Added: 5 years ago
From: iamandrewgill
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  • If anyone listening likes sufjan, then you'll enjoy my original music, check out "let it summer" on my account please! Thanks peace:)

  • watching the OC again for the millionth time and heard this song in the background....beautiful. Greys Anatomy and The OC have the best background music, i find sooooo many great artists by listening closely during those shows

  • You know an artist is talented when the live version sounds exactly the same as the studio version.

  • @KnarfKcaz I actually like this one better. Hes amazing

  • dawww I <3 him!!!

  • on 1:27 you can hear a manager of a big time recordcompany thinking

  • Beautiful

  • ironically godless shoes

  • the ol' joggers and jeans look...but i'm sure he still pulls the chicks

  • I would gladly spend time alone with you, Sufjan. :]

  • @bitcheata wat

  • I've shed a few tears with this song time and time again. So beautiful.

  • Dejaste a tus esposa e hijos, abandonaste todas tus metas...

    PARA ESTAR SOLO CONMIGO, nunca conocí un hombre que me amara.

    Ahh... creo que encontré nuevo artista al cual seguir! ♥

  • can someone please tell me if this is sufyan stevens singing the following song, just copy paste the link, please let me know who it is because I really love this song.

    watch?v=Ityy117ngdY

  • I'll always remember the first time my sister introduced me to this song, I was in the kitchen and wasn't in the mood for anything, and suddenly I just heard this magnificent music coming out of nowhere (the next room lol) and I didnt know what to say or what to do, I couldnt react..I was love struck...

  • I got chills watching this

  • This song is so simply beautiful. I love it so much.

  • @ravingpoohbear No, not at all. All that I was saying was that many people like him because he's religious, but that doesn't mean non-religious people can't.

  • marry me sufjan!!!!

  • holy shit this is so good

  • he makes my heart flutter.

  • who cares what it's about to him- its a love song to me

  • It makes no difference if this song is about jesus f-ing christ or not... To me it's a love song and theres no reason I can't just listen to it and fall in love.

  • This man makes me want to cry every time I head him sing I can't even.

  • Yo, real talk. There's no cool way to ask people to check out the song on your channel, right? So I'm just going to lean into this: listen to my song, or I'm just going to keep asking.

    To Be Alone With You will always be the most beautiful hymn I've ever heard. It should be sung in churches and crack dens and mountain tops and atheist circles.

  • this guy=amazing 

  • I want to really see him perform live

  • I love that Sufjan doesn't sacrifice his Christianity for his music, but he doesn't sacrifice his music for Christianity, it's the perfect balance and he pulls it off perfectly.

  • Is it just me or does this song and performance sound exactly like Elliott Smith? That's a good thing, by the way.

  • flawless

    

  • The Coldplay guy imagines he's Sufjan Stevens - in his dreams. Uncharitable thought, I know, but true.

  • I'm an Atheist and I love this guy.

  • @MontezumaIII , what does is matter what his religious views are? Does something like that actually shape your opinion of someone or their musical ability?

  • @MontezumaIII cool story bro.

  • @MontezumaIII You don't have to be religious to like him. His songs have no overtly religious tones to them and he has never been extremely out spoken about his religion.

  • @TheHamishbatten1995

    You must be in denial, dude. Religion is splattered across many of his songs, particularly on Seven Swans. He's a Christian, his lyrics have overtones that reflect that, accept reality. But, the important thing is that an Atheist who appreciates excellent musicianship and genuine lyricism should be able to appreciate the art of someone with a viewpoint different that his/her own.

  • @gbe84 What I mean is that his songs don't force religion on you. Yes they display very Christian beliefs, but anyone can like the song. I am an Atheist and I love his work.

  • @MontezumaIII

    Imagine if you knew the One who inspired him!

  • this is the kind of sufjan show i wish i couldve seen :(

    its like you could literally reach out and touch him its so intimate and close, now hes playing huge concerts in front of thousands of screaming hipster fangirls, just not the same

  • @masterexploder112255 I agree. I saw a show last october in minneapolis and all he played was Age of Adz stuff, which is kinda cool I guess, and I kind of expected it because that was the tour, but it could not have been any more different than the performance in this video. And I was a little bummed.

