Sufjan Stevens - The Predatory Wasp Of The Palisades Is Out To Get Us! Lyrics






Thinking outrageously I write in cursive
I hide in my bed with the lights on the floor
Wearing three layers of coats and leg warmers
I see my own breath on the face of the door

Oh I am not quite sleeping
Oh I am fast in bed
There on the wall in the bedroom creeping
I see a wasp with her wings outstretched

North of Savanna we swim in the palisades
I come out wearing my brother's red hat
There on his shoulder my best friend is bit seven times
He runs washing his face in his hands

Oh how I meant to tease him
Oh how I meant no harm
Touching his back with my hand I kiss him
I see the wasp on the length of my arm

Oh great sights upon this state! Hallelu-
Wonders bright, and rivers, lake. Hallelu-
Trail of Tears and Horseshoe Lake. Hallelu-
trusting things beyond mistake. Hallelu-

We were in love. We were in love.
Palisades! Palisades! Palisades
I can wait. I can wait.

Lamb of God, we sound the horn.
Hallelujah!
To us your ghost is born.
Hallelu-

I can't explain the state that I'm in
The state of my heart, he was my best friend
Into the car, from the back seat
Oh admiration in falling asleep
All of my powers, day after day
I can tell you, we swaggered and swayed
Deep in the tower, the prairies below
I can tell you, the telling gets old
Terrible sting and terrible storm
I can tell you the day we were born
My friend is gone, he ran away
I can tell you, I love him each day
Though we have sparred, wrestled and raged
I can tell you I love him each day
Terrible sting, terrible storm
I can tell you...





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Sufjan Stevens The Predatory Wasp Of The Palisades Is Out To Get Us! Comments
  1. E.... L....

    I'm so lucky to have grown up around Sufjan Steven's music.

  2. N.... E....

    The first song I'm genuinely obsessed with, emotionally. I know I'm probably just rehashing what others are saying about this song, but this affected me greatly because in the singer's POV, he only wishes to meet his dear best friend again, but it's very the opposite for the friend. The singer's mind drifts to this memory that stuck with him even after years, evident from the fact that a lull and the sight of a wasp was the only thing that made him remember the moment again. He recounts the day they spent at the Palisades just hanging out in the water, and he joked with his friend by biting him several times (probably playing pretend or something) whilst his friend is trying to run away most likely due to blushing so badly, which explains the washing his face with his hands line (I don't know what love is like, but I understand that being so close and touching a lot with your crush is an intoxicating feeling, whether sexual or not. So his friend was probably hiding the obvious blush by pretending to wash his face a lot).


    The next stanza (I think that's what it's called, English is not my main language) shows that the singer genuinely was just joking around, not expecting himself that they would be kissing. "Oh how I meant no harm" is really a punch-to-the-gut for me, because the singer never expected such an innocent thing would be the very thing that messes with his friend's mind so much that it drove them apart (internalised homophobia is not fun at all). The wasp can be the sting of guilt and love at once, because that was when he realised he loved his friend dearly, whilst the guilt for the "oh shit" moment, because from that point on, there's no way in hell they'll be able to go back to how they were.


    This song is sounds so damn innocent and hopeful, yes somewhat bitter because it seems that the singer is not letting it go, and used the sights around him as a distraction instead. I only knew Sufjan Stevens recently, so as far as I'm aware he is from a religious background. It is highly likely that his friend is too. So after that kiss, both are battling their own thoughts. Singer decides to focus on the beauty of nature God has bestowed, but the Hallelujah (which I think means Praise the God) was never said fully because well, you know how it is with religion and homophobia. I related to this so much because it is my religion that both was the cause and solution for my problems (I'm bi). So when I praise God, I can never find myself to say it as genuinely as I would've at the time before I knew I was bi. I believe the singer in this setting is the same as I.


    And yet, the stanza ends with "trusting things beyond mistakes". Singer hopes that things will be okay even after the "mistake" he did.


    Singer repeats "we were in love", with such surety that and celebration that it's hard to not believe what singer is saying. They most likely really were, with how his friend reacted. They both probably knew this, but perhaps singer was oblivious to his own feelings whilst his friend is aware but never says anything of it.


    I don't really understand the next stanza I'm sorry.


