Sufjan Stevens - John My Beloved (iPhone Demo) Lyrics






Are we to speak, first day of the week
Stumbling words at the bar
Beauty blue eyes, my order of fries
Long island kindness and wine
Beloved of John, I get it all wrong
I read you for some kind of stone
Covered in lines, the fossils I find
Have they no life of their own?

So can we pretend sweetly
Before the mystery ends?
I am a man with a heart that offends
With its lonely and greedy demands
There's only a shadow of me; in a manner of speaking I'm dead

Such a waste, your beautiful face
Slumbering carpet arise
But you and your ring, your life-giving string
Come to me now as a friend
If history speaks, the kiss on my cheek
I'm painting the hills blue and red
They said beware, Lord hear my prayer
Anointing my love on your head

So can we be friends sweetly
Before the mystery ends?
I love you more than the world can contain
In its loneliest ramshackle head
There's only a shadow of me; in a manner of speaking I'm dead

I'm holding my breath
My signature death
What can be said of my heart?
If history speaks, the kiss on my cheek
Where there remains but a mark
Beloved my John, so I'll carry on
Counting my cards down to one
And when I am dead, return to the bed
My fossil is bright in the sun





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Sufjan Stevens John My Beloved (iPhone Demo) Comments
  1. c.... t....

    what grace

  2. R.... ....

    “I’m holding my breath my signature death” that’s my favorite part of this version. Too bad it didn’t make it to the official track.

  3. M.... ....

    much better than the original tbh

  4. E.... S....

    How can a song like John my beloved could possibly be more beautiful than that. I usually stay loyal to the original one, but God... I really can't decide which version is the best because both of them are truly amazing. Chills

  5. 2.... ....

    Just lovely

  6. H.... V....

    😻 Thanks for this! 💗 💗 ✨

  7. M.... E....

    Subaru "voicecrack" Stevens. I love him.

  8. M.... C....

    I think it's "I read you for some kind of stone."

    M.... C....

    Actually, I'm wrong, my bad. This version it really sounds like stone, the other version it is 100% poem.

  9. A.... J....

    the slight changes in the lyrics are very interesting!

  10. G.... N....

    I LOVE THAT HE STUTTERED AT THE "SO", HOLY SHIT

  11. S.... B....

    John, my beloved iPhone! (Demo)

  12. E.... M....

    I love this demo so much. Just like having Suf sitting in my couch singing this song just for me.

  13. J.... L....

    There's something beautiful about phone-recorded acoustic demos. This, and the song on Ellen Loo's Pillow Talk album are probably some of the most emotionally powerful and raw sounding songs released by each respective artist.

  14. H.... H....

    His music is like soothing ointment for the soul!

  15. E.... W....

    You know how Jesus holds us in His heart? Musically, you have held me in your heart since I was a 19 year old boy. I am now 31. Please. Listen to me. You mean every last word you say. I'm trying to now, as well. Anything I've posted, check it. Insecure is just the latest of this...

    E.... W....

    Erik Woods Jesus delights in music and dance. There is accepted account of this in the bible. I personally believe in these dark days; the more we connect with each other with heART, the darkness is pushed back. I truly appreciated your comment. In light and love, Maria

  16. l.... b....

    Moist as fuck right now. Moist as fuck

  17. N.... A....

    "John My Beloved (iPhone Demo)" debuted at #34 on the New Alternative 40 Chart this week:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVFVAY6frLY&index=32&list=PLxlSBzMcrtkMCVtuXEIz5BXpPfycTwsS5

  18. C.... C....

    Always wonderful when there is new music by Sufjan. So beautiful

  19. K.... F....

    My wife & I were blessed to be at his concert in Perth / Australia in 2011

  20. S.... F....

    For a second I thought this was a brand new song. I luv you sufjan.

  21. G.... A....

    I love you more than the world can contain

  22. M.... O....

    It's just not fair...

  23. F.... H....

    And when I'm dead . . .

  24. R.... T....

    when is ''Mystery of love'' gonna be published?

  25. S.... M....

    Every time i seee new upload of sujan i drop everything and listen

  26. g.... ....

    It saved my frustrated last night. Now I can't stop listening to it. =(

  27. L.... T....

    Thank You So Much, Smurfman Sassafras.

  28. V.... M....

    your music heals my sicknesss <3

  29. P.... C....

    Que Deus o abençoe.

  30. A.... K....

    His vocal performance is better on the original.

  31. F.... M....

    Sing me to sleep?!

  32. F.... M....

    this is so beautiful. the world is abundant

  33. P.... _....

    And he's done it again

  34. Z.... M....

    I'm cumming

  35. k.... ....

    i love being sad

    k.... ....

    kaylea pham me too

  36. 2.... ....

