All I had hoped for
I kept inside your car
The rabbit in the barn
Most of all I wait
I wait beside the door
I wait beside the door

Oh, I was wrong
Trembling in the cage
I was diamonds in the rage
In seven hours
I consider death
And your father called to yell at me
You little boy, you little boy

Found out you cheated me
I ran behind the barn and cut my hand somehow
Blood in the meadow lark
I punched your ears instead
I punched you in the head
You only laughed and laughed and laughed
How I was wrong, tingling from the kill
You tickle me until
You devil bird, you evil still
I slept on my arms, sleeping on the sill
I was sleeping in the room with you
You little boy, you little boy

How could you run from me now
The loneliest chime in the house
The loneliest chime in the house
You let it out, you let it out
Come to your Calvary still
I'm bleeding and breaking until
I'm bleeding in spite of my warmth for you
It bruised and bruised my will

Come to me now with your pains
The breathing inside of the rage
You touched me inside of my cage
Beneath my shirt your hands embraced me

Come to me feathered and frayed
For I am the ugliest prey
For I am the ugliest prey
Beyond the reckless, reckless raise

You said you'd wait for me
Down by the tannery creek
Far out by the clothesline
Where we used to kiss behind the sheets
Wrapped in a blanket of red
The owl and the tanager sat
The owl and the tanager said
One waits until the hour is death


Lyrics submitted by yeahoksufjan

Barn Owl, Night Killer song meanings
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9 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    It seems like sufjan is simultaneously speaking from the perspective of an animal (the owl, perhaps) and a boy who found the animal (probably injured). Ultimately, the boy abuses the animal (Wrapped in a blanket of red, the owl and the tanager sat, the owl and the tanager said one waits until the hour is death.). I think this song explores the notion of abuse in an eerie and beautiful way.

    solitary walkeron April 19, 2008   Link

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