    Then they went back home. Singer's heart probably beating like hell, because he's nervous and afraid what will happen next. This dude is his best friend! On the ride back, they both fell asleep probably due to exhaustion. Singer finds admiration in this because he can stop thinking about it for a time, however short that is. The singer says that he can tell us that they swaggered and swayed, because whilst his friend is deep asleep, the singer was probably awake a short time after with how anxious he is with what happened. His friend probably didn't mention what just happened AT ALL, and he is scared to. So he was probably so aware with everything that's happening that he can recount the movements they made on the way home.


    He probably have recounted this moment so many times that it's gotten old as he is (Sufjan is like, only few years younger than my dad so personally that's old enough). Terrible sting and terrible storm probably alludes to the stinging of the wasp (you know how you say something is a bad thing even though it was actually a positive thing, but the outcome of said thing isn't to your liking) whilst terrible storm is probably his friend storming out of his life out of anger (that stems from internalised homophobia). They most likely had a big fight. Singer says that he can tell the day they were born, this likely means that they were so close that he can tell each other's birthday or any detail about each other on top of his head, or it could mean he could tell the day they met each other, thus a relationship is created (the day "we" were born). His friend is now gone, and is no longer his best friend. Ran away means to leave a place or person secretly and suddenly. Singer is hurt by this, and it's like a terrible storm- sudden and damaging. Yet even now he still thinks of his friend. Days leading up to his friend running away, his friend probably fought a lot with him so suddenly, and the innocent tone of this song makes me believe that singer genuinely cannot fathom why the sudden hatred towards him. This can also speaks about his feelings about his religion, how despite fighting with his doubts and fears that involves his religion, he still loves God. The singer laments once again on how terrible the sting of the wasp was- the sting of his dearest friend running away- the sting of what-ifs, before falling asleep mid-reminiscing. Singer never did move on like what usually happens, showing how genuine his love is for his friend- the hopeful tone consistent.


    The way this song was sung and written is so innocent to me, I've genuinely been listening to ONLY this for the past month. I know same-sex love is not much different than hetero ones, but growing up in heteronormative, homophobic religious setting makes you more aware about what is taught as "not normal" to you. The naivete of love that this song tells makes me just.. rethink of how I perceive love. If I truly can't feel romantic love, or I've been repressing myself to hell and back because I've only seen same-sex love as something that is just inherently sexual, love being a second thought.

    Anyways yeah, thanks for coming to my TEDTalk. I've only found Sufjan Stevens recently and have no idea about Christianity and America's geography stuffs, so apologies if I have any bad thoughts on this.

  3. T.... F....

    "I see the wasp on the length of my arm" will never not give me chills

  4. L.... B....

    He said in an interview that this song is about his sexual awakening at a Methodist Summer camp when he was 16(?)

  5. L.... y....

    Oh man. Such good friends

  6. K.... K....

    Everyone’s all homosexual this, kissing the homies isn’t gay that- I just want to listen to a good song and not analyze someone’s sexuality for gods sake! * stock image of a guy grilling *

  7. a.... ....

    The predatory wasp is societal expectations of heteronormative standards. It preys on sensitive men like me and Sufjan and can ruin your life, or just hurt. By the way, what straight singer releases two songs for gay pride month? Yeah he's open to male-male love, but he can't say it or he could lose his ability to support himself. Plus he's not into labels I'm sure. He won't even talk about religion for fear or offending people.

  8. j.... ....

    hmm..... gyjo

  9. c.... ....

    fellas
    is it gay to kiss your homies goodnight?

  10. d.... m....

    for anyone wondering, the trumpet notes starting at 3:08 are as follows, transposed to Bb: Ab, Bb, Db, F, Ab, Ab, Bb, Db, F, Ab, Db, Bb, Ab, Db, Cb, Bb, Ab, Gb, Db, Cb, Bb, Ab, Gb, Eb, Eb, Db (i'm so sorry if it's messy. for instruments pitched in C just transpose all this up one whole step. honestly this would be much easier if i were able to transcribe it with actual note lengths. but youtube isn't that advanced yet so i'll have to deal with this. have fun with this, y'all.)

  11. K.... ....

    I mean, if you haven’t did some gay shit with your friend of the same sex at least once, can you even call yourself straight? I mean sexual insecurity is pretty f*cking gay to be honest.

    K.... ....

    broe this isnt the epic turnaround you thought it was

    K.... ....

    when has sufjan ever made a straight song

  12. V.... M....

    Me and a friend once made out under my parents bed. We never did it again. We were good friends. We would laugh about the day it happened later. Neither of us are gay as far as I know.