    Just what I needed. Was feeling 'antsy'; now feeling................. Thanks again.

  37. A.... F....

    More pls

  38. r.... ....

    Love it.

  39. T.... F....

    Beautiful. The moments when his voice cracks a little bit are incredible

  40. n.... j....

    Is this Sufjan song gay or just about God?

    n.... j....

    that sentence appears to be the moral quandary within every Sufjan fan (or at least the gay ones)

    n.... j....

    Probably both. Sufjan has a crush on jesus

  41. S.... M....

    and this is only what he's chosen to release...... with the amount of work he's done, there's bound to be hundreds and hundreds of unreleased songs and demos that are like, as good as this

  42. c.... ....

    mmmMMMMM

  43. p.... ....

    i love this

  44. K.... C....

    1:05 OH MY GOD HES SO CUTE

  45. M.... S....

    This hurts me. I love Subaru.

  46. C.... D....

    those 3 people who disliked this video have no ears or heart

  47. H.... H....

    alternatively titled : Subaru Stevens Makes Me Cry For Sixteen Hours

    H.... H....

    X____D ahhhaha!

  48. f.... A....

    MSTERY OF LOVE PLEASEEEEE SUFJAN SAID ITS GONNA RELEASED 27 OCTOBER :(

  49. s.... ....

    this is so good im crying

    s.... ....

    glad he changed my signature death to my tongue on your chest

  50. J.... S....

    ❤❤❤

  51. C.... H....

    oh shit

  52. A.... D....

    I love this so much more than I can express in words

  53. M.... M....

    This guitar feels so good. Feels like the spiritual successor to Casimir Pulaski Day.

  54. S.... D....

    Thank u

  55. M.... ....

    COME ON YOU WAITED ALL THIS TIME TO SHARE THIS??????

  56. c.... ....

    When you meet someone else who loves Sufjan Stevens, do you feel a kind of bond with them?

    c.... ....

    chuck1prillaman YES. It's a family. You either understand Sufjan and the heART he gives or you dont. Be well!

    c.... ....

    Well I do know that there is never a mean comment on his videos...that says a lot about the fanmily

    c.... ....

    chuck1prillaman yes then they unfollowed me Bc they were dating someone

  57. H.... ....

    I keep googling "more artists like Sufjan Stevens" unsuccessfully.

    H.... ....

    Joni Mitchell

    H.... ....

    Hely check out Jose Gonzalez, and Junip

    H.... ....

    Try Sleeping At Last their similar when it comes to their beautiful lyrics

    H.... ....

    a crow looked at me is such a beautiful album. my favorite song will always be death is real. I can recommend to anyone that likes sufjan to listen to him.

    H.... ....

    Patrick Watson!!!

  58. c.... ....

    So good!

  59. J.... A....

    this made me weak

  60. M.... ....

    Good tears via posting of this song version and God's wondrous timing. Terminally ill but still fighting this beast, my family took me to one of my favorite NorCal beaches. Sadly, we pass through the hell on earth fires that destroyed our valleys. Yet, when we reach the always healing waters, pure bliss. As I was sitting on the shoreline; this GEM of a song, which means much to me, was playing in my head on repeat. For in a manner of speaking I'm dead. Little fear of death remains but I reflect on this one phrase daily. I do believe Johns Beloved will be greeting me sweetly and most kindly. Peace to you all. LIFT each other. BE LOVE. BE NOT AFRAID. LET'S BE BRAVE!

    M.... ....

    Maria Carlomagno I almost don't know what to say (I'm not the most articulate), but everything you told me touched me very deeply, and could be applied to many of my struggles, which just makes it all the more true. I love you! Please don't feel alone at any point, you'll certainly be in my thoughts and in my prayers more often than you'd think. Again, thank you, very much.

    M.... ....

    Oli I consider you quite articulate, Oli. More importantly; you were willing to go where love (agape) led you. In a world seemingly gone mad with darkness, this makes your act of compassion all the braver and your unique light all the brighter. "All shall be well and all manner of things shall be well " - Julian of Norwich. SHINE ON! LOVE TO YOU and ALL

    M.... ....

    god bless you, maria.

    M.... ....

    Checked your channel, glad you’re still doing well Maria

    M.... ....

    Thank you for that Maria. This song (and album) broke me when I listened to it, I think I was already breaking before, but then, the more I listened to it, it started to mend my heart back together. I don't know if this sounds like nonsense, but it was the kind of breaking that has to happen for something else, something better to take its place. But thank you for sharing, your words touched me. God bless you and everyone around you.

  61. R.... P....

    i love you

  62. H.... Y....

    Best song ....

