That was really interesting and could be right blackemma. I dont know alot about religion so that didnt occur to me at all, but your explanation doesnt explain some parts to me. For example, when hes naming towns and says "you trade and topple us" and earlier in the song when he says "They tremble with the nervous thought Of having been, at last, forgot". I think he is talking about the old and the dead not being on the minds of the young enough. i think hes saying the past is important and everyone should study history and know history (clearly sufjan is interested in it being a folk artist and by undertaking the 50 states project and talking about the histories of each state for the album).
These lyrics also make me believe that this song is about needing to remember the past, " I know, I know my time has passed
I'm not so young, I'm not so fast
I tremble with the nervous thought
Of having been, at last, forgot"
and these a little earlier
"(Who will save it? Dedicate it?
Who will praise it? Commemorate it for you?)"
I think the last two selections are supposed to tell the young of today another reason we should remember the past is because we want to be remembered someday.
That was really interesting and could be right blackemma. I dont know alot about religion so that didnt occur to me at all, but your explanation doesnt explain some parts to me. For example, when hes naming towns and says "you trade and topple us" and earlier in the song when he says "They tremble with the nervous thought Of having been, at last, forgot". I think he is talking about the old and the dead not being on the minds of the young enough. i think hes saying the past is important and everyone should study history and know history (clearly sufjan is interested in it being a folk artist and by undertaking the 50 states project and talking about the histories of each state for the album). These lyrics also make me believe that this song is about needing to remember the past, " I know, I know my time has passed I'm not so young, I'm not so fast I tremble with the nervous thought Of having been, at last, forgot" and these a little earlier "(Who will save it? Dedicate it? Who will praise it? Commemorate it for you?)" I think the last two selections are supposed to tell the young of today another reason we should remember the past is because we want to be remembered someday.