  13. J.... M....

    I have found a genius.

  14. S.... H....

    Anyone else think the melody of the verses is genius?

  15. N.... M....

    This album was the soundtrack to my teenage anxieties and unrequited loves circa 2007.

  16. C.... ....

    Wtf 2019 anyone please answer

  17. k.... c....

    Help... I am become gay.
    Sufjan what have you done to me

  18. p.... s....

    a gay yearning anthem

  19. K.... ....

    Te amo, Andrés

  20. W.... ....

    Yes, the overwhelming majority of us know what Sufjan is expressing. We don't need the same comment over and over and over and over.

  21. S.... A....

    Just guys bein dudes!

  22. A.... ....

    i like boys

  23. A.... B....

    oh my god, oh my fecking god, I'm remembering something I read with this exact plot called palisades, palisades and I'm _just now finding this song and it was totally based on it holy_

    A.... B....

    A Bird Lover what was it?

  24. H.... A....

    3:08 I live for this song's climax

  25. Y.... ....

    We were in love indeed, so sad what happened between me and him, we were best friends, a little bit of miss understanding, and that was it. I'll never forget that beautiful days we spent together. It's like finally finding your half missing soul, only to lose it in one month period.
    Feels horrible.
    This song (aside from the gay part) describes it all..

  26. T.... B....

    Go to music when I feel sad, its soul healing

  27. D.... ....

    Sufjan: "I love dick, I love dick, I crave so much dick that I can't enough of it"

    Insecure straight guys: Oh wow, Dick must have been such a good friend to him
    😍

  28. P.... ....

    this strangely hasn't been used in the peak of a wistful gay movie,,, ok

  29. T.... ....

    WE LOVE THIS GAY ASS SONG

  30. M.... ....

    The narrator starts the story from present day, in a freezing room during a winter storm. The sight of a wasp on the wall triggers a memory of swimming with an old lover back when he was younger. The lover in the narrative, another man, eventually passes away, and being stung by a wasp serves as a metaphorical explanation of impending death. (Personally, i always interpretated that the lover passed from HIV or addiction; the image of wasp on the narrator’s arm calls to mind track marks or sores.) As the song comes to an end, the narrator’s memories dissolve as we’re brought back to the tumultuous storm outside.

  31. t.... s....

    the dude in the song is his brother, and if you think it’s gay to kiss your brother when you’re 8 years old? that’s on you.

    i attended a question & answer session with sufjan, and he said this song was inspired by time spent at camp as a little kid, around the age of 8. he and his brother saw what they believed to be a terrible mutant wasp monster, and so they ran off, scared out of their wits. after that, every airborne thing they saw - be it a bird, a bug, or plastic bag floating in the wind - they were sure was this mutant wasp monster.

    t.... s....

    the song isn’t about his brother at all bro.

  32. M.... G....

    I have a theory that I don’t think it’s been addressed here. Maybe it’s both. Maybe he’s gay and a Christian. I can see how you might feel that this is wrong or doesn’t really happen, impossible! But there are a lot of Christian men who are gay but try not to live the lifestyle. For example, my father is a pastor and believes that being homosexual is not a sin but acting on it is. So maybe Stevens is being totally honest about being gay here but he lives a celibate life because he’s trying to please Christ. Does that make sense?

    M.... G....

    Mourning Glory Sufjan doesn’t think practising homosexuality is a sin.

    M.... G....

    MFK I wasn’t aware of that but now I see how he writes about Alexander or whoever that Greek guy was having a lifelong male lover. Is there any other proof? Did he specifically say that when asked or in an interview? If you don’t mind, please point me to a link or an article that indefinitely proves that he doesn’t think homosexuality is a sin. Thank you! PS. I was simply trying to bring up a theory that no one else had thought of. :-)

    M.... G....

    Mourning Glory Well last month he released two new songs for Pride Month, one called “Love Yourself”, and the other called “With my Whole Heart”. He also wrote the soundtrack for Call Me By Your Name, writing two new songs laden with homoromantic imagery, and released a remix of “Futile Devices” which can certainly be read as about a romantic relationship between men. Sufjan doesn’t shy away from homosexuality, he clearly treats it as a valid and powerful form of love that ought to be celebrated. He has said as much in various interviews, where he has professed a Christian faith based on universal love and kindness.

