| Devendra Banhart – Stewed Bark of an Old Oak Tree Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| My mistake - Devendra did backup vocals on Spiralling. Fistful of Love featured Lou Reed. | |
| Devendra Banhart – Stewed Bark of an Old Oak Tree Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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This song is my favorite off of the bonus tracks on the Japanese version of Cripple Crow, and this is my best attempt at transcribing the lyrics. Some of the words, particularly in the first four lines, might be slightly off. I don't know who the other singer is, but I placed his lyrics in parentheses. Does anyone know who he is? A few notes: "Shake my sugaree" is a reference to Elizabeth Cotten's song Shake Sugaree. Devendra has covered that song live, and you can find a video of it on YouTube. Tea made from oak bark has various medicinal properties and has been used for centuries for a number of different ailments. "Antony" is almost certainly Antony Hegarty of Antony and the Johnsons. Devendra is a fan of theirs and sang backup vocals on their song Fistful of Love. The "you are my sister, you are my brother" line probably refers to Antony's transgenderism. |
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| Electric President – Snow on Dead Neighborhoods Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Makes me think of the house in Ray Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains." | |
| Grizzly Bear – Easier (Alternate Version) Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Whoops, make that the third line above. Anyone know for sure what the lyric should be? | |
| Grizzly Bear – Easier (Alternate Version) Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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This is the more acoustic version that Grizzly Bear has released as a free MP3. They have also played it live. You can find the MP3 and videos of those performances all over the internet. It's definitely a different take on the original, but both are very well done. Note: Since there are no official lyrics for this version of the song, I'm not sure if the last word of the second line above should be "wandering" or "wondering." I went with "wandering" because of how Daniel pronounces it in the MP3, but it's a close call where either would fit. |
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| Caribou – Sandy Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| Aww, I guess I went one for two on my guesses. Thanks for getting the correct lyrics, ishothornby! | |
| Josephine Foster – Well-Heeled Men Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| I'm also not sure if the line "Have someone to embrace your folks" is correct, or if it should be "your faults" or something else instead. I went with "folks" because both versions have more of a 'k' sound at the end of the line, but I might be wrong. | |
| Josephine Foster – Well-Heeled Men Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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It's a shame that the lyrics for this album aren't widely available. I'm working on trying to piece together the lyrics for a few of the other songs. The above is my best interpretation based on the original and a live version I found. I really love this album, and many of the stripped-down live versions Foster does are even better than the originals, including this song. |
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| Caribou – Sandy Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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I'm leaning more towards "it's sighted," and I'm nearly positive about the guess on the second blank part. In any case, this is an incredible song. |
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| Caribou – Sandy Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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I'm leaning more towards "it's sighted," and I'm nearly positive about the guess on the second blank part. In any case, this is an incredible song. |
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| Caribou – Sandy Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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After listening to the blanked out parts a few times, I think the first is either: "Now I'm divided Like a flock of birds when it's sighted." or "Now I'm divided Like a flock of birds when excited" and the second sounds like: "It's life that ended And the tracks that they left as they ascended" |
