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Should Have Known Better Lyrics
I should have known better
To see what I could see
My black shroud
Holding down my feelings
A pillar for my enemies
I should have wrote a letter
And grieve what I happen to grieve
My black shroud
I never trust my feelings
I waited for the remedy
When I was three, three maybe four
She left us at that video store
Be my rest, be my fantasy
I’m light as a feather
I’m bright as the Oregon breeze
My black shroud
Frightened by my feelings
I only wanna be a relief
No, I’m not a go-getter
The demon had a spell on me
My black shroud
Captain of my feelings
The only thing I wanna believe
When I was three, and free to explore
I saw her face on the back of the door
Be my rest, be my fantasy
I should have known better
Nothing can be changed
The past is still the past
The bridge to nowhere
I should have wrote a letter
Explaining what I feel, that empty feeling
Don’t back down, concentrate on seeing
The breakers in the bar, the neighbor’s greeting
My brother had a daughter
The beauty that she brings, illumination
Don’t back down, there is nothing left
The breakers in the bar, no reason to live
I’m a fool in the fetter
Rose of Aaron’s beard, where you can reach me
Don’t back down: nothing can be changed
Cantilever bridge, the drunken sailor
My brother had a daughter
The beauty that she brings, illumination
To see what I could see
My black shroud
Holding down my feelings
A pillar for my enemies
And grieve what I happen to grieve
My black shroud
I never trust my feelings
I waited for the remedy
She left us at that video store
Be my rest, be my fantasy
I’m bright as the Oregon breeze
My black shroud
Frightened by my feelings
I only wanna be a relief
The demon had a spell on me
My black shroud
Captain of my feelings
The only thing I wanna believe
I saw her face on the back of the door
Be my rest, be my fantasy
Nothing can be changed
The past is still the past
The bridge to nowhere
I should have wrote a letter
Explaining what I feel, that empty feeling
The breakers in the bar, the neighbor’s greeting
My brother had a daughter
The beauty that she brings, illumination
The breakers in the bar, no reason to live
I’m a fool in the fetter
Rose of Aaron’s beard, where you can reach me
Cantilever bridge, the drunken sailor
My brother had a daughter
The beauty that she brings, illumination
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Abandonment is a big theme of this album relating obviously to Sufjan's mother leaving him as a young child. Sufjan didn't write a letter to his mom because he didn't want to burden her. He only wanted to be a relief. Such a sad sentiment repeated in various ways in other places on the album. i.e. his mom saying "did you get enough love, my little dove" on Fourth of July.
The switch in the music half way through along with the more hopeful lyrics is so insanely beautiful. I came back to listen to this track after making my way through the others and it has such an impact after the bleakness (also beautiful) on the rest of the album. It's interesting that this is the second song on the album. It would have made a nice catharsis as one of the last tracks but I guess instead it's a brief respite meant to carry you through the rest of the album.
An absolutely magnificent song on a magnificent album.
This song is the only thing that calmed me down when I panicked. At eight at night when id had a bad day and had an assessment due the next day. I thought id never finish it. Although this song is sad it calmed me down and helped me focus on my work. Sufjan stevens rulz!
hands down best tracks along with 1 and 7