I take this song as a struggle with sin, which manifests itself into illness. He "wants to be well" and this seems to be the key stanza: "Illness likes to prey upon the lonely, prey upon the lonely, Wave goodbye, I would rather be, but I would rather be fine." Nevertheless, or should I say inevitably, sin comes, and he deals with the repercussions. The song winds down into whirlwind at the realization of what he's become: "But from within I see an unholy change." It ends screaming against sin
@HardRhyma Actually, he's saying "Illness likes to prey upon the lonely, prey upon the lonely. When it bites, I would rather be dead, I would rather give up." He suffered from a strange neurological illness while making this album, so I mostly interpret this song as him becoming frustrated at being unable to overcome the virus or whatever it was.
@HardRhyma Personally I always thought it was about depression instead of sin; the constant reference to 'ordinary' as opposed to 'not fucking around' reminds me of what an existential crisis modernity actually is, since everyone's feeling depressed anyway; depression is often referred to as a 'demon' and it does 'prey upon the lonely'; add the fact that 'I want to be well' can also be heard as 'well, I want to be', simply 'being', existing, etc -- it adds up to life as a struggle.
@Moose1223 I'm so glad others have noticed the existential cry happening with the "well, I want to be" line. I think that Sufjan was obviously aware of a double meaning, and I think that's a major theme we see in all of Sufjan's music: Words and phrases can be understood and felt in an infinite amount of ways. "Depression" or "sin" - this song characterizes immense suffering.
@homologeo Indeed it does. All of his music, but especially Age of Adz, to me at least, because it struck home with me pretty hard. I started listening to it when my ex decided to break up after 4 years in a relationship only to get with someone else. The complexity of meaning and the music itself is what makes me want to invest in music more when I'm listening to it in the end.
I have fallen so helplessly and dizzyingly in love with this song in the past few days, it's just been on repeat constantly. Coupled with a desperate urge to throw my arms up in the air and dance feverishly.
Plus Sufjan swearing makes me all fuzzy and hnnng inside
This is a great song. I love looking at this song from a perspective of someone who always thought of Sufjan as a happy artsy fartsy singer, and then...
do people realize when they hear that song what it means? he puts his all in this song and you can deffinately tell that hes not, you guessed it, FUCKING AROUND.
Ahhhh! This song starts in 7/8 timing, goes to 6/8 for the choir breaks, and then transitions to 8/8 for a short while before the spectacular second half which is in 5/8. Amazing.
@NeffWasHere well thats sufjan for you. Not *the* most complex time sigs I've seen, but in the top five. (I use * for italics, the sentence needs that inflection)
I listen to a lot of musicians, and I've often felt in the past that my favorite artist changes over time...but I've recently been finding that Sufjan is one of the most consistantly satisfying artists I listen to in everything he does, and I think it's safe to say that he's high up there on my list.
@redninja2010 Sufjan disappeared for a few years and he admitted in an interview that he had contracted a virus in the nervous system and suffered through chronic pain for a long time. He thought he was going to die, and a few songs are very dark on the album because of this. (in vesuvius he talks about "imminent death"). This song is about how he literally "wants to be well".
Also, i have a cover of for the widows in paradise on my page. you should check it out.
@AmishMarine1 Nope, you are not the only one, and not the only one that felt a bit torn about it, apparently. I fell for him the first time I heard "Seven Swans" and spent a long time trying to resist him, but to no avail!
@AmishMarine1 Nope, you are not the only one, and not the only one that felt a bit torn about it, apparently. I fell for him the first time I heard "Seven Swans" and spent a long time trying to resist him, but to no avail!
@VeryScaryHarry That's how I interpreted it. And some people do enjoy the literary qualities of the Bible, without being or associating themselves as Christians.
@chriscsullivan He's a devout Christian and a lot of that comes through in his music. Not that it matters. I'm an atheist and I don't give a shit. His music is beautiful.
@eyetranceend It doesn't matter, that's the point. Neither does it matter that you claim to be an 'atheist'. Yet people constantly feel compelled to make this statement, as if somehow made their 'atheism' more valid, or if it somehow legitimized Sufjan's spiritual inclination. It's self-aggrandizing nonsense.
@chriscsullivan Writing songs about yourself is self-aggrandizing at its core. No one is trying to validate anything. The underlying point is that great music has the capacity to move humans on a universal level.
