Sufjan Stevens Album

It's been a long, long time since I've memorized your face
It's been four hours now since I've wandered through your place
And when I sleep on your couch I feel very safe
And when you bring the blankets I cover up my face
I do love you
I do love you

And when you play guitar I listen to the strings buzz
The metal vibrates underneath your fingers
And when you crochet I feel mesmerized and proud
And I would say I love you, but saying it out loud is hard
So I won't say it at all
And I won't stay very long
But you are the life I needed all along
I think of you as my brother
Although that sounds dumb
Words are futile devices

If I was a dif-ferent man,
if I had blood in my-ay-ay-ay,eyes -
I could have read of your heart,
I could have read of your eyes -
but now I'm lonely as that,
I put up a fi-i-i-i-ight -
so pick up your battering ram -
lo-o-o-o-o-ove, I wanna see it:

[chorus]
there's too much riding on that,
there's too much, too much, too much love.
there's too much riding on that,
there's too much, too much, too much love.
there's too much riding on that,
there's too much, too much, too much love.
there's too much riding on that anyway-eyay-ay
[end chorus]

and maybe I talk too fast,
maybe I talk too-o mu-u-uch -
give me the sensitive laugh,
or give me the sensiti-ive to-o-ouch -
even if I could have kissed,
even if I couldn't apply,
I'm so sorry I tried lo-o-o-o-o-ove, I wanna see it -

[chorus]
(words in background during this chorus:
too much love
too much lo-o-o-ove
too much love
too much lo-o-o-ove
too much love
too much lo-o-o-ove
too much love
too much love)
(background, also: 'love' faintly)

[chorus again, in the same way as above]

[this is background, at x2 Sufjan comes in with 'There's too much riding on that, there's too much riding on that'x4]
na, na na, na, na, na, na[x6]
meanwhile, another singer is singing:
'La-aaia-a-aaia'[x6]

(music interlude)

[there's background singers singing 'La' over and over in descending keys a few beats before singing, and it continues until a few beats before he ends]
There's too much riding on that, there's too much riding on that,
There's too much riding on that, there's too much riding on that,
There's too much riding on that, there's too much riding on that,
There's too much riding on that, there's too much riding on that word ...

(music interlude)

[this is semi-in the background]
There's too much riding on that, there's too much riding on that,
There's too much riding on that, there's too much riding on that,
There's too much riding on that, there's too much riding on that,
There's too much riding on that, there's too much riding on that,
There's too much riding on that, there's too much riding on that,
There's too much riding on that, there's too much riding on that.

Well I have known you
For just a little while
But I feel I've known you
I feel I've seen you
When the Earth was split in fives

And in your words, I
Should let it out, I
Would see you die
But I'm a watcher
I see it watch her

It's in your afterlife
This is the Age of Adz
Eternal living

Oh keep from trying
Oh keep from caring
You are the light

We see you trying to
Be something else that
You're not, we think you're nice

The circumstances
Of what I thought, I
Could see it now
I wouldn't be so
I wouldn't feel so
But it's a running wild
This is the Age of Adz
Eternal lving

When it dies, when it dies
It rots
And when it lives, when it lives
It gives it all it gots
This is the Age of Adz
Eternal living

It rots
It gives it all it gots
This is the Age of Adz
Eternal living

In all reflections
I see your method
I see it all
And what about you?
And what about me?
Are we the lost of lost

Don't speak too soon, don't
be fruit of loom, don't
Excite yourself

For what you see is
Not fantasy, it's
Not what it gets, but gives
This is the Age of Adz
Eternal living

In all reflections
I see it mentioned
I see it all

The gorgeous mess of
Your face impressed us
Imposed of all its art
This is the Age of Adz
Eternal living

When it dies, when it dies
It rots
And when it lives, when it lives
It gives it all it gots
This is the Age of Adz
Eternal living

It rots
It gives it all it gots
This is the Age of Adz
Eternal living

When I die, when I die
I'll rot
But when I live, when I live
I'll give it all I've got

When I die, when I die
I'll rot
But when I live, when I live
I'll give it all I've got

Gloria, Gloria
Victoria, Victoria
It lives in all of us

Gloria, Gloria
Victoria, Victoria
It lives in all of us

I've lost the will to fight
I was not made for life
I've lost the will to fight
I was not made for life

Now I have known you
For just a little while
I feel I must be wearing my welcome
I must be moving on

For my intentions were good intentions
I could have loved you
I could have changed you
I wouldn't be so
I wouldn't feel so
Consumed by selfish thoughts

