This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Ooh, woman, tell me what you want
And I'll calm down without bleeding out
With a broken heart that you stabbed for an hour
Woman, I was freaking out because I want you to know
My beloved, you are the lover of my impossible soul
Woman, too, promise me you'll stay and put off all your woes
I was wigging out, too much worry
I could not get you at all
And you said what you want, you would laugh it off
But I know you won't go, not for it at last
Must you write it off for the impossible soul?
And I was in a dream, I was gone away without you, but not too slow
Lest I put it off, for I put it right for the impossible soul
And all I couldn't sing, I would say it all, my life, to you
If I could get you at all
Don't be a wreck, trying to be something that I wasn't at all
Seems I got it wrong, I was chasing after something that was gone
To the black of night, now I know it's not what I wanted at all
And you said something like, "All you want is all the world for yourself"
But all I want is the perfect love
Though I know it's small, I want love for us all
And all I couldn't sing, I would say it all, my life, to you
If I could get you at all
Trying to be something that I wasn't at all
Do you want to be afraid?
Do you want to be afraid?
For life in the cage where courage's mate runs deep in the wake
For the scariest things are not half as enslaved
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Do you want to be alone?
Do you want to be alone?
For life isn't stained of righteousness pain
The seed and the hail, all impossible flights for an interesting light
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Do you want to love me more?
Do you want to love me more?
For love is the breath
If water and wave is cursed by the same thing that nurtured its shame
Is it worth all the work?
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Have you failed to feel delight? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
Have you failed to feel delight? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
Instead of the life, lived tired and lost, have you left it at last
Where it floundered its death with the language of ghosts
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Do you want to be afraid? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
Do you want to be afraid? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
For life in the cage where where courage's mate runs deep in the wake
For the scariest things are not half as enslaved
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
No... Don't be distracted
Stupid man in the window, I couldn't be at rest
All my delight, all that mattered, I couldn't be at rest
From what I liked, from what I gathered, I couldn't be at rest
Stupid man in the window, I couldn't be at rest
And don't be shy in the window
Come down and give your best
Oh, delight in the window I couldn't be at rest
Stupid man in the window, I couldn't be at rest
From what I liked, from what I gathered, I couldn't give my best
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to breathe at all
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to breathe at all
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to breathe at all
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to speak at all
1, 2 3, 4!
It's a long life, better pinch yourself,
Put your face together, better get it right
It's a long life, better hit yourself
Put your face together, better stand up straight
It's a long life, only one last chance
Couldn't get much better, do you wanna dance?
It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Get your face together, better stand up straight
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better give love, give love, give love, give love)
Boy, we can do much more together,
(better get it right, get it right get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together it's not so impossible
It's not so impossible
It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Get your face together, better roll along
It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Put your face together, better stand up straight
It's a long life only one last chance
Couldn't get much better, do you wanna dance?
It's a good life, better pinch yourself
Is it impossible? Is it impossible?
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get a life, get a life, get a life, get a life)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy we can do much more together, it's not so impossible
It's not so impossible
It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Put your face together, better get it right
It's a long life, better hit yourself
Put your face together, better stand up straight
In the wrong life, everything is chance
Does it register? Do you wanna dance?
In the right life, it's a miracle
Possibility, do you wanna dance?
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get a life, get a life, get a life, get a life)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
It's not so impossible
Do you wanna dance?
Boy, we can do much more together
It's not so impossible
I never meant to cause you pain
My burden is the weight of a feather
I never meant to lead you on
I only meant to please me, however
And then you tell me, boy, we can do much more
Boy, we can do much more
Boy, we can do much more together
Boy, we can do much more together
I'm nothing but a selfish man
I'm nothing but a privileged brother
And did you think I'd stay the night?
And did you think I'd love you forever?
And then you tell me, boy, we can do much more
I gotta tell you, girl, I want nothing less
Girl, I want nothing less
Girl, I want nothing less than pleasure
Girl, I want nothing less than pleasure
I gotta tell you, boy, we made such a mess
Boy, we made such a mess
Boy, we made such a mess together
Boy we made such a mess together
And I'll calm down without bleeding out
With a broken heart that you stabbed for an hour
Woman, I was freaking out because I want you to know
My beloved, you are the lover of my impossible soul
Woman, too, promise me you'll stay and put off all your woes
I was wigging out, too much worry
I could not get you at all
And you said what you want, you would laugh it off
But I know you won't go, not for it at last
Must you write it off for the impossible soul?
