Lyrics for To Be Alone with You as interpreted by vwkeychain

To Be Alone with You Lyrics
I'd swim across Lake Michigan
I'd sell my shoes
I'd give my body to be back again
In the rest of the room
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
To be alone with you

You gave your body to the lonely
They took your clothes
You gave up a wife and a family
You gave your ghost
To be alone with me
To be alone with me
To be alone with me
You went up on a tree

To be alone with me
You went up on a tree

I've never known a man who loved me

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anonymo1234
02-07-2010

Rated 0 
I see how everyone gets the Jesus idea, based on the fact that Sufjan clearly alludes to the bible. However, I think he is using this literary allusion in order to describe a homosexual relationship. I am not trying to compare Jesus to gay people, but I think Sufjan is using crucifixion and persecution as a parallelism to the way in which gay couples are treated in modern society. Essentially, he first describes the fact that he would give up everything to be with this man, similar to how Jesus behaved in the bible. Then, he says the man he loves would do the same for him. I think the beginning of the song is what clues us into the fact that he isn't directly speaking of Jesus. Sufjan says he would swim across Lake Michigan to be with this person- I don't think Jesus will be doing that anytime soon.

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ingrid09
12-09-2009

Rated 0 
i'm not gonna lie, the fact that this song is about jesus kind of makes it less endearing to me.

and i agree with pinkpony, how do those particular bits relate to jesus anyway?

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pinkponyprincess
11-06-2009

Rated 0 
okay if everyone is saying that its about Jesus, which I think they have reasonable reason to, why does he keep saying he would do anything to be alone (with Jesus?) and why does he say Jesus would give up things to be alone with him?

"I'd give my body to be back again" That makes no sense. and the next line about being back in the room? It really does not relate to Jesus, or if it does, I do not see how it does. I really think that Sufjan is gay or bi sexual.....a lot of his songs are talking about men.

Does anyone actually know his sexuality? Not that it matters, but it would clear up a lot of things in many of his songs.

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dojobug
08-19-2009

Rated 0 
First of all, the song's about Jesus. Get over any other ideas you might have. The only thing I even half-disagree with PemTea on is the tree reference. I think it might be a double-meaning; one about the cross and one about when Zachariah went up the tree to see Him. That's probably a stretch anyway.
Secondly, do you athiests with obvious "daddy issues" regarding God need to STOP.
If this song was about anything other than Jesus and someone went into any book other than the Bible to explain exactly what the song is about, you would have applauded; but because someone who BELIEVES what the song is about to be TRUE explained the subject matter as such, a bunch of people decided to get their panties in a wad.

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vemafe
06-15-2009

Rated 0 
I think that it may be about being single, or being alone with oneself. Thus, leaving wife and children... and everything. Maybe he just wants to be on his own. This makes sense if you think about it, but it may not be the right interpretation here.

That's how I'll see it, though, because being alone can be very wonderful at times.

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NicoleGonzalez
05-05-2009

Rated 0 
I love this song so much. I want to cry almost every time I hear it. It's so soft spoken. I hate to think that it's about Jesus I do think that it just ruins the song. But it makes complete sense. when I first heard it I thought it was about him and his best friend. And then I was like well wait that's a little weird. He talks about his Guy Best Friend in Predatory wasp.. though? So I don't know. I really Enjoy listening to this song though.

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jicama
04-08-2009

Rated 0 
A song that truly conveys the feeling of the human spirit/soul to long for an intimate relationship with some one, and in this case I think it is clear that is God. And it's obviously it's about the sacrifices and the depths that we will go to to be with the one that our hearts long for. So many can relate to this in relationships throughout their lives, people they're in love with, a best friend, a sister, brother, father, mother, so that's probably why so many are able to look past his message of faith and find a meaning of their own in this song.

Such beautiful and introspective feelings conveyed in simple yet passionate music. Not very many can do this - Sufjan has an amazing gift. I love that he's able to express these feelings without people feeling that they are preaching to them. He is sharing a part of his true honest soul with us, and this is a wonderful thing. Christ was appealing to the masses, not because he compromised His mission nor because He preached their heads off. He loved the crap out of them and went to great lengths to show them this and I think this is why they loved Him and still love Him. So nonjudgmental, so kind, with the only people he would get angry with being the hypocrites. Many "Christians" in America are, sadly, just like the pharisees that pissed Him off, even though they claim they are His followers. But I can definitely see and hear Him through Sufjan.

