Sufjan Stevens – Out of Egypt, Into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I Shake the Dirt from My Sandals as I Run

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Send "Out of Egypt, Into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I Shake the Dirt from My Sandals as I Run" Ringtone to Cell

[Instrumental]

Send "Out of Egypt, Into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I Shake the Dirt from My Sandals as I Run" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher

Track duration: 04:21


Out of Egypt, Into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I Shake the Dirt from My Sandals as I Run song meanings
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  • 0
    General Comment:To me this song is about the ultimate acceptance of social identity. Sufjan spent the first seventy minutes talking about vanity, murder, love, death, fear, ambition, failure, and it is all indeed very laughable. It is the mess of human life, and in the final song we plunge face first into that mess, free and content.
    Flag holdenredcapon November 21, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:the first time you listen to it you might get the feeling that its gonna build up to something amazing, but there is definitely that feeling of closure in the last 30 seconds. and a beautiful closing it is.
    Flag thirsty_thursdayon June 12, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i've always thought about it as being a sort of a self-emancipation from people in general, and specifically from the troubles brought on by large groups of us, society as a whole... "the great laugh of mankind" i've taken as a reflection on how laughable we are when we get together and start functioning as huge groups instead of as individuals, because so much is lost then... but there, i just went on a huge tangent. whatever the meaning, it's a gorgeous song. it makes me feel like it's building up to something amazing, like there's stuff in store for everyone. :)
    Flag predicateon March 15, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:What a wonderful song to end a wonderful album.
    Flag Yankeeeon August 28, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:this is simply an astoundingly beautiful song. wow.
    it sort of like broken social scene, willlliw, though i see broken social scene as more organized chaos, and i don't find sufjan's music chaotic at all. just a personal opinion, though.
    Flag sydddneyon January 30, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:does this remind anyone of broken social scene? like their instrumetnals
    Flag willlliwon September 19, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:"Out of Egypt" is a common Jewish/Christian reference to God's salvation--by His own power bringing His people out of slavery and oppression.

    "The Great Laugh of Mankind" feels like more of a stretch, because contrary to how we typically view laughter (joy and happiness), in the Bible laughter tends to be more about mocking and sneering (esp. when talking about "mankind" as a whole). For instance, Psalm 44:14 says "You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples" and Psalm 80:6 says, "You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves."

    Regarding "And I Shake The Dirt From My Sandals As I Run," you'll find this in chapter six of the Mark's Gospel: "And [Jesus] said to them, '...if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, **shake off the dust that is on your feet** as a testimony against them.'"

    So put all that together and this could be a way of saying, "God has pulled me out of this mess we're all trapped in, and now I'm running headlong into the world's mocking and criticism to tell you what I know, but if you refuse to listen, then the consequences are on your own heads." Kind of a sobering way to close an album.
    Flag travisseitleron August 29, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Love this song - and love its title! Like Dove said, it's so interesting yet serene.
    Flag auxocromeon January 14, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love that he chose to conclude the album with such an interesting song. There's just this serence sense of closure at the end.
    Flag tranquilasadoveon December 01, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:if this song is from come on,feel the illinoise(which i am assuming it is),its in reference to an area i live not far and sort of in
    there is a town called cairo way way south by missouri thus southern illinois is called little egypt. oh yeah and that whole lake,sand thing.
    Flag stereogirlon May 20, 2006   Link

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