| of Montreal – Suffer for Fashion Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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To me this song is a statement against the idea that we all need to be beautiful and young-looking forever. I think Kevin is hinting at the idea that things naturally slow down and wear out, and we need to accept these changes. Sirens fall flat, our hair greys, and our bodies slow down. "If we've got to burn out, let's do it together Let's all melt down together" It happens to everyone, so why are we so scared when it happens to us? |
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| Sufjan Stevens – Casimir Pulaski Day Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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Here's my take: First of all, the song is obviously about loss and his reaction to God. I don't think he's so much angry as he is confused or even betrayed; I agree with whoever said that this piece excels because he does not try to have all the answers. I see this song taking place in the teenage years. The innocence of the language (“and I almost touched her blouse”) and the girl living with her father seem to point towards him being still fairly young. I didn’t take this to have a fully linear storyline. The way I see it, the first five stanzas are together; he's just found out about the girl's cancer, and her dad comes to apologize to him for freaking out about Sufjan and his daughter making out (or whatever they do). Stanzas 6-8 is a reflection back on the past when her dad got mad at him. Then, jump back to the present, where he is cleaning or whatnot, finds something that reminds him of her, and cries on the bathroom floor. Then, he finishes with when she dies, and he reflects on it. I think this order adds a lot more to the song, since the father apologizes for his reaction to the two lovers. The realization of her illness causes him to reevaluate things, and he therefore goes to great lengths to prove he is sorry. The reiteration of the line “with your shirt tucked in and your shoes untied” to describe himself is probably, for me, the climax of the song. It relates the similarity of himself to the girl, thus showing the depth of their relationship and how much her death hurts him. Sufjan is the master of skillful repetition. This song is probably one of the most moving songs I’ve ever heard. It brings me close to tears every time. |
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