I'm sorry if I seem self-effacing
Consumed by selfish thoughts
It's only that I still love you deeply
It's all the love I've got

Lover, will you look at me now?
I'm already dead to you
But I'm inclined to explain to you what I could not before
Whatever you didn't do, what you couldn't say
I am sorry the worst has arrived
For I deserve more
For at least I deserve the respect of a kiss goodbye

Tell me, do you think of me now?
As I think of you
For I could not have shaken the touch of your breath on my arm
For it has stayed in me, as an epithet
I am sorry the worst has arrived
For I'm on the floor
In the room where we made it our last touch of the night

I walked, 'cause you walked
But I won't probably get very far
Sensation, to what you said
But I'm not about to expect something more

I would not have run off
But I couldn't bear that it's me, it's my fault
I should not be so lost
But I've got nothing left to love

Lover, will you look from me now?
I'm already dead
But I've come to explain why I left such a mess on the floor
For when you went away, I went crazy
I was wild with the [?] of a [?]
I ran through the night
With a knife in my chest, with the lust of your loveless [?]

I walked, 'cause you walked
But I won't probably get very far
Sensation, to what you said
But I'm not about to expect something more

I would not have run off
But I couldn't bear that it's me, it's my fault
I should not be so lost
But I've got nothing left to love

I walked, 'cause you walked
Yes I walked, 'cause you walked

It's different now I think
I wasn't older yet
I wasn't wise, I guess
Somewhere I lost whatever else I had
I wasn't over you
I see it run inside itself
And then I called you out
I'm not such older than I was
I'm feeling so much righter now
And then I woke myself, confused
Your dress comes down
To you, don't get it wrong, don't get excited
I wanted so much to be at rest
Now that I'm older
So be it so of love

The silent man comes down
All dressed in radiant colors
You see it for yourself
To demonstrate my love for you
You I thought I was so in love
Some say it wasn't true
Now that I'm older
Now, now that I'm older

There's so much travel
And now that I'm older
Someone else, can see it for myself
So much travel, yeah
Now that I'm older

I know you want it
I know you really wanna get it right
Have you forsaken, have you mistaken me for someone else?
Saturday night you sleep with a rifle at your side
Delivering speeches, delivering speeches left and right
Follow those created deaths
Fortune save me from his wrath
Spaceship out the house at night
Prophet speak what's on your mind

You know you really gotta get right with the Lord

Visit the future, visit the future from the outer space (space space space space)
A ring of fire, a ring of fire falling on your face (face face face face)
You dream of the dark age, you dream of the dark age of your youth
Consider the danger, consider the danger, as it moves
Prophet, brother, priest and king
(I know you want it, I know you really wanna)
Snake-skinned master at your feet
(I know you want it, I know you really wanna)
Barricade the bathroom doors
(I know you want it, I know you really wanna)
Find some things you can't ignore
(I know you want it, I know you really wanna)

I know you really gotta get right with the Lord
You know you really gotta get right with the Lord

I know I've caused you trouble
I know I've caused you pain
But I must do the right thing
I must do myself a favor and get real
Get right with the Lord
I know I've lost my conscious, I know I've lost all shape
But I must do the right thing
I must do myself a favor and get real
Get right with the Lord
I know I've always loved you
I know I've always been
But I must do the right thing
I must do myself a favor and get real
Get right with the Lord

Get real, get right for you will not be distracted by the signs
Do not be distracted by them
Do your favor and get real
Get right with the Lord
Get real, get right for you will not be distracted by the signs
Do not be distracted by them
Do yourself a favor and get real
Get right with the lord
Get real get right with the Lord

I'll talk, but I know you won't listen to me
Oh you wouldn't say it, but you wanted to
Don't look, don't walk away when I am speaking
I'll take it, but I know it's not for taking

Though I may some what of what you notice me (?)
I told you do not follow what you couldn't see
Oh I love you
I love you

And some way you will want it your way, sunrise
So i would not be the stake in what i know is right
Don't be so funny with me, I'm not laughing
Oh I love you
I love you

Vesuvius, I am here
You are all I have
Fire of fire, I'm insecure
For it has all been made to plan

Though I know I will fail
I cannot be made to laugh
For in life as in death
I'd rather be burned than be living in [?]

