Vesuvius

Sufjan Stevens

Vesuvius
I am here
You are that all I have
Fire of fire
I'm insecure
For it is 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 debt

Vesuvius
Are you a ghost
Or the symbols of light
Or a 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
With the elegant smoke
Oracle, I've fallen at last
But 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 imminent 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 host

Vesuvius
Fire of fire
Follow me now
As I favor the ghost

Vesuvius
Fire of fire
Follow me now
As I favor the host

Vesuvius
Fire of fire
Follow me now
As I favor the ghost

Vesuvius
Fire of fire
Follow me now
As I favor your host

Vesuvius
Fire of fire
Follow me now
As I favor the ghost

Vesuvius
Fire of fire
Follow me now
As I favor the ghost

Follow me now
Or follow down

Why does it have to be so hard?
Follow me now
Or follow me down

Why does it have to be so hard?
Follow me now
Or follow me down


Lyrics submitted by imapickledbeet, edited by acidcasualty

Vesuvius Lyrics as written by Sufjan Stevens

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Vesuvius song meanings
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53 Comments

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  • +1
    My Interpretation

    Two separate comments:

    1. Think about these lyrics in context of Lord of The Rings and the mission of Frodo to bring the ring to Mount Doom/Vesuvius. Like 90% of this could translate pretty directly. I don't think for a second that LOTR influenced Sufjan but still it's kind of interesting.

    2. As an Atheist I love the "rather be burned than be living in debt" line interpreted as a rejection of God's salvation. But while reading a little about the major eruptions of Mount Vesuvius and how many people were killed nearby and I thought of another possibility. A person who knows they will die because the volcano is erupting and rather than sit and wait for their imminent death(living in debt) they choose to climb the mountain and jump into the volcano. Dying on their own terms and confronting their doom directly.

    danlmanon June 03, 2015   Link

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