Sufjan Stevens

I Went Dancing with My Sister

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I Went Dancing with My Sister Lyrics

We were, we were, we were lovers
We had no one
But armed puppets

We were touching
We were turning
We were eighteen
Get to learning

Saw your mother at the river washing ribbons
Saw her sip, saw her sip the East River

I've seen laid men up and walking
I've seen deaf and dead men talking

And I have had enough of trouble
I've been paid in full and double

Barricade glass against the table
Break it farmers if you're, if you're able

I went dancing with my sister
Call her madam, call me mister

She wore a dress; it was nice and something
Underneath her dress was slipping

She did curse it, she did keep it
She said she did something stupid

I said: who's the master, Mira?
I can't kill or catch a fly dead

Point me in the right direction
Point me to the middle section

And I have had enough of trouble
I've been paid in full and double

Barricade glass against the table
Break it farmers if you're, if you're able

Barricade glass against the table
Break it farmers if you're, if you're, if you're able

Submitted by

arnfdeno On Nov 29, 2007

Casimir Pulaski Day

John Wayne Gacy, Jr.

The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!

To Be Alone with You

For the Widows in Paradise, for the Fatherless in Ypsilanti

We were, we were, we were lovers
We had no one
But armed puppets

We were touching
We were turning
We were eighteen
Get to learning

Saw your mother at the river washing ribbons 
Saw her sip, saw her sip the East River

I've seen laid men up and walking
I've seen deaf and dead men talking

And I have had enough of trouble
I've been paid in full and double

Barricade glass against the table
Break it farmers if you're, if you're able

I went dancing with my sister
Call her madam, call me mister

She wore a dress; it was nice and something 
Underneath her dress was slipping

She did curse it, she did keep it
She said she did something stupid

I said: who's the master, Mira?
I can't kill or catch a fly dead

Point me in the right direction
Point me to the middle section

And I have had enough of trouble
I've been paid in full and double

Barricade glass against the table
Break it farmers if you're, if you're able

Barricade glass against the table
Break it farmers if you're, if you're, if you're able

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arnfdeno

Submitter

2007-11-29 00:27:45

1 Meaning

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by crnthn

16y ago

No comments for this beautiful song?

I think these lyrics are a little off at places; I think it should be "I've seen lame men up and walking" (instead of "laid") and "break a glass against the table / break a promise if you're able", for example. I also hear "horses, horses [in the?] river" where it now reads "saw her sip etc."

The lyrics call up vaguely religious/Christian imagery. The mention of seeing lame men walking and deaf men talking reminds me of faith healing... There's also something sensual; "we were lovers"; "something underneath her dress was slipping". I get these images of teenagers living in a rural, religious community, either actual siblings or not ("my sister" could be "a sister in faith"), doing "something stupid", something forbidden.

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