  33. J.... L....

    He kissed his best friend and talks about how much he loves him,

    no homo though.

  34. S.... P....

    When you happen along something so beautiful by chance, and it happens to be hella gay
    H👌🏻E🏳️‍🌈L🤘🏻L👍🏻Y👏🏻E🏳️‍🌈A👌🏻H👏🏻!🏳️‍🌈

  35. F.... L....

    such a beautiful song.

  36. M.... B....

    Yalll u know the part where he’s like I come out wearing the red hat......he’s coming out of a literal closet

  37. J.... M....

    This song is so beautiful, especially on 2:11

  38. y.... _....

    Lmao gay af

  39. P.... ....

    te quiero papadiosseñor

  40. B.... ....

    i listen to this as my first song every year on new year's day

  41. k.... k....

    Lyrics:
    Thinking outrageously I write in cursive
    I hide in my bed with the lights on the floor
    Wearing three layers of coats and leg warmers
    I see my own breath on the face of the door
    Oh I am not quite sleeping
    Oh I am fast in bed
    There on the wall in the bedroom creeping
    I see a wasp with her wings outstretched
    North of Sylvanna we swim in the Palisades
    I come out wearing my brothers red hat
    There on his shoulder my best friend is bit seven times
    He runs washing his face in his hands
    Oh how I meant to tease him
    Oh how I meant no harm
    Touching his back with my hand I kiss him
    I see the wasp on the length of my arm
    Oh great sights upon this state, hallelu
    Wonders bright, and rivers, lake, hallelu
    Trail of tears and Horseshoe Lake, hallelu
    Trusting things beyond mistake, hallelu
    We were in love, we were in love
    Palisades, Palisades
    I can wait I can wait
    We were in love, we were in love
    Palisades, Palisades
    I can wait I can wait
    We were in love, we were in love
    Palisades, Palisades
    I can wait I can wait
    I can't explain the state that I'm in
    The state of my heart, he was my best friend
    Into the car, from the back seat
    Oh admiration in falling asleep
    All of my powers, day after day
    I can tell you, we swaggered and swayed
    Deep in the tower, the prairies below
    I can tell you, the telling gets old
    Terrible sting and terrible storm
    I can tell you the day we were born
    My friend is gone, he ran away
    I can tell you, I love him each day
    Though we have sparred, wrestled and raged
    I can tell you I love him each day
    Terrible sting, terrible storm
    I can tell you

  42. _.... ....

    straight ppl will rly come up with any excuse to pretend that this song isn't gay

  43. M.... B....

    2:30 best moment in the song

  44. p.... w....

    Thinking outrageously I write in cursive
    I hide in my bed with the lights on the floor
    Wearing three layers of coats and leg warmers
    I see my own breath on the face of the door

    Oh I am not quite sleeping
    Oh I am fast in bed
    There on the wall in the bedroom creeping
    I see a wasp with her wings outstretched

    North of Savanna we swim in the palisades
    I come out wearing my brother's red hat
    There on his shoulder my best friend is bit seven times
    He runs washing his face in his hands

    Oh how I meant to tease him
    Oh how I meant no harm
    Touching his back with my hand I kiss him
    I see the wasp on the length of my arm

    Oh great sights upon this state! Hallelu-
    Wonders bright, and rivers, lake. Hallelu-
    Trail of Tears and Horseshoe Lake. Hallelu-
    trusting things beyond mistake. Hallelu-

    We were in love. We were in love.
    Palisades! Palisades! Palisades
    I can wait. I can wait.

    Lamb of God, we sound the horn.
    Hallelujah!
    To us your ghost is born.
    Hallelu-

    I can't explain the state that I'm in
    The state of my heart, he was my best friend
    Into the car, from the back seat
    Oh admiration in falling asleep
    All of my powers, day after day
    I can tell you, we swaggered and swayed
    Deep in the tower, the prairies below
    I can tell you, the telling gets old
    Terrible sting and terrible storm
    I can tell you the day we were born
    My friend is gone, he ran away
    I can tell you, I love him each day
    Though we have sparred, wrestled and raged
    I can tell you I love him each day
    Terrible sting, terrible storm
    I can tell you...

  45. J.... S....

    Literally I have not seen a single comment saying that the song is about "just friendship." I have seen about 10,000 comments saying how dumb everyone is thinking that the singer is heterosexual and that the song is clearly about a gay crush/relationship.