  • I've lived in Finland for 8 months recently. When I came back to the Netherlands I decided to see what Sufjan was up to. Turned out he'd performed in the Netherlands twice, like 2 days before I got back. Thanks for showing me what I missed out on there :'(

  • This song changed my life for better.

    BTW:

    If you have some time for my acoustic indie rock music.

    /watch?v=OzV4v8l8L-g

  • I love this song! I came across it by accident, and I must say that I am pleased I did! His voice is amazing!

  • Ugh this man is beautiful inside and out.

  • But this song is so beautiful and always makes me smile I think I'm in love with sufjan Stevens lol

  • What this is about Jesus? I wasn't sure whether he was gay or not because of this song and than someone suggested that it was written from a womens perspective

  • @aliciacarey88 Yes this song is about jesus, how he gave up everything for the people, and how god will be the only man to love him , this that and the other. But along those lines

  • Sounds a lot like Iron and Wine.

  • @walawa1a Immediately thought the same thing when I heard his music.

  • way to be an angel.

  • sublime performance

  • Could you recommend other songs like this that are written about God or any other good songs? What about albums? I have one of his albums. I'm just looking for purchase some new music.

  • @TheFletch827

    Abraham

  • @TheFletch827 "For the widows in Paradise, for the fatherless in ypsilanti" 

  • @AIOZTOAIOZ No thats's not right, he's saying in order for him to have the relationship with Jesus that he does now, Jesus had to die on the cross.

  • Maybe he reefers to Judas...

    To be alone with me

    You went up on a tree

    Judas hang up of a tree when he sold jesus...

    & maybe that's what sufjan reefer to... How Judas will never know the love of the man who loved him... Jesus.

    Is something weird... anyways any want to share any other ideas ?

  • best part: 0:00 - 3:21

  • I love you!

  • I actually think it has something to do with a black man being lynched. Jesus had no wife, children, or anything of that nature.

  • @mrreuben69 exactly, i think it is saying jesus gave up ever having having a wife or a family SO he could rid humanity of its sins, and sufjan is singing of that with the intimacy of jesus having done that for him as an individual. i'm not christian, but that is what i got.

  • So soothing.

  • he sounds better live than the album version : ) just my opinion. but both versions are AMAZING.

  • I am not a christian and actually i can't see anything about god in this beautiful song. But i love the lyrics. Can someone explain me how it is related with god? Because i also like God and if i know the connection, i may like this song more.

  • @MeurglysIV The song is a love song about God(specifically, Jesus), so it kinda just sounds like a normal love song at first. It's made clear that it's about God at the end of the second chorus and the line after "To be alone with me, you went up on a tree." it's an allusion to God dying on a wooden cross, which is commonly referred to as a "tree" in christian music

  • @josiahliston Thanks

  • @MeurglysIV

    Has to do with prayer..

  • @MeurglysIV there's actually a few straight out references to the Bible. when he says "they took your clothes" he's talking about how roman soldiers took Jesus' clothes after nailing him to the cross (" When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots." mt27.35), the giving your ghost part is talking about the Holy Spirit which Jesus sent after he was crucified, resurrected and ascended.

  • @MeurglysIV the tree part, yes, it's a reference to the cross. "to be alone with you/me" sounds like a reference to the fact that before Jesus, no man could stand before God without literally dying from His glory and holiness (with the exception of a few men, chosen by God, to whom He revealed himself -like Moses). but with Jesus (through Jesus), any man can actually spend time with God, ie, be alone with Him :) because of what Jesus did and gave.

    it is a very beautiful love song for Jesus.

  • God, this is so beautiful. Sufjan COME TO POLAND

  • if anyone can check my cover that'd be great! a lot of improvised rhythm guitar stuff and all. thanks!

  • love 

  • Check out The Perennials! Look up "theperennialsarewe" on youtube. They are a similar genre to Sufjan.

  • the way he sings about God isn't christian, it's human. that's what makes it so beautiful

  • @sanichiwa but sufjan is a christian, so that's going to influence it some.