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| Sufjan Stevens – Wordsworth's Ridge Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Here are the exact lyrics for this song, transcribed from Sufjan's handwriting in the first pressing of the album. The lyrics are originally written without line breaks (except for this song, which has one). Wordsworth's Ridge (for Fran Fike): A summer night, I find a boat tied to a tree: a normal home. She lost her string, and stepping in, I push the shore there, an act of stealth. A troubled glad without a voice, the mountain song, the boat moves on. The water runs on either side; the circle swell, a sudden light takes me. I fix my view upon the ridge. Horizon's eye - above the gray sky. I tip my oar to raise the stroke, the wading swan, the image broke, a looming peak, a pirate size, uprears its head a sudden guise takes me. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – We Are What You Say Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Here are the exact lyrics for this song, transcribed from Sufjan's handwriting in the first pressing of the album. The lyrics are originally written without line breaks. we are what You say: we are a servant, we have a song, the side of a beehive, a tabernacle choir; we are the sound working in wars, the bishop is gone to the acolyte shores. We save our Bibles, we pull our sleeves. The word is a guard and the guard is a cleave. We are the right, we are the stay, the accolade's gone, we are what You say. We have no language, we have no chore, the side of a beehive, the bride is a whore. We are a spite, we are at bay, the Spirit is life, we are what You say. We have a sermon, we have a song, the bishop is easy the bishop is wrong, the Spirit is right the Spirit will say we are a light, we are what You say. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – The Oracle Said Wander Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Here are the exact lyrics for this song, transcribed from Sufjan's handwriting in the first pressing of the album. The lyrics are originally written without line breaks. the oracle said wander: cave the Cadmus country soon. Europa's sake he drew, till the oracle said wander. Safe libation water slew, a serpent new him knew; the dragon's teeth he threw, till the oracle said wander. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – Super Sexy Woman Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Here are the exact lyrics for this song, transcribed from Sufjan's handwriting in the first pressing of the album. The lyrics are originally written without line breaks. Supersexywoman: she's a superhuman girl, she is superwoman; she is Superman's cousin, she's got superpower lovin'. She's got super human eyes, with see-through superhuman vision. She's got superhuman thighs, sexier than television. She is super-duper smart. I like her for her mind. She'll shoot a super fart, the deadly silent kind. She's got superhuman lips, for super-suction. She's got superhuman hips, for super-reproduction (chorus). She's a lot like Catwoman, just without the leather. She likes whips and chains, and an electronic tether. She's got a super long tongue and spandex underwear. She's got Superman's smile and Wonder Woman's hair (chorus). She is supergirl-superwoman-supersexywoman. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – Rice Pudding Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Here are the exact lyrics for this song, transcribed from Sufjan's handwriting in the first pressing of the album. The lyrics are originally written without line breaks. Rice Pudding: I'm taking you down to the placement field. And when I find you underneath the grass I'll know you feel this way, feel this way. Because I know you, and I feel you, and I'll feed you rice pudding at the benefit concert. Yeah baby, I'll feed you rice pudding at the concert. rock-n-roll, sugar cane. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – Rake Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Here are the exact lyrics for this song, transcribed from Sufjan's handwriting in the first pressing of the album. The lyrics are originally written without line breaks. Rake: I never felt so safe - a line I once told her. Warm resting place, her arm on my shoulder. You are the rock, You are the rake, You are the one when I watch myself. We ran into a safe when the wars came closer. She turned into a cave, where it turned colder. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – Kill Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Here are the exact lyrics for this song, transcribed from Sufjan's handwriting in the first pressing of the album. The lyrics are originally written without line breaks. Kill: he took the stable, bred me to be a mare. Made the brethren able, gave me a room. I never asked him. I never meant to stay. He dressed the table, wore a dress to be my mare. There's no permanence when you never leave the stall. He ran to other wars, won't write me at all. I want to kill him, I want to cut his brain, and when it's over, I know I'll feel okay. He was a champion; we were running side by side into the frontier. He left me without a ride. Where did the hour go when the champions intercede? He stole the cargo, took every chance to leave (chorus). I want to kill him, I want to cut his face, and when it's over, I know I'll feel okay. I want I want I want I want. