his lover away. I find this so moving, because most people won't admit what they've done wrong in a relationship. The lines "And when your legs give out just lie right down/And I will kiss you till your breath is found" made me think of Sufjan's illness, which affected his arms and legs, among other things. Perhaps it expresses a wish to have someone there to comfort him. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – Christmas in the Room Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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It breaks my heart to think that this might have been written for the same person who inspired all of those tortured break-up songs on ADP and Age of Adz. Pure speculation on my part, of course. Another interpretation might be a longing for that kind of blissful love when you haven't found it yet. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – All for Myself Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| I may be way off with this one, but I think the lyrics, "We set out once with folded shirts, with hairy chests, and well-rehearsed," might reference the time when Illinois took off and Sufjan was suddenly famous, a reluctant indie "it-boy". He went from playing tiny clubs during the first leg of the tour, to selling out large seated theaters and playing with a 15-piece band. The "hairy chests" reference (which always makes me laugh) might refer to a strange feeling of power. The line "I want it all for myself" made me think of the inevitable ego-trip that would come with fame. He seems to be apologizing to someone ("Improving as I kiss the hem") that got hurt along the way. | |
| Sufjan Stevens – Futile Devices Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Oh, and I think it's "And when you crochet." :) | |
| Sufjan Stevens – Futile Devices Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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My first impression was that this was about a former lover, or even an estranged lover. Now I wonder if he is singing to someone who has always been a platonic friend. For many single people, the most important relationships in their lives are friendships, not love affairs. How many of us fail to tell our best friends how much we love them? This song, this whole album, is just beautiful. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – I Want to Be Well Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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In a recent Italian interview, Sufjan mentioned that he had a bout with some sort of illness...and then the translator speaks over him in Italian! If any of you are fluent, you might glean more info about this song (if so, please post a translation). http://www.rai.tv/dl/RaiTV/programmi/media/ContentItem-db612f7d-998b-4478-8fde-a57bf3aba5db.html?p=0 The lyrics might be referring to Royal Robertson's schizophrenia, and it might also be referring to Sufjan's mortality. |
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