  46. J.... S....

    I love the title of this song.

  47. A.... S....

    I think what i love most of this song is that when he sang "we were in love" you can literally feel his love for his friend, you can feel how much he was in love, i really adore him

  48. V.... V....

    ari and dante

  49. d.... ....

    Love is love. Love always wins. And sufjan is a brilliant songwriter. The end.

  50. j.... w....

    Who fucking cares if it's about a gay experience? It's a great song.

  51. A.... B....

    This is so beautiful... The best songwriter of the last 30 years.. There is no mark lanegan, no nick cave (both great but..) .. This is kind of Walt Whitman made music.. I mean maybe not specifically in this song, but I find him so rappresentative of the American culture and so profound and original when he's singing about love and infancy and portraits of other people including the emotions he imagines they perceive.. Great great great

  52. F.... A....

    #twohomieskissing

  53. R.... K....

    I can’t speak to the feelings this song gives me. It’s more than just the validation that a famous artist is just unambiguously a mlm, its that sufjan puts words to the experience of growing up gay. It’s achingly beautiful.

  54. U.... ....

    10/10 gay.10/10 would be gay to this song.

  55. c.... s....

    WTF I HAD AUTOPLAY ON WHILE I WAS DRAWING 2 DUDES KISSING IN WINTER COATS AND I HEAR 'I KISSED HIM' AND LADS IT'S TOO MUCH OF A COINCIDENCE WTF?

  56. P.... P....

    IM HERE FOR DECLAN MACKENNA

  57. V.... A....

    why is this song making me feeL ALL THE HUMAN EMOTIONS AT ONCE

  58. r.... ....

    True and GAY! 🌈

  59. P.... ....

    Ridiculously sensual

  60. A.... K....

    Plot twist he loves lamp

  61. H.... P....

    The predatory wasp is a symbol for internalized homophobia thanks for coming to my TED talk

    H.... P....

    Actually maybe not love, just romantic tension I suppose.

    H.... P....

    @Knack Demarco here's why I strongly agree with Haven on this:

    I don't think the wasp represents a sting of love. First of all, the wasp is described as "predatory" in the song's title, which is a clue that the sting is not a romantic one. He also describes the sting as "terrible" multiple times. Also, when he sings "touching his back with my hand I kiss him," he then tell us that the wasp is on his arm, but not that it has stung yet.


    These lyrics show that the wasp's sting is not a metaphor for falling in love, but that the wasp is actually constantly looming over Sufjan, specifically when he makes these romantic advances. This leads me to believe that the wasp is more of a metaphor for Sufjan's internal homophobia. Gay men have often been stereotyped as predators, and when Sufjan expresses his love for his friend, he almost feels like he should be punished (by the wasps sting) because part of him feels like what he is doing is wrong or immoral. He shows similar concerns on the song "John Wayne Gacy, Jr.," who happens to be a predator and serial killer, and homosexual (I think). Sufjan's religiosity may also have something to do with this, as churches are generally known to have unfavorable opinions of gay men and LGBT people as whole.

    H.... P....

    For me it's a symbol of sexual dawning

    H.... P....

    Or growing up, idk

    H.... P....

    yes that makes sense

  62. m.... m....

    The wind instruments at the beginning tear my heart every time! I love it!

  63. c.... ....

    Sufjan Stevens is officially an incredible mlm god and icon. End of discussion.

  64. H.... E....

    This song crushes me...
    My friend wherever he is, I hope to see him again. The last time I waited to see him was 7 long years, now that we are both adults I can't simply handle not seeing him for months. All we had was a small kiss to the cheek and what followed right after was just a lovely feeling of intimacy and affection over one another. That week I felt noticed and important for someone. Those days were months ago and he disappeared off of the map. The only thing I can do is hope to see him...

  65. y.... ....

    It's weird how many of Sufjan's fans seem to think he's in the closet.

  66. C.... M....

    It makes me cry, and I dont even know why

  67. F.... L....

    Probably the most beautiful song I've heard yet 😊

  68. r.... ....

    guys this song's literally about him fuckin a dude @ summer camp sorry sweaty

  69. M.... ....

    I look at the speaker when listening to this, I fèel it, love it, happy to be alive!