  • Sufjan's music and soul radiate so much beauty to me. I can't get enough of his music. I hope to see him live some day! :D

  • I'm seeing him live for the first time (in sydney, australia) on saturday. I'm SO excited and this is one of my favorites - but I really don't like his new stuff at all! I'll be sooooo disappointed if he plays nothing but his new stuff.

  • @afreakanature How'd it go?

  • how does this have ANY dislikes?!

  • God, this is amazing.

  • @slodr Hahaha!

  • Thirty six people had an eargasm while trying to click the like button.

  • Sufjan is a brilliant artist and a sort of holy man...

  • Great Song! Reminds me of "Heirloom" by Brandon Snipes.

  • This guy is a truly inspirational song-writer, the way he sings about depression and life and love in a way that is only possible through experience makes his songs so melancholy and touching that they could never get old. unfortunately it is not a mainstream style. his more recent work on adz should prove very popular but may upset some of his older fans that liked songs like this one. personally i love this guy :D

  • You can tell he truly sings from the bottom of his heart...he must have been through a lot in the past. I usually get tired of artists after awhile and return to them after a few months, but I just can't seem to detach myself from his empathetic, melancholic voice. <3

  • @NearTheBarnDoors Hi. My name is Scott, and I'm a melancholic. ("Hi Scott")

  • @DKMScott well hello there, scott. :) My name's Myra and I have a lot of worthless depression hanging around my life as well. I have to admit, what you wrote seemed sort of sarcastic though, haha. sorry for the 5 month late reply.

  • @NearTheBarnDoors I disagree that the potency of his vocals is at all related to the depth or intensity of his life. I do love this song though.

  • @sustainpedal66 I don't see why not. If you read biographies of him and watched interviews or listened to the story behind his song "Casimir Pulaski Day" then maybe...just possibly, you'd change your opinion?

  • @NearTheBarnDoors Wow. Beautifully put. Will you write a bio for me? :-)

  • @knitterhead I'd love to, but I'm not that experienced yet, haha. I'm only 17 ;)

  • @NearTheBarnDoors

    Just because you know words doesn't man you have to use them.

  • @VERTiGOVAMPIRE umm excuse me? youtube was created for viewers to voice their opinions, so I ain't guilty of nothin. I'm sorry if what i said bothers you in any sense, but writing has always been one of my strengths and passions.

  • @NearTheBarnDoors

    If writing has been a strength and passion, how do you not know when your being trolled? I am majoring in creative writing actually, so you are excused.

  • hey guys dont talk too much about religion.

    i think its a great song and hes a great musician.

    so just listen and relax!

  • he is so spiritual. you can feel it when you listen to his songs, especially this one. finally some amazing christian music in my favourite genre.

  • Love it! 

  • @dawnder7 So you know him personally? Based on the content of his lyrics and the articles I've read he is. Maybe you're the one that should induldge in a little research.

  • @fissionchips303: I like classical, but not electronica. I find the new stuff skittish and all over the place and his fantastic voice is pretty lost in all that commotion. What I love about folk is that there is no place to hide. Just a man and his guitar. Honest stuff. I'm going to see SS in February. I just hope that he brings a reasonable amount of his back catalogue, but I suspect I'll be disappointed. Glad you like him mate. I'm sure there are plenty of people that like his new stuff.

  • Comment removed

  • @ScottMcMillan He doesn't. I love the new album, but if you don't, you might as well not go. He played about 3 songs from older albums at the show I was just at. It's an amazing show, but it's almost entirely focused on the new material, so go understanding that.

  • @CaptainAuRevoir Thanks mate for a useful and friendly response. I've got till Feb to like the new stuff then. To be honest, I would still enjoy going for even the 3 or so older songs. Cheers from NZ. Scott.

  • @ScottMcMillan Same here bro, seeing him in Feb and hoping he'll play a bit more of his old stuff on top of the new ones since it's his first ever concert here in NZ

  • @Kevintsy4 I saw him in October. He came to Dallas, which he never does, and he played seven swans then new stuff from adz and ended with Chicago. Once we gave him a 5 minute ovation he came out and played casimir pulaski day, ufo sightings, and few others from the Illinoise album. Either way man, the show was the best thing I've ever seen.