And I was in a dream, I was gone away without you, but not too slow
Lest I put it off, for I put it right for the impossible soul
And all I couldn't sing, I would say it all, my life, to you
If I could get you at all
Don't be a wreck, trying to be something that I wasn't at all
Seems I got it wrong, I was chasing after something that was gone
To the black of night, now I know it's not what I wanted at all
And you said something like, "All you want is all the world for yourself"
But all I want is the perfect love
Though I know it's small, I want love for us all
And all I couldn't sing, I would say it all, my life, to you
If I could get you at all
Trying to be something that I wasn't at all
Do you want to be afraid?
Do you want to be afraid?
For life in the cage where courage's mate runs deep in the wake
For the scariest things are not half as enslaved
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Do you want to be alone?
Do you want to be alone?
For life isn't stained of righteousness pain
The seed and the hail, all impossible flights for an interesting light
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Do you want to love me more?
Do you want to love me more?
For love is the breath
If water and wave is cursed by the same thing that nurtured its shame
Is it worth all the work?
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Have you failed to feel delight? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
Have you failed to feel delight? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
Instead of the life, lived tired and lost, have you left it at last
Where it floundered its death with the language of ghosts
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Do you want to be afraid? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
Do you want to be afraid? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
For life in the cage where where courage's mate runs deep in the wake
For the scariest things are not half as enslaved
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
No... Don't be distracted
Stupid man in the window, I couldn't be at rest
All my delight, all that mattered, I couldn't be at rest
From what I liked, from what I gathered, I couldn't be at rest
Stupid man in the window, I couldn't be at rest
And don't be shy in the window
Come down and give your best
Oh, delight in the window I couldn't be at rest
Stupid man in the window, I couldn't be at rest
From what I liked, from what I gathered, I couldn't give my best
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to breathe at all
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to breathe at all
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to breathe at all
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to speak at all
1, 2 3, 4!
It's a long life, better pinch yourself,
Put your face together, better get it right
It's a long life, better hit yourself
Put your face together, better stand up straight
It's a long life, only one last chance
Couldn't get much better, do you wanna dance?
It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Get your face together, better stand up straight
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better give love, give love, give love, give love)
Boy, we can do much more together,
(better get it right, get it right get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together it's not so impossible
It's not so impossible
It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Get your face together, better roll along
It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Put your face together, better stand up straight
It's a long life only one last chance
Couldn't get much better, do you wanna dance?
It's a good life, better pinch yourself
Is it impossible? Is it impossible?
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get a life, get a life, get a life, get a life)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy we can do much more together, it's not so impossible
It's not so impossible
It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Put your face together, better get it right
It's a long life, better hit yourself
Put your face together, better stand up straight
In the wrong life, everything is chance
Does it register? Do you wanna dance?
In the right life, it's a miracle
Possibility, do you wanna dance?
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get a life, get a life, get a life, get a life)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
It's not so impossible
Do you wanna dance?
Boy, we can do much more together
It's not so impossible
I never meant to cause you pain
My burden is the weight of a feather
I never meant to lead you on
I only meant to please me, however
And then you tell me, boy, we can do much more
Boy, we can do much more
Boy, we can do much more together
Boy, we can do much more together
I'm nothing but a selfish man
I'm nothing but a privileged brother
And did you think I'd stay the night?
And did you think I'd love you forever?
And then you tell me, boy, we can do much more
I gotta tell you, girl, I want nothing less
Girl, I want nothing less
Girl, I want nothing less than pleasure
Girl, I want nothing less than pleasure
I gotta tell you, boy, we made such a mess
Boy, we made such a mess
Boy, we made such a mess together
Boy we made such a mess together
Lyrics submitted by strykerchick
Impossible Soul Lyrics as written by Sufjan Stevens
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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You know that a song is completely amazing when 25 minutes seems too short.
Oh my, yes.