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – Jason Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Here are the exact lyrics for this song, transcribed from Sufjan's handwriting in the first pressing of the album. The lyrics are originally written without line breaks. Jason: you're the only one. Jason, like a steady son. Like that, you're the only one. Take that, when the runner's come. When the right dragon comes around. When the knight horses burn the ground. Jason, you're the only one. Jason, like a steady son; (you're the only one). Jason, you're the circle sun. Jason, run the rabbit run. Like that, you're the steady gun. Like that, what the Argon won. When the right dragon comes around. When the knight horses burn the ground. When the right you gave me to make it through the night, when the right dragon comes around: (you're the only one). When we were young and noble riding on a plane for freedom run, a plane for freedom run. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – Happy Birthday Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Here are the exact lyrics for this song, transcribed from Sufjan's handwriting in the first pressing of the album. The lyrics are originally written without line breaks. Happy Birthday: like the lantern on a tree, your burden bright as weary be. Periwig on parakeet, you're God's great paramour and sweet. I'm happy, I'm happy your birthday brings a pardoning. I'm happy, I'm happy, you're like a bird that will not be. Yours will number yours will be a paragon a Paraclete. Keep your bed warm, keep your humor, keep your proverbs short and sweet. I'm sorry, I'm sorry that life in anxious, life is mean. I'm sorry, I'm sorry a pair of shoes in what you need. I'm happy, I'm happy your birthday brings a pardoning. I'm happy, I'm happy, you're like a bird that will not be. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – Dumb I Sound Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| Note: The "peel" in the original lyrics should be "peal" instead. There's a pretty big difference between those two words. | |
| Sufjan Stevens – Dumb I Sound Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Here are the exact lyrics for this song, transcribed from Sufjan's handwriting in the first pressing of the album. The lyrics are originally written without line breaks. Dumb I sound: something's suddenly unclear, someone's suddenly my fear. My eyes demand like broken eaves. The ladle overspills on eaves. If you once knew how I loved you. And my bruise-colored eyes peal every image to your face and heel. And if you're happy I am too, and if you're sleeping, I'm with you. But you love someone else, but you want to be with someone else and I can't believe how dumb I sound, and I will put my face over the ground and love you. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – Demetrius Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Here are the exact lyrics for this song, transcribed from Sufjan's handwriting in the first pressing of the album. The lyrics are originally written without line breaks. Demetrius: reach for the archer. He chose an offer. You are only a redeemer. You are holy, like Demetrius. Change the hoodoo caper; strange impersonator. Make a multi-tracker. Take your book and back her. You are like that, a redeemer. You are like that, like Demetrius. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – A Loverless Bed (Without Remission) Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Here are the exact lyrics for this song, transcribed from Sufjan's handwriting in the first pressing of the album. The lyrics are originally written without line breaks. A loverless bed (without remission): such a shame that I can't get over this; put the axle on and roll again. Such a Saturn eye will close again, watching every ring turning again. And I close my eyes to everything you've rearranged, and I close my mind to everything you've kept the same. Put the axle on and roll again. Cannot keep you in my bed again; wake up every time and leave your space again. When the hairline breaks and lends you into the woman you've turned red again. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – A Winner Needs a Wand Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Here are the exact lyrics for this song, transcribed from Sufjan's handwriting in the first pressing of the album. The lyrics are originally written without line breaks. A winner needs a wand: Like it's killing me, it's kidding me around this bite You bit on me, You put on me a gown that fits me like a quarter door that hits me like a sound. It's like You shut on me or shouldn't be around. Like the fennel seed, the funny gene You found. I like the man-o-weeds, the man-o-wars abound, that fits me like a quarter a door, that hits me like a sound. I might just win a war, a matador around. There's still nothing I can say to change my news for You. There's still nothing You can do to exchange my dues to You. Like You fit on me to bit on me a bound. This life that's shut on me that shouldn't be the grounds to emulate an epicene to elevate a sound, this life a winner needs, a winner needs a wand. Never want to blame You, bound You, blame me, never want the blame You bound. Never want to blame You, bound me, blame You, never want the fame You found. And where's the same, and where's the strong, and where's the guard, and where's the one who tries to make You? |