  • @ScottMcMillan: Do you listen to much classical music? What about electronic music? If you don't like either of those genres then you must hate new Sufjan!

    I have literally thousands of hours of classical in my collection. And probably twice that much electronic music. I also enjoy folk, pop, rock. And I love the old and new Sufjan. I never listened to Sufjan before 3 weeks ago and I started listening to Michigan and Chicago at the same time as Age of Adz. I think they're all great!

  • @fissionchips303

    I love both classical and electronic music (in fact, one of my favorite musicians is Olafur Arnalds) but I really do not care for Sufjan's new stuff at all :/

  • @Jolly4jc Well that comment is dylanesque...

  • The funny part about all the Christian talk is if I'm not mistaken I'm pretty sure Sufjan is gay. Just sayin... LOL. But good try. I'll give you that.

  • @blazin421 he's not gay. you should make sure u know what your talking about before you say something like that next time.

  • @dawnder7 right on. he's absolutely not gay. The line where he says "I gave up a wife and a family to be alone with you" isn't referencing being alone with another man, it's definitely a reference to God. In the Bible, there's a story where Jesus asks a man to leave his family behind, and follow Him. The man refuses.  The reason this song is so beautiful is because Sufjan is singing about accepting that call sort of. Sacrificing himself to be with God.

  • @jonnysan0002 Absolutely agree... Particularly because he turns it to say YOU gave up those things... and to be alone with me, you went up on the tree, and I've never known the man that loved me... In particularly the go up on the tree thing, a word for word phrase from scripture in regards to the crucifixion of Christ. The reality is, gay or not, he's most definitely Christian, and really none of those things should matter when it comes to enjoying music. Yeah! ;)

  • so soothing... sweet stuff

  • I found him when i watched the danielson documentar, how did everyone else find out who he is?

  • @joe0692 I actually found out about him b/c The OC (the show) featured two of his songs. I loved the songs and had looked them up and voila... :)

  • @joe0692 I found out about him through eMusic.com. It was a recommendation based on other music I had purchased.

  • I fully thought this was a song about a guy in love with another guy not god!

    Or is ?

    :P

    

  • @travvTube1 there are a lot of allusions to the gospel writings in this song

  • It doesn't matter if you're Christian, Atheist, Agnostic, Muslim, Buddhist, etc.., just shut up and listen and enjoy this beautiful song.

  • I'm an atheist.

    but still, I find the way he writes about God to be remarkably beautiful.

    Not gonna criticise that at all.

  • @Rorypmccarthy Word up

  • @Rorypmccarthy Every once in a while you run into someone who has truly experienced the Christ in all his Beauty. Sufjan sings in Spirit and Truth. I'm glad you notice the difference. :) Peace to you my friend.

  • Radical heart-searching splendour. Tag-a-long accenting was feasible. I'm pleased by the degree to which "aching" is achieved. Is it exhaustion? This absence? I frankly don't gather the purpose; I don't believe this is a flaw in musicianship either. I'm interested. This is, critically speaking, a "seed," correct? What of rock opera? A creative palette extended! Genre defeated!! Proof: The Man Of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts. With extreme gratitude, alightinflesh.

  • Hauntingly beautiful "you gave up your ghost to be alone with me" what a simply stunning thing so say. For we do not have a High Priest (Jesus) who was not tempted in every way that is common to every person.... tempted by the Devil in every way yet did not give in to sin. This song is for everyone. I do not understand how ANYONE could listen to it and then ARGUE with anyone. That simply does not make any sense at all.... and how offensive to Jesus who loves everyone just as they are. cheers Al

  • Not all Christians are the type to get in peoples faces and start arguing. you will find those are the Christians that are too quick to judge and throw the bible at people before they actually get the real message them self. Jesus would never anger over such pettiness. to be more like Jesus would want us means to be tolerable understating caring and loving. not judging others based on beliefs. some are quick to forget it was Jesus that went to the people that were out casted by society.