(1) Breakup event. Gets dumped, goes a little nutty. Realizes he's mourning something secondary he wanted from it, not the person herself. As though it were an ego blow. She the love of his "Impossible Soul," the cynical/fearful part of him that thinks that happiness is not possible...too risky.
(2) His "angel" coaches him... the things you do for safety imprison you more than the worst outcomes you could ever experience from taking chances. Basically, the risk averse life robs you of the full experience (delight) of life.
(3) The lesson seeping into his conscience (auto-tune).
(4) Life essential beckoning...use it or lose it, champ. Snap out of the dream life you're living.
(5) Sorry I was a dick. I'm much better now. Wasn't that a lot of drama?
I agree with all your premises and think they are at least right. Below I added the thought that the "secondary" thing he wanted from it was to cover up his homosexuality. I could be way off but it is a more specific interpretation I guess.
I think TheLightIsMine is right on the money.
I love how you mapped it out. I love this song and knew I was relating to it in ways but couldn't put it together. The song is a masterpiece. I love the progression of emotions. and i love how you worded the progression. the thing i love most is the end. He realizes that he was being childish and self-centered about his loss initially. he realized there was less meaning in his emotions and what he thought of "girl." He moved on. I like how the length of the song implies that it took a long time to get to this level of getting over her.
i used "i love" way too much in that reply. sorry...i still meant it!
Man, it's so hard to do anything while this song is playing. I can't imagine it just being "background music" or "driving music" because it just takes all your attention.
I think it's unfair how people have a knee-jerk reaction to auto-tune because of its prominence in recent pop music. It's a sound, just like any other effect, from Elliott Smith's multi-tracking or distortion on guitar. It's like any other instrument.
It's not like he's using auto-tune to cover up his lack of vocal talents - he's made a dozen albums without it, so using it for a few verses shouldn't matter. It's not like he uses it on every song like T-Pain. It's specific sonic choice, like the decision to use a trumpet, or a synth, or a choir.
I completely understand! I have no idea why I had that reaction...just a ignorant prejudice I guess. Nonetheless...the album is amazing.
Totally right that it's impossible to not focus on the song when doing other things. And it's soooo loooong.
do not group 'driving music' with 'background music.' not the same.
@avengedsurvive: i got you man. listened to this album today on a 4 hour drive (other things too obviously). if you can multi-task it's great driving music, any good music is. deaf and hearing-impaired people can drive, therefore you can drive and listen to music at the same time.
I like the autotune, even with the cultural implications, because it seems like the workings of a guy who was taking himself really seriously (BQE) and then remembered how to laugh.
watching Sufjan dance to his own disco music is something that everyone should see at some point in their life, probably the funniest thing ive ever seen too lol, the beats are amazing, its impossible not to pay attention to it<br /> <br /> the thing with the auto tune section is we ve all got the what 6 or 7 albums before age of adz that prove to us what an incredibly beautiful singer sufjan is, so people shouldnt be pissed off about it at all its really only used in this song to make each not that he sings more distinct and separated, hes not using it to cover up bad singing like 90% of pop singers do these day, because hes already singing perfectly intune, so personally i think the autotune section is the best part of this song, or pretty much any other song ive ever heard<br /> i just realised youve already said practically everything i just have hahaha but im going to post this anyway :D
bwdateandyear i dont think Sufjan has ever taken himself seriously, he even said himself that he doesnt lol, the BQE was a commissioned work, which im guessing is why it seems that way, but you dont agree to do a commissioned work just to do a half-assed job which is something that he definitely did not, i love the movie and the soundtrack its a true work of art
Here's a quote from Sufjan about Impossible Soul from an interview with Drowned in Sound:
"It’s like a Woody Allen film, you know, where there’s the slapstick on the surface that everyone can appreciate, but then, deeper, there’s all these original details. Maybe at the heart of a good Woody Allen film there’s some kind of universal tragedy of humanity that he’s speaking about; a much bigger thing. ‘Impossible Soul’ is really about a very primitive object. I want to get with a girl, and there’s all these obstacles, and shortcomings, and miscommunication… and this is a basic fundamental of life, between two human beings.