  70. T.... ....

    The song works on multiple levels, and that's the real beauty of it: you can take what meaning you want from it. I saw Sufjan's explanation of his childhood experience at summer camp which inspired this song. So yes, those who say its about childhood innocence and friendship are right. But also, those who say its about more than friendship between two boys, are also right based on the actual lyrics of the song. For my part, I think the song is from the perspective of a grown man telling us about a great friendship he had with a boy when he was just a boy himself but which he now (years later) realizes was something deeper than just friendship. This is why I think he sings "we WERE in love" in the song. In my view, the "predatory wasp" in the song title and in the song itself symbolizes the emerging romantic/sexual awakening between the boys, which threatens the innocence of their friendship. This is why in the song when the wasp bites Sufjan's friend, he put his hand on his friend's back and kisses him.

  71. a.... S....

    sufjan stevens is the only source of a true love song! beautiful man

  72. g.... g....

    just me, or does it also suits 'call me by your name' amazingly well? most of his songs that are about love suit it, but this one especially seems to fit. oliver was also elio's friend and calling him be friend wouldn't even be far fetched. and he also did run away in some sense

    g.... g....

    yes!! i was listening to this song today and wanted to see if anyone else thought it was particularly fitting for elio and oliver's relationship

    g.... g....

    yes, I just discovered this song and just thought something like "Guadagnino found a MORE THAN PERFECT author for the soundtrack, how did he do it?, this is impressive"

  73. M.... H....

    Greatest warm down song of all time

  74. C.... C....

    this song makes me want to bust a nut in god's buthole while deepthroating jesus

  75. K.... D....

    Today is the kind of day where I just listen to this on repeat..

  76. B.... ....

    Man do I love friendship and kissing my friends and touching them and being romantically interested my friend

    B.... ....

    Just say no homo and it’s all good 👍🏼 /s

  77. H.... d....

    Thinking outrageously I write in cursive
    I hide in my bed with the lights on the floor
    Wearing three layers of coats and leg warmers
    I see my own breath on the face of the door

    Oh I am not quite sleeping
    Oh I am fast in bed
    There on the wall in the bedroom creeping
    I see a wasp with her wings outstretched

    North of Sylvanna we swim in the Palisades
    I come out wearing my brothers red hat
    There on his shoulder my best friend is bit seven times
    He runs washing his face in his hands

    Oh how I meant to tease him
    Oh how I meant no harm
    Touching his back with my hand I kiss him
    I see the wasp on the length of my arm

    Oh great sights upon this state, hallelu
    Wonders bright, and rivers, lake, hallelu
    Trail of tears and Horseshoe Lake, hallelu
    Trusting things beyond mistake, hallelu

    We were in love, we were in love
    Palisades, Palisades
    I can wait I can wait

    We were in love, we were in love
    Palisades, Palisades
    I can wait I can wait

    We were in love, we were in love
    Palisades, Palisades
    I can wait I can wait

    I can't explain the state that I'm in 
    The state of my heart, he was my best friend 
    Into the car, from the back seat 
    Oh admiration in falling asleep 
    All of my powers, day after day 
    I can tell you, we swaggered and swayed 
    Deep in the tower, the prairies below 
    I can tell you, the telling gets old 
    Terrible sting and terrible storm 
    I can tell you the day we were born 
    My friend is gone, he ran away 
    I can tell you, I love him each day 
    Though we have sparred, wrestled and raged 
    I can tell you I love him each day 
    Terrible sting, terrible storm 
    I can tell you

  78. p.... ....

    i've been listening to this album nonstop for over a year and i just picked up on the humming of that one trumpet line that joins the backing vocals at 4:42

  79. C.... A....

    holy shit did 4chan spam the comments here or something, you all are fucking cancerous

  80. r.... ....

    I don't give a fuck if Sufjan is gay, this song is beautiful!

  81. G.... ....

    So delightfully gay

  82. K.... B....

    I think he's just a weird dude, way to muscular to make music like this, or be profoundly religious.. but what an artist, I like all his work, different but brilliant..

    K.... B....

    Muscular men cannot make sensual, emotional music?

  83. S.... s....

    I don't know how Sufjan can make it through this song without crying, because I can't.

  84. B.... a....

    Sufjan: I literally kissed him while caressing his back and we were in love with eachother I loved that man
    Youtube: oh yeah buddy that's what friendship is am I right :) I passionately kiss my bros all the time

    B.... a....

    2 bros chilling in a hot tub next to each other cause they're hella gay

    B.... a....