@Hippodameia Honestly i think it was something more along the lines of becoming disillusioned with the Christian church. A lot of the lyrics, if analyzed closely, seem to point to this to me. Sufjan is too amazing a human being to devote an entire heartwrenching album to a relationship gone awry.
I'm listening the age of adz since over 100 hours now. And it's a really great album, when you got into it. It's also very complex and somehow intellectual.
BUT, I never thought that he is a christian. I still like it. And after listening so many hours to his stuff, I can say:
I see god in different light now. Yes, there was light before, but it became brighter.
@Turtleproof he is most certainly a christian. an eccentric, spiritual christian. it's undeniable, close to obvious in almost every song of his i've ever heard, and oftentimes it's explicit (esp. on seven swans and greetings from michigan, and of course on "get real get right"). and he'd beef with your notion of the christian god (i'm not sure i do, though).
@HENlocFOOL I do remember the references to priests and prayer and all that, but took them to be biographical references rather than an affirmation. It is pretty thick in "For The Widows In Paradise ..."
It's strange how some of the most modern and gifted musicians have such beliefs, including Beck being a Scientologist of all things.
The meaning behind this song is so powerful. This track is about the time he spent in the hospital while recording this album. All the people that helped save his life and keep him going. Phenomenal.
@nygnsporf Does he confirm this during interviews or concert monologues? I assumed so from the "I want to be well" refrain, it's so urgent and intense, but I haven't been able to connect the rest of the lyrics to his experiences during his illness. I like your synopsis.
This song is exemplary of the album: challenging, frustrating, but in summation a profoundly expressive and vital piece of music. It's earsplitting at times, but so goddamn intense throughout.
Love this one actually from 2:30 onwards. If I were browsing songs, the front end might of turned me off, but I was working on stuff so I heard the rest and it was great.
@nucleararab Would u rather your music be thrown together with little effort or care? If it sounds pretentious to you, it may be because you have a different taste in music.
@nucleararab The ambition and "overkill" isn't new for his music. If you listen to his previous records, you'll find a mix of ballads and these pompous massive arrangements, which I can see how some people see as trying too hard, but I dont think that's the case. The only aspect he is trying very hard at (But not TOO hard) is experimenting with the new electronic sound. But I'd rather have a musician like Sufjan Steven to push the envelope, than lets say Kanye, Kesha or Justin bieber.
I absolutely love this song and this album. I love the fast pace and touches of light, airy vocals and the industrial sounds. This is probably my favorite song from Age of Adz and it invokes so much imagery. Good job.
This song is great. It's dynamic, with constant changes yet addicting repetitions, and is a great blend of his new electronic sounds with the old orchestra and choir sounds of Illinois. Better yet, we get to hear Sufjan drop the f-bomb.
I feel like Sufjan had never used the f-bomb in his life until he sang this song. That he had avoided it deliberately, just to be sure it'd carry its full power when finally dropped.
@ClintHunt Is that really what they're arguing about? People's stupidity continues to surprise me, I choose to not partake in youtube arguments simply because it's not worth the time or the effort to try to change another person's perspective on a situation. That job is up to the media, government, various school/religious institutions, and parents, granted often none of those people do a very good job, Id rather not get involved
I'm a christian and I don't think Sufjan is fucking around. There's nothing wrong in being honest about yourself. Dropping the f-bomb doesn't make you a worse person, just don't use it like some 13 year old angsty kid.
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I have to say Im disappointed in his word choice
it just seems odd to me after some deeply religious and spiritual context in his previous songs
i don't care for the f-word, i still have hope Sufjan will resort to more intelligent vocabulary in the future i still love his music and im pumped about listening some new Sufjan material, everything else is, as usual, sheer genius :)
@siouxie715 YOu have to understand that his music is deeper than dogmatic "american" language. yes he words are deeply religious, he is speaking out what is inside. A great musician and friend of mine said "I feel voyeuristic when listening to this album, like he made it and I stumbled onto it by accident"
my point...read the psalms. David CRIED and SCREAMED out to God.same thing in todays context (without being scripture of course). I cant think God appreciates flandereese vs words ie freakin
@siouxie715 The word choice is for emphasis. Odd that you'd point out a lack of intelligent word choice on an album containing the phrase "self-effacing" in one of the songs. Clearly he's not lacking in vocabulary. I think he's also aware that the Bible doesn't concern itself with restricting arbitrary words; that's due to lazy interpretation of some passages and the Puritanical conservatism of the mainstream religious following.