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| Sufjan Stevens – A Sun Came Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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Here are the exact lyrics for this song, transcribed from Sufjan's handwriting in the first pressing of the album. The lyrics are originally written without line breaks. A sun came: everything You are is everything we have. You're the only good thing: a sun came and burned our faces brown, burned our faces red. You are still the rage, a run from the enemy. There is still a house, a cage for the enemy. And when my friends turn out I found out there's still the Lord. I never felt so lonely: a sun came. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – Happy Birthday Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| Oops - by "you," I mean the words "you," "your," and "you're." | |
| Sufjan Stevens – Happy Birthday Lyrics | 18 years ago |
| I don't think this song is about Jesus, as Sufjan leaves several of instances of the word "you" uncapitalized in his original handwritten lyrics. Look for my comment on "A Winner Needs A Wand" for a full explanation. It's the tenth comment for that song. | |
| Sufjan Stevens – A Winner Needs a Wand Lyrics | 18 years ago |
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The original edition of "A Sun Came!" had the lyrics for all the songs in Sufjan's handwriting, which I tried to transcribe and preserve as much as possible. Unfortunately, all the lyrics are written in one long block of text, so I had to conform to SongMeanings' standards by removing some of his punctuation and adding line breaks where it seemed appropriate. Among Christians, such as Sufjan, it is conventional to capitalize pronouns referring to God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. For that reason, I think it's an important distinction that Sufjan capitalizes every instance of the word "you" in this song, "We Are What You Say," "Rake," and "A Sun Came," but leaves it uncapitalized in "Dumb I Sound," "Rice Pudding," "A Loverless Bed (Without Remission)," "Happy Birthday," and "Jason." In "Demetrius," the word "you" is written in both upper and lower case. However, all of the capitalized instances are immediately following a period, so it could be that he was just writing the lyrics to that song in a more prosaic form. His use of upper versus lower case is probably a hint about the person he's referring to in each of those songs. |
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| Sufjan Stevens – Rake Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| Mymsical, there are two separate versions of this song: 'Rake' and 'You Are the Rake.' These lyrics are correct for the former and are taken verbatim from the original 'A Sun Came!' album insert. | |
| Sufjan Stevens – Rake Lyrics | 19 years ago |
| Mymsical, there are two separate versions of this song: 'Rake' and 'You Are the Rake.' These lyrics are correct for the former and are taken verbatim from the original 'A Sun Came!' album insert. | |
| Sufjan Stevens – The Lord God Bird Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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I love this song as well. You can get it from the NPR website for free at: http://www.npr.org/programs/asc/archives/asc88/index.html#stevens |
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| Sufjan Stevens – A Loverless Bed (Without Remission) Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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I submitted the lyrics for all the songs on "A Sun Came" after finding a scan of the original cover art, which included them. I submitted this song to be placed alongside girlboyrevolt's version, but a mod must have just written my version over his/hers. Anyway, the second-to-last line should read, "When the hairline breaks and lends you in," but since girlboyrevolt still retains control over the entry, I can't fix it. |
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| Pearl Jam – Love Boat Captain Lyrics | 23 years ago |
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"lost nine friends we'll never know, two years ago today and if our lives became too long, would it add to our regret?" Those lines probably refer to the Roskilde incident, in which 9 people were crushed when the crowd rushed towards the stage while Pearl Jam was performing. Eddie actually fell to his knees and cried when he saw what had happened... |
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| Pearl Jam – Porch Lyrics | 23 years ago |
| That last comment should read "Eddie SANG the lyrics 'a woman HAS every right...to choose...to choose...to choose...for herself'." | |
| Pearl Jam – Porch Lyrics | 23 years ago |
| This song is actually a pro-choice anthem by Pearl Jam...it's tough to see that meaning in the song, but in their unplugged performance on MTV, Eddie stood on his stool and wrote "pro-choice" on his arm during the instrumental part...also, on an appearance on Saturday Night Live, Eddie sand the lyrics "a woman her every right...to choose...to choose...to choose...for herself". | |
| The Get Up Kids – A Newfound Interest in Massachusetts Lyrics | 23 years ago |
| I live in Nebraska...my girlfriend lives in Massachusetts...when I found this song, it was like I had written it myself. Simply amazing | |
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