Sufjan Stevens – Damascus

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Does the border temple fall down
I fall down
When the approaching light in me has stayed
It takes me back
Do you float the sanctuary
And bury
What a messenger can trade in trades in

Takes me back against the everglades
Back against the out-of-state
This is the last place I go for now
It takes me back (back against the everglades)
It takes me back (back against the out-of-state)
This is the last place I go to
It takes me back (back against the everglades)
It takes me back (back against the out-of-state)
This is the last thing I say

Does it matter that I fall down
My wall down
When the border is inside or remained
Brings me back
Do you know the adversary
And carry
All the burdens of peoples' pasts

Takes me back against the everglades
Back against the out-of-state
This is the last place I go for now
It takes me back (back against the everglades)
It takes me back (back against the out-of-state)
This is the last place I go
It takes me back (back against the everglades)
It takes me back (back against the out-of-state)
This is the last thing I say
It takes me back (back against the everglades)
It takes me back (back against the out-of-state)
This is the last thing I say

The road can be stronger
The road can lay longer
The road can . . .
The road can lay longer
The road can be stronger
The road can . . .
The road can lay longer
The road can be stronger

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Lyrics submitted by y2penni


Damascus song meanings
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12 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:If this was a straightforward, orthodox re-telling of the story of Paul's "conversion," I think it would reference a church and not a temple. Temples, in the biblical sense, are Jewish and churches are Gentile. I think the song is from the point of view of the original Judeo-Christians who were displaced by Paul's "vision" of a gentile Christianity.

    "Back against the everglades, back against the out-of-state."

    They've been driven back into the wasteland, across the borders of the Promised Land, by a gentile who didn't even know Jesus ("Do you know the emissary, and carry, all the burdens of a people's past?").
    Flag RyGuy86on November 09, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:amanaplanacanal has got a point, about the conversion of Paul

    My favorite lines are

    "The road can be stronger
    The road can lay longer"

    It makes me almost teary eyed. It makes me think of accepting when you've done wrong and being able to move on, and continue doing good in life.
    Flag xtrabiotoxinon July 03, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Definitely have to agree with almost all the lyrical adjustments by liquidhotmagma, "emissary" for sure and also "a people's past, it...", as for the other part, I listened a bunch of times trying to hear each of the versions written and what I have come up with is "When the order isn't certain or made, it..." brings me back.
    Flag d66j66on September 03, 2009   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:lyrics wise it sounds pretty clearly "out of state" to me.
    also, i don't think it's "airy" or "adversary," but "emissary"
    and though the difference seems small, i believe it's "of a people's past"
    and then there's this other part
    i actually hear "when the order isn't said (/set?) or remade." I'm not positive about that, but it's what i hear and it makes more sense to me than remained... i mean, something can't really BE remained.

    That said, i'm not entirely sure what this song's about... but it's moving all the same. I particularly like the "this is the last place i go for now" there is something desperate and almost self-loathing about it to me.... but i couldn't even tell you why.

    anyway... just saying what I thought I heard were the lyrics.
    Flag liquidhotmagmaon December 16, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I agree that it's about Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus. But I wonder what this verse means:
    "
    Do you know the adversary
    And carry
    All the burdens of peoples' pasts
    "

    The first half suggests Satan while the second half suggest Christ. Any ideas?
    Flag forbes2000on April 30, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I think it's "back against the everglades, back against the out-of-state". I can see the conversion of Paul, but I also think there's a personal parallel there. When he says, 'This is the las place I go", that makes me think of someone seeking solitude. I think of him trying all of his usual places and not finding peace, then finally coming to this place (a 'Damascus' of sorts) where he can change. He recognizes his wrongs and asks to be forgiven of them.

    also, it's "do you know the adversary?" not "end is airy".
    Flag DeoWulfon September 04, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think the lyrics are,
    "It takes me back (against the everglades)
    It takes me back (against the honest abe)"

    and so on.

    i could be wrong.

    either way i love this song and i've been trying to obtain it, but the cd it's on is out of print.
    Flag camelstoeon July 12, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i thought he was saying everglades but i could be wrong. this song seriously hurts my heart. in the best way.
    Flag ghost loveon June 15, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love it.
    Flag beluved_immortalon April 26, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:This has got to be one of my favourite Sufjan Stevens songs. I'm not really religious at all, but I still think it's incredible.
    Flag Islandsareforeveron April 07, 2007   Link

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