Vesuvius, are you ghost?
Or the symbols of light? Or of fantasy host?
In your breast I carry the form
The heart of the earth and the weapons of warmth

Vesuvius, the tragic oath
For you have destroyed the elegant smoke
Oracle, I fought him at last
They were the feast of a permanent blast

Vesuvius, oh be kind
It hasn't occurred, no it hasn't been said
Sufjan, follow the path
It leads to an article of eminent death

Sufjan, follow your heart
Follow the flame, or fall on the floor
Sufjan, the panic inside
The murdering ghost that you cannot ignore

Vesuvius, fire of fire
Follow me now, as I favor the ghost

Follow me now, or follow and die
Why does it have to be so hard?

To bear it down, to be in flight, to bear it down, to be in flight
It wasn't about me, it was only a stone in my shoe
Then worries came to perch on us, impatience and our painted bus
I kept you close to me, close to my ear

We set out once with folded shirts with hairy chest and well-rehearsed
I want it all, I want it all for myself
I'll set it right between your eyes, your shoulder blade, your running life
I want it all, I want it all for myself

Improving all the time, I am, improving yes, I kissed the hand
I promise I won't be a trouble at all,
For I'm okay, I'm in the red, impressions of the unmade bed
you cradle close to me, close to my ear

We set out once, forget our shirts with hairy chest and all new words
I want it all, I want it all for myself
For in the earth i smell of you, the bathing boy, amazing view
I want it all, I want it all for myself

To think that I would die this time
Isolated in the room where the bed rises
Photographic ordinary people are everywhere
Extraordinary histories, ordinary histories, ordinary histories

I'll find sleep, I'll find peace, or in death you'll sleep with me.

To figure that it was my fault
Or so I've come to realize life is not about
Love with someone - (ordinary people are everywhere)
Extraordinary people are, ordinary people are, ordinary people are

Everywhere you look, everywhere you turn, illness is watching, waiting its turn.

Did I go at it wrong?
Did I go intentionally to destroy me?
I'm suffering in noise I'm suffering in - (touching ordinary body)
The burning from within the burning from with - (ordinary is scary now)
I could not be at rest, I could not be at peace - (extraordinary is scary now)

So do yourself a good, or do yourself a death from ordinary causes
Or do yourself a favor, or do yourself a death from ordinary causes

Illness likes to prey upon the lonely, prey upon the lonely
When it bites, oh, I would rather be dead, I would rather give up.

I want to be well, I want to be well, I want to be well, I want to be well.

And I forgive you even
As you choke me that way
With the pill or demon and the shrouding ?
Under conversation
In tremendous weight of
A crowd of ages outside
Dressed for murder

I'm not fucking around
I'm not, I'm not, I'm not fucking around

And shall I kiss you even as you take me that way?
With the pill or demon as my body changes
Apparitions gone awry
They surround me, all sides
From what am I seeing, only changes

I'm not fucking around
I'm not, I'm not, I'm not fucking around

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
If you said what you want, you would laugh it off
But I know you won't go, not for either class
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, 'fore 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
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
Oh, oh oh oh, 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 is instead on righteousness led
The seat and the head, of impossible flocks for an interest in books??
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 grain
If watered and ?wind? 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]
And have you failed to feel delight? [No, I don't want to feel pain]
Instead of the love, 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
Don't be distracted now


PART II:

Stupid man in the window
I couldn't be addressed
All my delight, all that mattered
I couldn't be addressed
From what I liked, from what I gathered
I couldn't be addressed
Stupid man in the window
I couldn't be addressed
[judgement, judgement]

And don't be shy in the window
Come down and give your best
Oh, delight in the window
I couldn't be addressed
Stupid man in the window
I couldn't be addressed
From what I like, from what I gathered
I couldn't give my best

Now I know it wasn't safe
It wasn't safe to breathe at all
Now I know it wasn't safe
It wasn't safe to breathe at all
[It wasn't safe, it wasn't safe]
Now I know it wasn't safe
It wasn't safe to breathe at all
[It wasn't safe, it wasn't safe]
Now I know it wasn't safe
It wasn't safe to speak at all

PART III:

[hold on to, hold on to]
One two three four!
It's a long life
Better pinch yourself
Put your faith 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
Could it 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 a life get a life get a life get a life
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
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 possible? Is it possible?
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 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

more of that, plus this variation:

In the wrong life
Everything is chance at the register
Do you wanna dance
In the right life
It's a miracle
Possibilities.
Do you wanna dance


PART IV:

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 together."

I'm nothing but a selfish worm?
I'm nothing but a privileged puppet
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 together."
I gotta tell you "Girl, I want nothing less than pleasure."
I gotta tell you "Boy, we made such a mess together."