  • I dunno; I hope he follows where the Light leads him. I prefered the more explicitly Christian stuff, b/c that's what I needed at the time. He helped my partner and I heal; and he addresses the human condition. His, Bro. Danielson's music and the quiet of Quaker meetings have been a blessing. I haven't listened to Sufjan since 2004 when my beloved died at age 26, after 7 years together. I just started listening to him again today. Thanks for ALL of you work, S.

  • Wow...

  • buenaaa musicccaaaa.....me gusta....

  • will all of u religous pricks shut up and listen to the music music is supposed to unite us not make us fight over whats right or whats wrong so just shut up and listen

  • @dan54166 I couldn't agree more, people forget what it's supposed to be about - music.

  • If all Christians were like Sufjan the world would be a better place, full of people who practice what they believe, while also understanding the faiths of others.

  • Most beautiful.

  • his voice is so smooth. I love it.

  • His acoustic versions of songs are always the most beautiful pieces. He def. needs to go back to this sort of stuff, it'll be a true shame if he doesn't

  • This song never fails to cut to my core

  • WASHINGTON LOVES YOU!

  • amazing musician

  • How do you pronounce his name?

  • @molsonconman soof-yan

  • My favourite song in the whole wide world. I want to see him sing this live so bad :(

  • j'adore....

  • Man, I found this song yesterday and I already love it! The lyrics are impressing en unique I think. I immediately made a cover and put it at Youtube:)

  • wow hes amazing live! such a beautiful voice. his music moves me.

  • I think one of the reasons Christianity isn't "cool" is that it's not cool to think theres good news.

    Sufjan is brave to be on the indie scene as a vocal Christian.

    I'm saying all this as an agnostic Jew.

  • @sh61288 I'm sorry you don't feel that there is good news. I don't think that Sufjan, or Christians in general, are trying to be "cool". It's just something we feel. My life hasn't been easy, but I still feel loved.

    I'm not trying to preach--I just hope that you feel it someday because it's good.

  • @amyjogonzalez Many in the scientific community "felt" their theories to be true and are now laughed at. Lamarck's theory of evolution is now ridiculed. In fact, many "felt" that gravitational theories were wrong too. My point is, internal "feelings" are not valid proofs or arguments.

  • @Wil1108 Exactly!

  • @Wil1108 

  • @Wil1108 I'm not trying to argue with anyone and I realize it's unrealistic to show physical proof of "feelings". Feelings and scientific theories are too different to compare. Emotion is personal energy and science involves observations and reasoning. When people watch this video some just hear a pretty song, to Sufjan and others it's more. Doesn't it evoke feelings? He has figured out a way to show valid proof of his feelings. I respect your view---really not trying to argue.

  • his voice is a dreeeam

  • From what I understand, Sufjan attends a PCA church in Brooklyn where his friend Vito (yes THAT Vito) is the pastor. My pastor met him at the yearly PCA convention in 08. I'll spare you the wiki search, the PCA (presbyterian church in america) is a reformed conservative denomination. In broad terms, we smoke and drink, and we believe Jesus actually came back from the dead. I don't believe in a "Left Behind" apocalypse, but still believe the Bible is inspired (look up amillenialial eschatology).

  • @VicLabs Does the belief in Jesus coincide with the drinking and smoking(how strong)?

  • @davidoffon

    I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic. I mention smoking and drinking to dispel the myth that believers are ascetic monks who don't dance for fear that the devil will get into their feet. Most of the Christians I know drink, doesn't mean we get plastered. A lot of Christians I know smoke cigarettes. There's very little correlation with how "strong" their faith is.

  • @VicLabs : I'm very sure, as I make a great believer.

  • beauty song..

  • i'd prefer it if no one compared it to christianity at all, i'st just an assumpiton that sufjan himself never stated was true.

    he could easily be speaking as a prostitute or jesus or both.

    just accept that it's an amazing song and stop debating.

  • This song is the best !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • This sounds better than the one on the album! I'm loving it...

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  • Oh man. So in love with Sufjan Stevens.

  • This song has so many levels....i don't think you can put up a certain interpretation: that's the beauty of his songs, he crafts them so well it means so many different things.... even to a single person

  • I could get high and sit in this gig all day

  • WHere is he playn at ??

  • Comment removed

  • amen