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

    B.... a....

    If you don't kiss your homies casually, y'all ain't real homies.

    B.... a....

    You don't passionately kiss your bros? I thought that was normal.

  85. A.... R....

    The lyrics are so very beautiful. Wish I could write like that again.

  86. n.... n....

    this song is pure and gay

    n.... n....

    There, he explains what that song is about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05vk-qLEym0

  87. L.... M....

    Thinking outrageously I write in cursive
    I hide in my bed with the lights on the floor
    Wearing three layers of coats and leg warmers
    I see my own breath on the face of the door
    Oh I am not quite sleeping
    Oh I am fast in bed
    There on the wall in the bedroom creeping
    I see a wasp with her wings outstretched
    North of Sylvanna we swim in the Palisades
    I come out wearing my brothers red hat
    There on his shoulder my best friend is bit seven times
    He runs washing his face in his hands
    Oh how I meant to tease him
    Oh how I meant no harm
    Touching his back with my hand I kiss him
    I see the wasp on the length of my arm
    Oh great sights upon this state, hallelu
    Wonders bright, and rivers, lake, hallelu
    Trail of tears and Horseshoe Lake, hallelu
    Trusting things beyond mistake, hallelu
    We were in love, we were in love
    Palisades, Palisades
    I can wait I can wait
    We were in love, we were in love
    Palisades, Palisades
    I can wait I can wait
    We were in love, we were in love
    Palisades, Palisades
    I can wait I can wait
    I can't explain the state that I'm in
    The state of my heart, he was my best friend
    Into the car, from the back seat
    Oh admiration in falling asleep
    All of my powers, day after day
    I can tell you, we swaggered and swayed
    Deep in the tower, the prairies below
    I can tell you, the telling gets old
    Terrible sting and terrible storm
    I can tell you the day we were born
    My friend is gone, he ran away
    I can tell you, I love him each day
    Though we have sparred, wrestled and raged
    I can tell you I love him each day
    Terrible sting, terrible storm
    I can tell you

  88. S.... t....

    Country boy here. The instrumental breaks remind me of going to Atlanta as a little kid and seeing all the cars in every direction and buildings hundreds of feet tall. Not knowing where to look because there's just so much going on and you can barely even process it. I've always loved the city and it's always given me hope.

  89. c.... ....

    this song is jesus

  90. S.... A....

    Oh, how dissonant those clarinet/trumpet parts are. But oh, what a world they build when working together.

  91. y.... s....

    You know, he could be super christian and gay/bi.

  92. j.... ....

    sufjan stevens could literally write a song that is 100% him strumming guitar and singing "I love men I love men I love men I love men" for five minutes and y'all would still be like "wow he's such good friends with his fellow heterosexual men!!!"

    j.... ....

    @haikat4 I'm partial to that view. One of the lyrics refers to the narrator wearing leg warmers, which I think most boys don't wear, but then again, if it's cold, maybe you'll put on anything to get warm. It's the same thing with "Casimir Pulaski Day"--there are a lot of people who are so certain that the person the narrator is singing about is a boy, even though the only lyric that even hints at gender says that the kid is wearing a blouse, which, again, boys don't typically wear. But I don't think it really matters--those are both great songs because of their ability to capture the magic of childhood crushes and first loves, and trying to impose some sort of belief that the songs have to be interpreted in only one way takes away from that.

    j.... ....

    Travis Leader I like how he leaves that gap for interpretation, it’s almost like at the same time he’s conveying that gender and love don’t tie with each other.

    j.... ....

    @haikat4 **facepalm** smh I'm dead now. This was the final nail in the cheap pine lid of my coffin....

    j.... ....

    jules HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ITS FUNNY BECAUSE ITS TRUE

    j.... ....

    @haikat4 except sufjan himself lmao

  93. G.... M....

    God bless the day I discovered Sufjan Stevens :)

  94. M.... S....

    This song makes me feel nostalgic for memories I don't have

  95. r.... l....

    I'm here from that davekat fanfic that made me CRY

  96. _.... ....

    I love this song!!! The music actually changes instead of just keeping a single beat like most pop songs!

  97. l.... ....

    you might think sufjan is gay... but what if the song is interpereted from a girls point of view?

    l.... ....

    i just changed the game

    l.... ....

    he said it was autobiographical, i.e about his own experience. you didnt change anything