This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Ooh, woman, tell me what you want
And I'll calm down without bleeding out
With a broken heart that you stabbed for an hour
Woman, I was freaking out because I want you to know
My beloved, you are the lover of my impossible soul
Woman, too, promise me you'll stay and put off all your woes
I was wigging out, too much worry
I could not get you at all
And you said what you want, you would laugh it off
But I know you won't go, not for it at last
Must you write it off for the impossible soul?
And I was in a dream, I was gone away without you, but not too slow
Lest I put it off, for I put it right for the impossible soul
And all I couldn't sing, I would say it all, my life, to you
If I could get you at all
Don't be a wreck, trying to be something that I wasn't at all
Seems I got it wrong, I was chasing after something that was gone
To the black of night, now I know it's not what I wanted at all
And you said something like, "All you want is all the world for yourself"
But all I want is the perfect love
Though I know it's small, I want love for us all
And all I couldn't sing, I would say it all, my life, to you
If I could get you at all
Trying to be something that I wasn't at all
Do you want to be afraid?
Do you want to be afraid?
For life in the cage where courage's mate runs deep in the wake
For the scariest things are not half as enslaved
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Do you want to be alone?
Do you want to be alone?
For life isn't stained of righteousness pain
The seed and the hail, all impossible flights for an interesting light
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Do you want to love me more?
Do you want to love me more?
For love is the breath
If water and wave is cursed by the same thing that nurtured its shame
Is it worth all the work?
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Have you failed to feel delight? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
Have you failed to feel delight? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
Instead of the life, lived tired and lost, have you left it at last
Where it floundered its death with the language of ghosts
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Do you want to be afraid? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
Do you want to be afraid? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
For life in the cage where where courage's mate runs deep in the wake
For the scariest things are not half as enslaved
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
No... Don't be distracted
Stupid man in the window, I couldn't be at rest
All my delight, all that mattered, I couldn't be at rest
From what I liked, from what I gathered, I couldn't be at rest
Stupid man in the window, I couldn't be at rest
And don't be shy in the window
Come down and give your best
Oh, delight in the window I couldn't be at rest
Stupid man in the window, I couldn't be at rest
From what I liked, from what I gathered, I couldn't give my best
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to breathe at all
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to breathe at all
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to breathe at all
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to speak at all
1, 2 3, 4!
It's a long life, better pinch yourself,
Put your face together, better get it right
It's a long life, better hit yourself
Put your face together, better stand up straight
It's a long life, only one last chance
Couldn't get much better, do you wanna dance?
It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Get your face together, better stand up straight
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better give love, give love, give love, give love)
Boy, we can do much more together,
(better get it right, get it right get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together it's not so impossible
It's not so impossible
It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Get your face together, better roll along
It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Put your face together, better stand up straight
It's a long life only one last chance
Couldn't get much better, do you wanna dance?
It's a good life, better pinch yourself
Is it impossible? Is it impossible?
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get a life, get a life, get a life, get a life)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy we can do much more together, it's not so impossible
It's not so impossible
It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Put your face together, better get it right
It's a long life, better hit yourself
Put your face together, better stand up straight
In the wrong life, everything is chance
Does it register? Do you wanna dance?
In the right life, it's a miracle
Possibility, do you wanna dance?
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get a life, get a life, get a life, get a life)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
It's not so impossible
Do you wanna dance?
Boy, we can do much more together
It's not so impossible
I never meant to cause you pain
My burden is the weight of a feather
I never meant to lead you on
I only meant to please me, however
And then you tell me, boy, we can do much more
Boy, we can do much more
Boy, we can do much more together
Boy, we can do much more together
I'm nothing but a selfish man
I'm nothing but a privileged brother
And did you think I'd stay the night?
And did you think I'd love you forever?
And then you tell me, boy, we can do much more
I gotta tell you, girl, I want nothing less
Girl, I want nothing less
Girl, I want nothing less than pleasure
Girl, I want nothing less than pleasure
I gotta tell you, boy, we made such a mess
Boy, we made such a mess
Boy, we made such a mess together
Boy we made such a mess together
And I'll calm down without bleeding out
With a broken heart that you stabbed for an hour
Woman, I was freaking out because I want you to know
My beloved, you are the lover of my impossible soul
Woman, too, promise me you'll stay and put off all your woes
I was wigging out, too much worry
I could not get you at all
And you said what you want, you would laugh it off
But I know you won't go, not for it at last
Must you write it off for the impossible soul?
And I was in a dream, I was gone away without you, but not too slow
Lest I put it off, for I put it right for the impossible soul
And all I couldn't sing, I would say it all, my life, to you
If I could get you at all
Don't be a wreck, trying to be something that I wasn't at all
Seems I got it wrong, I was chasing after something that was gone
To the black of night, now I know it's not what I wanted at all
And you said something like, "All you want is all the world for yourself"
But all I want is the perfect love
Though I know it's small, I want love for us all
And all I couldn't sing, I would say it all, my life, to you
If I could get you at all
Trying to be something that I wasn't at all
Do you want to be afraid?
