Death With Dignity

Death with Dignity is a powerful, emotive and ultimately haunting song those author is attempting to grapple with the death of his mother. The choral music at the end is a great touch. It is also the lead song of Sufjan Stevens new album.

The author as his mother’s child is now alone and trying to find the best way to remember her despite the troubled relationship they once had (“I don’t know…”). He feels she should have protected him more (Amethyst, a symbol of protection). He is alone (dessert) but among others (forest)-one can imagine a funeral reception (flowers on the table). Also parts of the album were recorded in Oregon and Wisconsin. He feels a distance from the gathering but also the relationship itself (acres before us).

The body will be cremated (chimney sweep). But her memory will remain, as will his searching for context (Searchlight). I think the line should be “Silhouette on the Cedar” Cedar is a traditional symbol of protection, endurance and spirituality. “Tired old mare” is his mother. She wasn’t perfect but was always there, and that gave him strength. But life is fleeting and answers are not always found (“in the willows’). She does leave a family (“five red hens” perhaps). She does leave a mark on him (aberration passes…”). The author knows he must move on and decides to forgive her, whatever her trespasses.

What else can be done as all life ends in death.

I'm almost positive "aberration" should be "apparition" in the last verse.

That piano at the 2:12 mark.....

What a way to start an album. This song ruins me.

Probably my fav off the new album

Because this album is Oregon-related, I can't help but think that the mention of the chimney swift might be inspired by the famous mass swarming of thousands of vaux swifts on September nights at Chapman Elementary School in Portland. They swoop around in the air and then suddenly all fly down the giant chimney to nest for the night.

I adore this song--I only wish it had been at the end of the album instead of the beginning. While other songs definitely don't express anger or contempt for his mother, having a song in which he explicitly forgives her at the end would've brought some closure to the album's whole narrative, at least in my mind.

I discovered this song, and by extension Sufjan Stevens while watching the exceptional American drama television series, This Is Us. It is incredibly evocative and fires the imagination. I don't believe the lyrics to be a collection of random imagery. Rather that the writer uses the sanctuary of poetry to express a coherent story of parental letdown, trauma, loss and forgiveness. This song is a no-brainer of a pick for a family drama. It floors me and draws me back to listen to it again and again.

Yo, why has no one here yet commented on the title of the whole tune? Euthanasia/assisted suicide which some like to call Death With Dignity. What a hook of a title for our polarized culture in the US. Hooked me.

The willow really sticks out in the lyrics, no? Oregon was the first state, I believe, to start euthanizing folks, the Willow Society or something. I think willow is poison? Socrates was killed with willow drink.

Makes me think of spring meadows with blossoming blueberries. Hauntingly pretty, but the lyrics seems to be random imagery - no coherent narrative is apparent.