haha, actually that particular word that people have a problem with in this song is the verb i'd like to do to sufjan. it starts with an "f" and ends in "sufjan marrying me" :D
To all the folks that care more about him using a word that is perfectly expressive instead of looking at the core of the struggle and heart of this song...
he is truly not fucking around, because this is an amazing album. to those of you who are finding the electronic chaos a bit hard to digest, i suggest you go check out his older releases, "A SUN CAME" and "ENJOY YOUR RABBIT" if you haven't...you might like it once you are more attuned to the subtleties of his arrangements...definitely glittering beauty shining through chaos in some of his electronic compositions.
@Forrestjake09 i understand why people are not as accepting of this side of sufjan's style, however, people should know that this actually IS a return to the old sufjan in some ways. in the past couple albums, he has not really done much with electronic, but his older albums (a sun came, enjoy your rabbit) contained a lot of the chaotic electronic energy you hear in this album. in my eyes, it's a perfect next step as it is very orchestral in it's way, but it works with that old energy too...
haha, for everyone arguing about the F-word... words only have as much power as you give them.. WE as people define a words meaning.. if that word has no meaning to our minds or hearts then it's as arbitrary as say.."tree" "spoon".. it's just a word...
@JRayMalcolm The "F" word isn't really a word. I'm a christian and am not offended by it at all. Its not the word but how its used. Really like this song.
@JRayMalcolm he is a christian artist. cursing in a song doesn't make you non-christian...especially when an earlier song on the album has the line "get right with the Lord" in its chorus.
@hickersoncj08 yes, but the Bible says that what comes from the mouth is a reflection of what is in the heart. it just doesnt bear very good witness is all
sufjan stevens has never been hotter than when he says "I'm not fucking around"
That70sShowgurl88 4 days ago
Your voice is all you need.... Get rid of the NOISE!.... I tried, but I can't... I can listen to your other music for hours, this, not so much....
mayabelle1107 4 days ago
!!! Hearing Sufjan curse is like cannonballing into a pool for the first time.
MessiaenAround 3 weeks ago
I take this song as a struggle with sin, which manifests itself into illness. He "wants to be well" and this seems to be the key stanza: "Illness likes to prey upon the lonely, prey upon the lonely, Wave goodbye, I would rather be, but I would rather be fine." Nevertheless, or should I say inevitably, sin comes, and he deals with the repercussions. The song winds down into whirlwind at the realization of what he's become: "But from within I see an unholy change." It ends screaming against sin
HardRhyma 4 weeks ago
@HardRhyma Actually, he's saying "Illness likes to prey upon the lonely, prey upon the lonely. When it bites, I would rather be dead, I would rather give up." He suffered from a strange neurological illness while making this album, so I mostly interpret this song as him becoming frustrated at being unable to overcome the virus or whatever it was.
kvan1917 3 weeks ago
@HardRhyma Personally I always thought it was about depression instead of sin; the constant reference to 'ordinary' as opposed to 'not fucking around' reminds me of what an existential crisis modernity actually is, since everyone's feeling depressed anyway; depression is often referred to as a 'demon' and it does 'prey upon the lonely'; add the fact that 'I want to be well' can also be heard as 'well, I want to be', simply 'being', existing, etc -- it adds up to life as a struggle.
Moose1223 1 week ago
@Moose1223 I'm so glad others have noticed the existential cry happening with the "well, I want to be" line. I think that Sufjan was obviously aware of a double meaning, and I think that's a major theme we see in all of Sufjan's music: Words and phrases can be understood and felt in an infinite amount of ways. "Depression" or "sin" - this song characterizes immense suffering.
homologeo 1 week ago
@homologeo Indeed it does. All of his music, but especially Age of Adz, to me at least, because it struck home with me pretty hard. I started listening to it when my ex decided to break up after 4 years in a relationship only to get with someone else. The complexity of meaning and the music itself is what makes me want to invest in music more when I'm listening to it in the end.
Moose1223 1 week ago
this song sucks
AlexMnoble 1 month ago
14 people are fucking around.
TheSpantasy 1 month ago 5
his vocals have never sounded more thom yorke. and i like it.