But then very quickly — through an expository detour — it becomes something else. It’s all about personal happiness, or the state of mankind, or the cosmos — the cosmos is drawn into it. And then it becomes about… what is at the heart of our inability to really connect? Is it fear, or is it self-consciousness? And then it becomes a kind of therapeutic discourse that becomes the centrepiece of the song. But it’s no longer about, just like, “girl, I want to get with you.” It’s more like… what’s wrong with civilisation (laughs)."
It makes a lot of sense with the lyrics.
Does anyone else feel like Sufjan has changed a lot in this album? I guess to be honest, I usually play repeats of my personal favourites on my ipod like gacy, chicago, the upper peninsula, holland, no man's land, to be alone with you etc. So I'm a shitty fan and don't listen to the other's regularly.
But, his voice and style in those songs, and even the subject matter is different. I feel like his past songs were amazing and this album might take a few listens to get used to, but I still enjoy it.
I guess even though I feel like there's a quality of his olds songs that are missing from these, I feel like he makes up for it in something else. This something else is experimentation, I like the hints of noise pop, I like the backing vocals, and I love that his songs are relateable.
Btw, I don't think Sufjan is gay. I thought to be alone with you was about being with a married man, I learnt my lesson. I don't it's sung just from his perspective, I think he means that "she's" saying that they can do so much together. But hey, I could be wrong. Like someone previously said, you cannot just decide on someone's sexuality based on interpreting a couple of lines.
Tbh I thought his past songs were in a sense, innocent they were absolutely beautiful and definitely mature. But this feels like Sufjan is actually expressing life experience and he's in a different place in his life, he's older. It's easy to tell just from "Oh, woman, tell me what you want And I'll calm down without bleeding out, with a broken heart that you stabbed for an hour". That's just completely different from his older songs. But his music still retains the quality of story-telling, of real experience and emotion. I also feel like even though Christ is probably mentioned, he's not the focus anymore.
Although, honestly. I think this has a Gotye-esque quality. I still think it's Sufjan, especially at the beginnin, but it reminds of Gotye! I enjoy listening to it a lot though.
Just as an FYI, Stevens gave a radio interview where he said that leaving God out of this record was completely intentional and in no way a reflection of anything personal. I think he was really aiming for a complete departure from norm...kind of like Enjoy Your Rabbit, which bears no resemblance to anything we define as his "signature".
He also said that he's very insecure about his voice and very self-aware of his body, so on this record he said he sort of let go of that "whisper" from Seven Swans, Michicgan, and Illinois and didn't really care about his voice breaking and the dancing was to help him become more comfortable in his skin (and supposedly to help with his mysterious illness).
So I don't know anything, but I did find the song's length and how... specific... that length felt a bit odd. The only thing I could think of that might fit (given that this is Sufjan) would be a bible verse. Matthew 25:35 is "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in."
I could be completely mad, to be honest. If that actually was the intention, I have no idea what it might bean as far as the song goes. I don't pretend to know much about the bible. But I just thought I'd share one of my few original thoughts in this world.
I'm not going to go as far as saying that you are right but I do think what you have here is an extremely interesting thought. It is such a serious verse and very fitting with what Sufjan sings about and especially reminiscent of the themes in The Age of Adz. Basically, the specific timing in correspondence with that verse is something that Sufjan would totally do. So overall, really cool thought
What an amazing song. The auto-tune surprised me...pissed me off a bit...But now I love it.
It's a vocoder, not auto-tune.
I was taken aback by the auto tune at first, but after listening/thinking about it in the context of the song I really love it now.
It seems to have been used as a device to disguish between different voices/points of view within the song. I see the auto-tune verse as being sung by Sufjan's psyche to himself. He himself is the stupid man in the window, and he's asking himself to come down and give what he has to offer without apology or worry.
This doesn't settle the Shara thing, but it's definitely cute as. From My Brightest Diamond's twitter:
'just asked by a 3 yr old if I was Sufjan's space princess. I started singing "do you want to be afraid?" And her eyes popped out. #success'
twitter.com/
@Asrak Lol.... /r/thathappened
IT'S NOT AUTO-TUNE, PEOPLE. IT'S A VOCODER. Two totally different things.
Actually, it's auto-tune, so calm down and get your facts straight. And it's awesome! voices.yahoo.com/the-difference-between-autotune-effects-vocoders-3099691.html