Sufjan Stevens – Rake

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  General Comment:'You are the rock' clearly is implying endurance and stability.
  'Rake' can also be immoral or promiscuous behaviour, so 'you are the rake' is the opposite of the previous line.
  By 'you are the one when i watch myself', that just means he is careful around her as she's not being definite in the messages she's sending him while he tries not to fall into problematic situations with her, with difficulty.
  
  In the first verse, the first two lines make it clear that he no longer feels safe with her, but her company was his warm resting place.
  
  In the second verse when they 'ran into a cave, when the wars came closer', 'the wars' are the hardships that have arisen and the 'cave' is their retreat into each other secluded from everything else. But her being a 'warm resting place' didn't last as she 'turned into a cave' which now could mean she is hollow and her 'warm resting place' became 'colder'.
  
  or not, this is just my take.

  Flag richard5392on March 19, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:I have to agree with Patthewat that "she turned into a cave when it got colder" means protection.
  
  I think this whole song is as simple as the lyrics are- Sufjan is singing about feeling safe and stable in a relationship.
  
  Another line that points to this is the one from the chorus: "You are the rock." Symbollically, a rock represents strength; this girl is his strength, or his "rock", so to speak.
  
  Even the opening lyrics support this theory. "I never felt so safe"- despite the fact that Sufjan calls it a "line", he then retiterates the statement by saying "Warm, resting place..." Showing that even though he might have been using a "line" at some point in their relationship, he has now come to see her as a "warm, resting place"...he trusts and finds comfort and strength in her.

  Flag brittpinkieon September 02, 2009   Link

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    the lyric is "she turned into a cave WHERE it got colder"
    i think richard5392 (above) has it.
    i would say this song is about a once-safe/warm/stable relationship that has now grown cold.

    Flag greygreenon December 07, 2012  
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  General Comment:I love this song! People keep saying that a cave means she is distant. I see the lyrics "She turned into a cave when it got colder" differently. Caves offer protection from the elements; and while a cave can be cold and aloof, they can also be a place of solitude. I think this can mean when the world is cold and disheartening, she was a place where he could escape and feel safe. When the walls got close (when things feel overwhelming) they both ran into a safe together. When things still aren't what he hoped they would be, she was a place where could feel protected from everyone else.
  
  And I never really thought of the lyrics about being sex, but I can see it for sure now hahah

  Flag patthewaton May 13, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:I think this song is more about that time where you're ALMOST in a relationship.
  
  I never felt so safe
  A line I once told her
  Warm resting place
  Her arm on my shoulder
  
  You feel so safe with this person, and you're open about it.
  
  But then,
  
  We ran into a safe
  When the walls came closer
  She turned into a cave
  Where it turned colder
  
  Once you get closer to each other, the person turns cold and you're left.
  
  They are your rock. A solid base in your life. But they are also the rake and drag themselves away from you.
  
  I guess thats what I get from it. But if you've never been there you probably think im nuts.

  Flag votre_mereon December 28, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:Unfortunately, most f his songs are intentionally referencing god. You'll have to accept that.
  
  I'm surprised I've never heard this song cited as proof that Sufjan isn't gay.

  Flag JpegMasterJesseon December 13, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:I wish people would leave god out of their interpretations of sufjan's lyrics, unless it's very blatantly about god :\
  
  I understand, but it's also really irritating because I'm an atheist

  Flag ohnoodleson December 01, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:I am not sure if my interpretation is at all correct, however, I get the feeling Sufjan is portraying sexual desire for a girl, although he does not want to cross the line and take away her purity. He speaks of a warm resting place and a closeness being together. Then he adds, "a line I once told her." I get the feeling he means that he drew a line inbetween her and himself and set boundaries for the relationship, how far they will go sexually until marriage. He then goes to the chorus and I think he is referring to God as these figures. First a steady and solid Rock. And I think calling God a rake is to say that He pulls him away from danger and collects his desires. God is the one that keeps him strong when he is watching Sufjan while he attempts to keep himself from going too far. The second chorus I believe Sufjan is talking about the inner war he is experiencing, wanting to go further and feeling such desire too, but again God is the rake keeping him from it.
  
  I kinda rushed through that. Does anyone agree in any way?

  Flag joeericksonon August 08, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:Here are the exact lyrics for this song, transcribed from Sufjan's handwriting in the first pressing of the album. The lyrics are originally written without line breaks.
  
  Rake: I never felt so safe - a line I once told her. Warm resting place, her arm on my shoulder. You are the rock, You are the rake, You are the one when I watch myself. We ran into a safe when the wars came closer. She turned into a cave, where it turned colder.

  Flag Periodixon May 23, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:I only have "You Are the Rake" for the re-release of A Sun Came! Either way, I can't help but say that Stevens has got a thing for ambiguity.
  
  "We ran into a safe..." "She turned into a cave..." "You are the one when I watch myself"? I mean... I was thinking "the One" and "the rock" (foundation of the Church, oh goody, more religious references)... But then I wondered what a rake is (isn't it a word that referring to a...libertine?).
  Heck, all I can tell is that the speaker's loved one's became hollow (a cave) when it got colder (feel ill? died?)... Anyone who can shed light on what Stevens meant would be of great help.
  
  Needless to say, no matter what Sufjan's singing, you gotta love the banjo. It makes the song even more melancholic. ;.;

  Flag Tsuppion January 26, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:Well, my ex-bofriend gave me this albulm right before we broke up. When he left me, I listened to this song on repeat over and over, not very helpful to getting over him, hehe. Anyway, to me the line "you are the rock, you are the rake" meant that as the rake you helped me grow and live, but you were also a rock and you broke me. At any rate, this song still makes me cry, and it's really beautiful, as is this whole albulm.

  Flag _sunshine88on December 31, 2006   Link

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