MrKojiJen 1 month ago
@MrKojiJen thats what i thought too! its like a sped up version of "everything in its right place"
RaqifHart 1 week ago
this song literally makes love to my ears.
ladym402 2 months ago in playlist good 3
Sufjan Stevens doesn't fuck around.
funyun2 2 months ago 3
I'm Deist and I'm ok with this.
Cixelated 3 months ago 2
If you cracked the earth open this is what the center would look like, like a synth-y kinder egg.
GCfilms9 3 months ago 3
I have fallen so helplessly and dizzyingly in love with this song in the past few days, it's just been on repeat constantly. Coupled with a desperate urge to throw my arms up in the air and dance feverishly.
Plus Sufjan swearing makes me all fuzzy and hnnng inside
JesusJonahWoman 4 months ago
No one can ever get enough Sufjan in their lives. This man is a fucking genius.
tacos746 4 months ago 3
I'M NOT FUCKING AROUND THIS IS AMAZING.
Evbot2 4 months ago 3
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Can't stop listening to it. :) Absolutely brilliant song.
/watch?v=OzV4v8l8L-g <--- If you have some time for my indie song about thin line between life and death.
ChesterTheGuitarist 4 months ago
this song helps me get it together
lombmusic07 4 months ago 8
@lombmusic07 this is exactly how I feel.. it's not only entertainement, it is actually important to me somehow
tiagobrum 3 months ago
Holy.shit.
actionnotforce 4 months ago 4
This totally sounds like an Of Montreal song. It's awesome.
letitbe692 4 months ago
he sings my soul and makes me want to cry and dance and scream and smile all at the same time.
ladym402 5 months ago in playlist good 4
I can't listen to this song around my parents because I always say I'm not fucking around when that part comes.
AREM16137 5 months ago 5
Life is not about love with someone.
rinkokoto 6 months ago 11
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Muse13NJ 6 months ago
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Muse13NJ 6 months ago
Sufjan is not fucking around.
jessauer76 6 months ago 33
this man is so amazing. i practically love every song.
synisternyaa 6 months ago
I love this song :) Sufjan Steven is just awsome
IvyMorgan14 6 months ago
@iscreamforscremo0 What is a gay comment?
brubinstein1 6 months ago
I know im not the only person who's ears got screwed up at the end
snowcone8000 6 months ago
Remarkable.
americanmanhood 7 months ago
"But from within I see an unholy change"
wetumbrellas 7 months ago
i hope he never gets more electronic than this
iplaybaritone 7 months ago
@iplaybaritone he has before.
armfarm 6 months ago 2
This is a great song. I love looking at this song from a perspective of someone who always thought of Sufjan as a happy artsy fartsy singer, and then...
I'M NOT FUCKING AROUND
...oh.
jooonlove 8 months ago 29
do people realize when they hear that song what it means? he puts his all in this song and you can deffinately tell that hes not, you guessed it, FUCKING AROUND.
snoozert1 8 months ago
I don't always fuck around, but when I do, I don't fuck around
ourheroyes 8 months ago 12
Ha, I find a ton of atheists like him. @AmishMarine1
TimDisagree 8 months ago 6
Atheism + Sufjan Stevens = Hell Yeah!
(For me what it cares is music!)
ilcapitanozurg 8 months ago 10
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justplayfm 8 months ago
This sounds so desperate and beautiful. I loooooove it!
rachaelraynbow 9 months ago
mmmm, Sufjan losing his proverbial shit in a song is fucking hot. YAY he's not holding back
Bewildered991 9 months ago 2
Ahhhh! This song starts in 7/8 timing, goes to 6/8 for the choir breaks, and then transitions to 8/8 for a short while before the spectacular second half which is in 5/8. Amazing.
NeffWasHere 9 months ago 12
@NeffWasHere Wows, didn't notice that actually. That's crazy! :D
IRLKids79 8 months ago
@NeffWasHere well thats sufjan for you. Not *the* most complex time sigs I've seen, but in the top five. (I use * for italics, the sentence needs that inflection)
darousej 6 months ago
this video might have the most retarded comments on all of the youtubes.
weckersham 9 months ago
Well I want to be well, I want to be well
Well I want to be, well I want to be
TraumaCenter123 9 months ago 2
HE'S NOT FUCKING AROUND
dapimpsta69 9 months ago
7 people were fucking around
BloodPump 9 months ago
Every good coment in this video have "Fucking around" in it.