Do you want to be afraid?
For life in the cage where courage's mate runs deep in the wake
For the scariest things are not half as enslaved
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Do you want to be alone?
Do you want to be alone?
For life isn't stained of righteousness pain
The seed and the hail, all impossible flights for an interesting light
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Do you want to love me more?
Do you want to love me more?
For love is the breath
If water and wave is cursed by the same thing that nurtured its shame
Is it worth all the work?
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Have you failed to feel delight? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
Have you failed to feel delight? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
Instead of the life, lived tired and lost, have you left it at last
Where it floundered its death with the language of ghosts
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Do you want to be afraid? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
Do you want to be afraid? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
For life in the cage where where courage's mate runs deep in the wake
For the scariest things are not half as enslaved
Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
No... Don't be distracted
Stupid man in the window, I couldn't be at rest
All my delight, all that mattered, I couldn't be at rest
From what I liked, from what I gathered, I couldn't be at rest
Stupid man in the window, I couldn't be at rest
And don't be shy in the window
Come down and give your best
Oh, delight in the window I couldn't be at rest
Stupid man in the window, I couldn't be at rest
From what I liked, from what I gathered, I couldn't give my best
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to breathe at all
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to breathe at all
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to breathe at all
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to speak at all
1, 2 3, 4!
It's a long life, better pinch yourself,
Put your face together, better get it right
It's a long life, better hit yourself
Put your face together, better stand up straight
It's a long life, only one last chance
Couldn't get much better, do you wanna dance?
It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Get your face together, better stand up straight
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better give love, give love, give love, give love)
Boy, we can do much more together,
(better get it right, get it right get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together it's not so impossible
It's not so impossible
It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Get your face together, better roll along
It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Put your face together, better stand up straight
It's a long life only one last chance
Couldn't get much better, do you wanna dance?
It's a good life, better pinch yourself
Is it impossible? Is it impossible?
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get a life, get a life, get a life, get a life)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy we can do much more together, it's not so impossible
It's not so impossible
It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Put your face together, better get it right
It's a long life, better hit yourself
Put your face together, better stand up straight
In the wrong life, everything is chance
Does it register? Do you wanna dance?
In the right life, it's a miracle
Possibility, do you wanna dance?
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get a life, get a life, get a life, get a life)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
It's not so impossible
Do you wanna dance?
Boy, we can do much more together
It's not so impossible
I never meant to cause you pain
My burden is the weight of a feather
I never meant to lead you on
I only meant to please me, however
And then you tell me, boy, we can do much more
Boy, we can do much more
Boy, we can do much more together
Boy, we can do much more together
I'm nothing but a selfish man
I'm nothing but a privileged brother
And did you think I'd stay the night?
And did you think I'd love you forever?
And then you tell me, boy, we can do much more
I gotta tell you, girl, I want nothing less
Girl, I want nothing less
Girl, I want nothing less than pleasure
Girl, I want nothing less than pleasure
I gotta tell you, boy, we made such a mess
Boy, we made such a mess
Boy, we made such a mess together
Boy we made such a mess together
Lyrics submitted by strykerchick
Impossible Soul Lyrics as written by Sufjan Stevens
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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(1) Breakup event. Gets dumped, goes a little nutty. Realizes he's mourning something secondary he wanted from it, not the person herself. As though it were an ego blow. She the love of his "Impossible Soul," the cynical/fearful part of him that thinks that happiness is not possible...too risky.
(2) His "angel" coaches him... the things you do for safety imprison you more than the worst outcomes you could ever experience from taking chances. Basically, the risk averse life robs you of the full experience (delight) of life.
(3) The lesson seeping into his conscience (auto-tune).
(4) Life essential beckoning...use it or lose it, champ. Snap out of the dream life you're living.
(5) Sorry I was a dick. I'm much better now. Wasn't that a lot of drama?
I agree with all your premises and think they are at least right. Below I added the thought that the "secondary" thing he wanted from it was to cover up his homosexuality. I could be way off but it is a more specific interpretation I guess.
I think TheLightIsMine is right on the money.
I love how you mapped it out. I love this song and knew I was relating to it in ways but couldn't put it together. The song is a masterpiece. I love the progression of emotions. and i love how you worded the progression. the thing i love most is the end. He realizes that he was being childish and self-centered about his loss initially. he realized there was less meaning in his emotions and what he thought of "girl." He moved on. I like how the length of the song implies that it took a long time to get to this level of getting over her.
i used "i love" way too much in that reply. sorry...i still meant it!