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thewho1572
04-05-2009

Rated 0 
I think I read this on here before but it may have been from a different site, but I think that by the first verse, he is speaking from Judas Iscariot's point of view and that he would give anything to be back in the room (the upper room where the last supper was celebrated that he left to betray Jesus). Judas obviously felt great remorse for betryaing Jesus as he hung himself after receiving the money for his act. As for the second verse, I think it is talking about Jesus' passion and death. You gave your body would signify that he gave his body to be beaten and scourged as retribution for all of our sins (which is what I believe as a Catholic). By you gave up a wife and a family, I think that Sufjan is just saying that by fulfilling his mission as the Son of God, he gave up the opportunity of having a wife and a family even though, because he was fully man, would have been something he desired. And no I'm not going to apologize for expressing my beliefs if they offend anyone. This is what I believe and it is what I know to be true.

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insightful
02-06-2009

Rated 0 
I think the second line posted here is wrong - "I'd sell my shoes."

Isn't it "I'd soak my shoes?"

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sexylilelle
02-02-2009

Rated 0 
I think Sufjan Stevens is an incredible songwriter and although I myself am agnostic, I like his lyrics and their meaning and I think every artist should be able to express their faiths if they so choose (as long as it doesn't hurt anyone in the process). Pemberleytea may have come across as a little snobby about their faith but it doesn't mean you should start dissing their religion.

Lyrics are about the expression of the artist, if you don't like it, don't listen to it

No matter what this song is beautiful

x

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daybreaker2
01-19-2009

Rated +1 
Sufjan is such a great lyricist that even though this song is obviously about Jesus, it has that extra layer where you can apply its meaning to your own personal thing, even if you're not Christian. Several of his songs on Illinois are like that- multiple layers, both religious and secular. He's very good at that.

So for those of you who say you know it's about Jesus "but...", youre right. There is another meaning, and it could be something totally personal to you that Sufjan intended to just be between you and the song.

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gatesof
01-18-2009

Rated 0 
I really love this song, easily Sufjan's best song, and I really enjoy his music.

I'd swim across Lake Michigan
I'd sell my shoes
I'd give my body to be back again
In the rest of the room
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
To be alone with you

I think this first verse, is seen from the point of view of Sufjan himself, saying to Jesus that he would do anything and give anything, just to experience his presence again, probably beacuse he has had a really strong spiritual experience in the past, where he really felt the presence of Jesus in physical way, and even though he knows that Jesus is still present in his life, he still longs for a new experience of this kind. When he says: "I'd swim across Lake Michigan", he, in reality, says he would do the impossible to accomplish this, but he seems to acknowledge that he in himself is not able to do this, and thus that he is unable to experience Jesus in this way by using his own strength.

You gave your body to the lonely
They took your clothes
You gave up a wife and a family
You gave your ghost
To be alone with me
To be alone with me

In the second verse he contrasts the fact that he is not able to do anything in his own strength to come into the presence of Jesus, with what Jesus has already done in order that Sufjan could come into the presence of Jesus by grace. He gave his body to die on the cross in order that "the lonely" (the human race without God),should be reunited with God. The Bible says that the Roman soldiers at the crucifixion of Jesus divided his clothes between them. Jesus didn't marry, thus giving up "a wife and a family, even though he must have been tempted to it, since the Bible says that Jesus has been "tried in everything, but without sin". And the "You gave your ghost" line, seems to refer to both Jesus dying (giving up his ghost) and that Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit/Ghost in order that those who believe in him, should be able to come into the presence of God.

To be alone with me
You went up on a tree

To be alone with me
You went up on a tree

I've never known a man who loved me

The last part refers to Jesus dying on the cross (tree) as the ultimate sign of love.

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lbsouthe
12-03-2008

Rated 0 
This song is so beautiful and sad. I listen to it and play it when there's just too much confusions in my life, when I just wish things were simple, and that I could just love somebody and be loved in return.

That's what I think this song is about. I don't think Sufjan was trying to spread a message. The lyrics are very personal and I don't think we can pull meaning out of all of them (although I think it's pretty clear that it's about Jesus). I think he was simply singing his heart.

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holly-liz
10-07-2008

Rated 0 
This song means so much to me, where do i begin??????!!
Okay, this is an absolutely beautiful heart wrenching song, yet its so simple..maybe that's the beauty of it? I think it's about a love that you simply cannot touch, a love that once you had and it felt great and powerful and emotional but the world simply would not let you be with this person for one reason or another. It's a GREAT "i miss you" song.

-hollyliz.

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rockndrollmaster
09-27-2008

Rated 0 
this whole album is about religion.

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CaitMaryy
09-22-2008

Rated 0 
I love this song, he is so amazing.

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eclipseyourself
09-18-2008

Rated 0 
Its funny on every other site I checked it read " you gave your goals"....I knew it would be right on this one...." you gave your ghost".....Jesus gave everything he could.....He gave his ghost to remain and stay here with us....the Comforter......sick song!

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Cacity87
07-30-2008

Rated 0 
I have yet to even hear this song. But, just reading the lyrics makes me want to cry.

How I wish the whole world would come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior. I know Christianity is a turn-off for some. But, I tell you...it's because they don't understand what it's really all about.