DaftPunked3811 9 months ago
Sufjan Stevens is not well, so he wants to be well. And he's not fucking around.
bluflashinglights 9 months ago
I didn't think I would like The Age of Adz...until this song. Mmmmmm so good.
ZiggleWiggleKat09 9 months ago
this is unbelievable.
inadovecote 10 months ago 3
That song was annoying. And I love Sufjan!
BlankParty 10 months ago
@BlankParty you're just not ready for it yet. it will come to you eventually :)
manholoblahnik 9 months ago 4
I'M NOT FUCKING AROUND
lovee this albumm :) <3
breakingstars 10 months ago
I listen to a lot of musicians, and I've often felt in the past that my favorite artist changes over time...but I've recently been finding that Sufjan is one of the most consistantly satisfying artists I listen to in everything he does, and I think it's safe to say that he's high up there on my list.
Finkster5 10 months ago 4
@redninja2010 Sufjan disappeared for a few years and he admitted in an interview that he had contracted a virus in the nervous system and suffered through chronic pain for a long time. He thought he was going to die, and a few songs are very dark on the album because of this. (in vesuvius he talks about "imminent death"). This song is about how he literally "wants to be well".
Also, i have a cover of for the widows in paradise on my page. you should check it out.
alexsingstoo 10 months ago
7 people are fucking around with Sufjan Stevens.
seonfox 11 months ago
Any other Atheists who absolutely love Sufjan Stevens? I can't be the only one!
AmishMarine1 11 months ago 249
@AmishMarine1 Nope, you are not the only one, and not the only one that felt a bit torn about it, apparently. I fell for him the first time I heard "Seven Swans" and spent a long time trying to resist him, but to no avail!
SuzSchu 10 months ago
@AmishMarine1 Nope, you are not the only one, and not the only one that felt a bit torn about it, apparently. I fell for him the first time I heard "Seven Swans" and spent a long time trying to resist him, but to no avail!
SuzSchu 10 months ago
@AmishMarine1 Why does it matter?
darklordsma 8 months ago
@AmishMarine1 Me me me me me me me
SilentEcho33 6 months ago 2
@AmishMarine1 You're not alone.
elateofeliz 6 months ago
@AmishMarine1 you definitely are not!
billypacholski 5 months ago
@AmishMarine1 I am with you, although I'd like to think of this album as a vessel to express his doubting Christianity. That is how I interpreted it.
VeryScaryHarry 4 months ago
@VeryScaryHarry That's how I interpreted it. And some people do enjoy the literary qualities of the Bible, without being or associating themselves as Christians.
peaceroxx 3 months ago
@AmishMarine1 I'm a "Christian" and I would rather high five with you guys!
MrAbruer18 4 months ago
@MrAbruer18 Why are you a Christian, then? Fuck that bullshit.
eletcherful 4 months ago
@eletcherful I'm sorry I don't understand your question.
MrAbruer18 4 months ago
@eletcherful God bless you, man.
TheDancingSaxophone 2 months ago
@MrAbruer18 Wish granted ^_^ *High Fives*
Ignore anyone who tries to hone in on any labels that fit you...
Leave the herds to attack each other while us calm folks can leave each other to believe what we want and enjoy what we have in common.
hxcteenagekicks 4 months ago
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@AmishMarine1 I'm another one.
frostipagan 3 months ago
@AmishMarine1 Lol why is your username "Amish" Marine then.
Spyronumber1fan 3 months ago
@AmishMarine1 one other here :)
sadiebabie123 3 months ago
@AmishMarine1 What does atheism have to do with this song, or Sufjan Stevens?
chriscsullivan 3 months ago
@chriscsullivan He's a devout Christian and a lot of that comes through in his music. Not that it matters. I'm an atheist and I don't give a shit. His music is beautiful.
eyetranceend 2 months ago 9
@eyetranceend It doesn't matter, that's the point. Neither does it matter that you claim to be an 'atheist'. Yet people constantly feel compelled to make this statement, as if somehow made their 'atheism' more valid, or if it somehow legitimized Sufjan's spiritual inclination. It's self-aggrandizing nonsense.
chriscsullivan 2 months ago
@chriscsullivan Writing songs about yourself is self-aggrandizing at its core. No one is trying to validate anything. The underlying point is that great music has the capacity to move humans on a universal level.
eyetranceend 2 months ago
@chriscsullivan More than you apparently know.