  63. K.... B....

    Sufjan's music is like a pure kind of medicine. It'll cure whatever ails you.

    K.... B....

    Karen Mary so very insightful and true. If you are open to feeling (many are not these days), then your soul responds to Sufjans music with sincere feeling. Be well

    K.... B....

    I love Sufjan and I love Snoopy too!

  64. C.... M....

    I think this could have been called "John My Beloved (Seven Swans Version)" And I only mean good things by saying that.

  65. S.... J....

    Thank you for releasing this. Both versions are beautiful and moving.

  66. s.... ....

    If he ever loses his phone on an Uber, I hope I'm the lucky driver.

  67. M.... L....

    Голос дрожит, я не могу😥

  68. i.... ....

    oh baby

  69. S.... A....

    The Greatest Gift KEEPS GIVING!!! 👏

  70. D.... R....

    Subaru has the most beautiful voice.

  71. E.... ....

    😢😢😢😢

  72. K.... J....

    Wow, this is absolutely chilling. One of my favorite songs on the album striped down to banjo and guitar. Thank you Sufjan

  73. A.... D....

    Steve Jobs My Beloved

  74. O.... M....

    top 3 miserable wanks

  75. M.... ....

    FUCK! ME! UP!!!!

  76. S.... ....

    Sufjan, you are a huge inspiration to me with all of your albums. They helped me a lot of times in my life when I was in a really dark place. I just really wanted to say thank you, thank you so much.

    S.... ....

    It´s actually really hard to pick a favorite. If I had to say it would be C&L or Seven Swans.

  77. H.... ....

    thank u suf for this gift

  78. Z.... ....

    Correction on the lyrics. ‘Come to my now’ should be ‘Come to me now’.

    Z.... ....

    And ‘come to my bed’ in the second last to ‘return to the bed’

    Z.... ....

    also, some kind of poem vs some king of stone.

    his demo lyrics are usually have a few differences (see: demo for transfiguraiton, demo for casimir pulaski, etc...)

    Z.... ....

    nubbs I luv seeing how much difference there are. It feels so personal!

  79. D.... B....

    I love you subaru

  80. S.... L....

    God bless you! You made my day!

  81. Z.... ....

    I feel pretty good about using Garage Band now.

    Z.... ....

    ZimmerSquash Garageband is awesome dude! Just keep making music you love and care about and it won’t matter if you use GB, FL, or anything else!

    Z.... ....

    did he record a track for guitar and a track for voice, or both at once, just on a really good mic?

    Z.... ....

    foundmonster I think both at once. Probably with the voice memo feature-which happens to work very well

  82. Y.... ....

    I LOVE YOU SUFJAN

  83. c.... ....

    THANKS SUFJAN FOR MY LIFE

  84. C.... M....

    Taerk mah murney! (actually, I already pre-ordered the vinyl)

  85. M.... O....

    What a beautiful day this is.

  86. F.... F....

    Best song of C&L

    F.... F....

    Yes yes yes

  87. W.... a....

    I honestly love this version more than the actual release. This one feels more personal and touching, full of beautiful flaws evoking that much more emotion imo

    W.... a....

    Yes!!!! This version is so much better than the release version.

  88. a.... p....

    😍😍😍

  89. A.... D....

    grateful

    A.... D....

    Aaron Domanais what a simple, lovely comment. Thank you for posting a word we overlook in these dark days. Be well!

  90. J.... B....

    *sees a new video came out*

    *taps on it as fast as possible*

  91. H.... d....

    Actually Sufjan Stevens has a peaceful voice. I love it

  92. L.... B....

    I wish I was Sufjan's iPhone. Luckiest phone on the planet.

    L.... B....

    Sorry, not in that way...

    L.... B....

    Laura Berkholtz huh? 😯

    L.... B....

    Oh they must have deleted the comment I was replying to. :-)

    L.... B....

    Laura Berkholtz me too laura

    L.... B....

    oh dear yes.

  93. D.... C....

    come to brazil, suf!!!!!

  94. M.... 0....

    COME THRUUUUUUU

  95. A.... J....

    a new video was added 5 minutes ago, almost passed out on the spot

    A.... J....

    hahahaha

  96. M.... ....

    It's Smurfman Stephanopolous!

    M.... ....

    snackbag satchels

  97. b.... ....

    hurts so good

  98. E.... B....

    Amazing! It’s sounds so pure and honest. I like that the lyrics is a little different from the final version.
    More demos please, Asthmatic Kitty! <3

    E.... B....

    I believe more demos will be coming out, as "The Greatest Gift" is a collection of demos, remixes and outtakes from C&L. I'm so excited!

    E.... B....

    Oh I didn't know that! But wow, now I'm also crazy excited! haha