My relationship with Jesus is the greatest relationship I have ever had in my life. He left his Holy Spirit to guide us through this life...just as this song beautifully states.

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wereTHRIVING
07-17-2008

Rated 0 
oh gosh, this is so... ah amazing. x

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shainoroboto
06-10-2008

Rated 0 
sufjan is born from unicorns; he is magical.

though i do believe he is talking about jesus, i also suspect he did put in his own references of his relationships with other people. simultaneous meanings perhaps.

And doesn't the last line "i've never known a man who loved me" just sound so sad. ahh, incredible. hmm, does anyone know anything about his father? just curious.

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notthatone
05-12-2008

Rated 0 
I absolutely LOVE how the risky thing to do in music anymore is talk about Christ!! No one blinks if you cuss and refer to lewd acts, but speak positively about the savior of mankind and people are 'turned off'. They shove their fingers in their ears and sing "lalalalala I can't hear you LaLaLaLa!" I remember the days I did that with affection and relief they've ended.

I do agree with several people who mentioned that Sufjan has a unique and incredible sound that the Christian music scene is seriously lacking. It's a very personal style that the listener feels like he really wrote it for his own worship and not to be cut and copied by 17 year old youth group worship guitar players nation wide.

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gaporama
05-01-2008

Rated 0 
i'm not a christian either, but i fully respect and acknowledge the fact that this song is definitely about jesus and his supposedly unconditional love to mankind. but sufjan's talent to write beautifully ambiguous lyrics is undeniable.

i, for one, have a personal interpretation to this song. for me, it might as well be about a married man who discovers his sexuality. on the first strophe, the lyrical i (probably a hustler of some kind) declares his love to this man, saying he'd do anything to be alone with him (probably not for the first time). the second strophe would be about that man, giving his "body to the lonely" (other anonymous closeted men like him), they took his clothes (i think that's quite obvious), then he "gave up a wife and a family" (once he came out, of course, he lost his straight family), and, finally, he gave his ghost (his soul is now purportedly doomed for his actions). and all of this, to be alone with the lyrical i. the only verse that doesn't quite fit into this approach to the lyrics is "you went up on a tree." and, at last, "i've never known a man who loved me" is also quite obvious.

once again, i KNOW this song IS about jesus (and that's undeniable). i'm just analysing its ambiguity and trying to give it a different, improbable meaning. that's it.

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JessicaIsGorgeou
03-01-2008

Rated 0 
Wonderfully written I myself am not religious but this song is truly amazing - meaning and all.

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lt20077
02-26-2008

Rated 0 
Okay I've only read the first few comments there but honestly I am so annoyed at the way people are talking about Christianity. Pemberleytea had some excellent points that made me understand one of my favourite songs alot more, and then someone left a very rude comment saying "yes its about Jesus a turn off generally when it comes to songs" and other mean things. I believe everyone should be allowed to voice there own oppinion just as long as they are respecting other people and I think that comment disrespects Christians. I don't know whether "gummidemilo" is Christian, Jewish, Athiest it doesn't matter what faith he/she is it is common courtesy to respect others beliefs.


But on a lighter note this is one of my favourite songs of all time.

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surfeitt
02-06-2008

Rated 0 
i liked your interpretation, angiemartin08, and what it means to you.
i only have a few points to add, which I feel are very important for the sake of history, present and future:
- Jesus Christ is the son of God according to the Christian Bible. The trinity has been dis-proved by Bible Scholars since the early 1900's. Jesus Christ was born of a woman, however, he had a pre-human existence in the heavens and was with his God when God founded the earth and all of the other angels. Jesus was created an angel, the first angel and God's first creation.
- Jesus died on a torture stake: similar to a very tall tree stump, and straight up and down. Hence "he died on a tree". This is contrary to Mel Gibson's approach and other theories that he died on a cross. 2000 years ago, the standard procedure of the Romans was to put sinners etc to death on a stake, hanging with arms directly over-head and nails through hands and feet. Jesus died in the same way, as the 'sinners' did.
- Jesus' death, as Sufjan said, was indeed the greatest act of love ever shown, to all who have ever lived. It is when we realise the depth of immense act of love that we truly strive to find the truth behind the many lies about the man who was Jesus Christ.
- (including, his birthday was not on 25 December, as widely celebrated. Jesus was born when the shepherds were in the field. In bethlehem, December time is winter and shepherds are not in the field. Jesus died on Nisan 14, 33CE, when he was 33.5 years old, according to the Bible and secular history. If you count back 33.5 years from that date on the Jewish calendar, you arrive at approximately April.
- which leads me to the question... why is the world being lied to? where can true answers be found? most don't care. If you do care - take time to find out the truth behind what you celebrate and what you believe.
- Thanks Sufjan, love the song.

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