BeeCherokee 1 month ago
@AmishMarine1 haha im thumbing this up even though im not an atheist :D i just like the point you make
luvthecheat 2 months ago in playlist YouTube Mix for Sufjan Stevens
He's episcopal . Great artist and serious practicing christian from what I can tell.
kytom89 11 months ago
2:00 to 4:00 probably the best recorded piece of music period
823south 11 months ago
The f word... i FUCKING love the f word! GO SUFJAN!
rouronizen 11 months ago 4
I like to think Sufjan's mysterious, debilitating virus was in fact some intense form of lovesickness from which he is still recovering.
Hippodameia 11 months ago 37
@Hippodameia Honestly i think it was something more along the lines of becoming disillusioned with the Christian church. A lot of the lyrics, if analyzed closely, seem to point to this to me. Sufjan is too amazing a human being to devote an entire heartwrenching album to a relationship gone awry.
lhpsbass1 6 months ago 2
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@Hippodameia
"I like to think Sufjan's mysterious, debilitating virus was in fact some intense form of lovesickness from which he is still recovering."
I would want this to be on my tombstone; more true a statement could not be written.
EmanuelWazar 6 months ago
fuck I can't stand the pretentiousness of these comments. someone put an end to this. ...I'm not fucking around.
popomczowzow 1 year ago 3
7 people are fucking around.
Aeschelon 1 year ago 4
3:18-3:43. The vocal melody at the forefront is chock-full of sincere torment/anguish and conviction. Undeniably attractive. And at 4:42-5:08.
And I forgive you even / As you choke me that way / With the pill or demon and the shrouding shalom
Under conversation / In tremendous weight of
A crowd of ages outside / Dressed for murder
...
And shall I kiss you even as you take me that way?
With the pill or demon as my body changes
...
almostblue22 1 year ago
I'm listening the age of adz since over 100 hours now. And it's a really great album, when you got into it. It's also very complex and somehow intellectual.
BUT, I never thought that he is a christian. I still like it. And after listening so many hours to his stuff, I can say:
I see god in different light now. Yes, there was light before, but it became brighter.
PaintDotSquare 1 year ago 7
@PaintDotSquare I've assumed that Stevens isn't necessarily Christian, more of an eccentric spiritualist like Royal Roberston.
Someone as brilliant as Stevens shouldn't be bowing to a genocidal dolt of a god that condemns him as an abomination.
Turtleproof 1 year ago
@Turtleproof he is most certainly a christian. an eccentric, spiritual christian. it's undeniable, close to obvious in almost every song of his i've ever heard, and oftentimes it's explicit (esp. on seven swans and greetings from michigan, and of course on "get real get right"). and he'd beef with your notion of the christian god (i'm not sure i do, though).
HENlocFOOL 1 year ago
@HENlocFOOL I do remember the references to priests and prayer and all that, but took them to be biographical references rather than an affirmation. It is pretty thick in "For The Widows In Paradise ..."
It's strange how some of the most modern and gifted musicians have such beliefs, including Beck being a Scientologist of all things.
Turtleproof 1 year ago
genious
natnatnatdemdemdem 1 year ago
The meaning behind this song is so powerful. This track is about the time he spent in the hospital while recording this album. All the people that helped save his life and keep him going. Phenomenal.
nygnsporf 1 year ago 7
@nygnsporf Does he confirm this during interviews or concert monologues? I assumed so from the "I want to be well" refrain, it's so urgent and intense, but I haven't been able to connect the rest of the lyrics to his experiences during his illness. I like your synopsis.
This song is exemplary of the album: challenging, frustrating, but in summation a profoundly expressive and vital piece of music. It's earsplitting at times, but so goddamn intense throughout.
Turtleproof 1 year ago
I love music that sounds like it's crawling into my ears.
tiepullins 1 year ago 5
sufjan's not fuckin around while he fucks around. ya know?
yendysevoli 1 year ago
is this the first song he swears in?
mrboyd72 1 year ago
@mrboyd72
Yes it is. I was kinda shocked cause he's a Christian and often has spiritual themes. But hey, Christians can swear too.
johnnnnnnny86 1 year ago 6
Love this one actually from 2:30 onwards. If I were browsing songs, the front end might of turned me off, but I was working on stuff so I heard the rest and it was great.
TimDisagree 1 year ago
But Sufjan, you sound like you're fucking around... stop it.
areeba8 1 year ago
@areeba8 wtf are you talking about? he has made it clear that he is in fact n o t fucking around. listen more carefully next time.
Fixdal 1 year ago 4
Man I'm lovin the woodwind action in this song. Really virtuosic.
sprtrmp88keys 1 year ago 2
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pulsatethetender 1 year ago
He said fuck~
cejouretage 1 year ago 5
I want to be well too.
pulsatethetender 1 year ago
@pulsatethetender sucks, man.
MattSturg 1 year ago
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@MattSturg I know it and so do you, but there are bound to be brighter moments. Keep <3
pulsatethetender 1 year ago
Sufjan doesn't fuck around.
saintjimmy273 1 year ago
god i love the internet community because like sufjan they do not fuck around
Teh7melonz 1 year ago
Lovely-truly a breath of fresh air
823south 1 year ago
The only thing that sucks about Sufjan Stevens are his fans. Just read all this comments.
elcochon 1 year ago 4
I hope that God greets Sufjan in heaven by saying, "Welcome to fucking heaven, Sufjan!"
USAPATRIOT4LYFE 1 year ago 12
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Stupidest shit I've heard in a while.
brainiacgames 1 year ago
@brainiacgames
hmm... No comment, go on your way... I can't even begin to describe how FUCKING STUPID YOU SOUND.
o0OPanduhO0o 1 year ago
he is trying WAAAAAAAAAAAY too hard
nucleararab 1 year ago
@nucleararab Would u rather your music be thrown together with little effort or care? If it sounds pretentious to you, it may be because you have a different taste in music.
CalculonsProcessor 1 year ago
@nucleararab The ambition and "overkill" isn't new for his music. If you listen to his previous records, you'll find a mix of ballads and these pompous massive arrangements, which I can see how some people see as trying too hard, but I dont think that's the case. The only aspect he is trying very hard at (But not TOO hard) is experimenting with the new electronic sound. But I'd rather have a musician like Sufjan Steven to push the envelope, than lets say Kanye, Kesha or Justin bieber.
Snipto 1 year ago
I absolutely love this song and this album. I love the fast pace and touches of light, airy vocals and the industrial sounds. This is probably my favorite song from Age of Adz and it invokes so much imagery. Good job.
dominoroe 1 year ago 5
Sujfan dont fuck around
BSHuber102 1 year ago 3
I'm sure as hell not fucking around.
ChasHolling 1 year ago
JK i'm just fucking around
bahir12345 1 year ago 5
Guys quit fucking around!
Jimbo282 1 year ago 6
5 people are fucking around.
mattave 1 year ago 3
This song is great. It's dynamic, with constant changes yet addicting repetitions, and is a great blend of his new electronic sounds with the old orchestra and choir sounds of Illinois. Better yet, we get to hear Sufjan drop the f-bomb.
I feel like Sufjan had never used the f-bomb in his life until he sang this song. That he had avoided it deliberately, just to be sure it'd carry its full power when finally dropped.
Great song!
LeadBeIIy 1 year ago 2
Just reading some of these comments...wow....really? I'm sure Jesus dropped the Aramaic version of the F-bomb a number of times.
ClintHunt 1 year ago
Comment removed
Danman429 1 year ago
@ClintHunt Is that really what they're arguing about? People's stupidity continues to surprise me, I choose to not partake in youtube arguments simply because it's not worth the time or the effort to try to change another person's perspective on a situation. That job is up to the media, government, various school/religious institutions, and parents, granted often none of those people do a very good job, Id rather not get involved
Danman429 1 year ago
what the fuck are these fucking f-bombs everyone is talking about?
furtz12345 1 year ago
@furtz12345 around 3:43 it starts
bobono4 1 year ago
@furtz12345 3:55 sufjan starts dropping it like its hot.
ike013 1 year ago 2
I'm a christian and I don't think Sufjan is fucking around. There's nothing wrong in being honest about yourself. Dropping the f-bomb doesn't make you a worse person, just don't use it like some 13 year old angsty kid.
gruntsbaneook 1 year ago 6
This comment has received too many negative votes show
I have to say Im disappointed in his word choice
it just seems odd to me after some deeply religious and spiritual context in his previous songs
i don't care for the f-word, i still have hope Sufjan will resort to more intelligent vocabulary in the future i still love his music and im pumped about listening some new Sufjan material, everything else is, as usual, sheer genius :)
siouxie715 1 year ago
@siouxie715 YOu have to understand that his music is deeper than dogmatic "american" language. yes he words are deeply religious, he is speaking out what is inside. A great musician and friend of mine said "I feel voyeuristic when listening to this album, like he made it and I stumbled onto it by accident"
my point...read the psalms. David CRIED and SCREAMED out to God.same thing in todays context (without being scripture of course). I cant think God appreciates flandereese vs words ie freakin
cuentas217 1 year ago
@cuentas217 thank you, i will have to muse about this.
how your friend described the albulm... very well said
siouxie715 1 year ago
@siouxie715 The word choice is for emphasis. Odd that you'd point out a lack of intelligent word choice on an album containing the phrase "self-effacing" in one of the songs. Clearly he's not lacking in vocabulary. I think he's also aware that the Bible doesn't concern itself with restricting arbitrary words; that's due to lazy interpretation of some passages and the Puritanical conservatism of the mainstream religious following.
danj484 1 year ago
@danj484 perhaps you are right and maybe i am making a big deal out of it
but the Bible does speak often about setting your self apart from the world, and being a light
siouxie715 1 year ago
this is very indie
6tonto 1 year ago
Best song off the album by far. Hearing Sufjan dropping those f-bombs kinda gets me off. =)
Evbmaster101 1 year ago
haha, actually that particular word that people have a problem with in this song is the verb i'd like to do to sufjan. it starts with an "f" and ends in "sufjan marrying me" :D
thecalmandthestorm 1 year ago
@thecalmandthestorm
you need to put your pants back on and find some class
siouxie715 1 year ago
To all the folks that care more about him using a word that is perfectly expressive instead of looking at the core of the struggle and heart of this song...
...Quit fucking around.
brianm37 1 year ago 74
he is truly not fucking around, because this is an amazing album. to those of you who are finding the electronic chaos a bit hard to digest, i suggest you go check out his older releases, "A SUN CAME" and "ENJOY YOUR RABBIT" if you haven't...you might like it once you are more attuned to the subtleties of his arrangements...definitely glittering beauty shining through chaos in some of his electronic compositions.
luxvoyager1111 1 year ago
Ever after I heard this song I've been going "I'm not fucking around" in my head, 24/7
zindy0010 1 year ago 5
4 People are fucking around.
chatubes 1 year ago
Everyone STFU and enjoy this sweet song.
STREETSHARK4LIFE 1 year ago
"I'm not fxn around!"
amt717 1 year ago
Im realy not a huge fan of the new sufjan stuff looks like he has been F&^*ing around on this new album i want the old sufjan back
Forrestjake09 1 year ago
@Forrestjake09 In a way, a lot of this, the electronic stuff, is old Sufjan, I mean, have you heard 'Enjoy your rabbit' ?
dresssexyatmyfuneral 1 year ago
@Forrestjake09 i understand why people are not as accepting of this side of sufjan's style, however, people should know that this actually IS a return to the old sufjan in some ways. in the past couple albums, he has not really done much with electronic, but his older albums (a sun came, enjoy your rabbit) contained a lot of the chaotic electronic energy you hear in this album. in my eyes, it's a perfect next step as it is very orchestral in it's way, but it works with that old energy too...
luxvoyager1111 1 year ago 4
looks like 4 people were fucking around
katethelatebloomer23 1 year ago 2
haha, for everyone arguing about the F-word... words only have as much power as you give them.. WE as people define a words meaning.. if that word has no meaning to our minds or hearts then it's as arbitrary as say.."tree" "spoon".. it's just a word...
tehbrandon1 1 year ago
Sufjan Stevens isn't fucking around.
TheJacob311 1 year ago 147
@TheJacob311 What made you come to that conclusion? ;D
Tbart2010 1 year ago
lol at JRay
shearerdylan 1 year ago
This song is reminiscent of 'Dear Mr. Supercomputer' to me. Maybe that's why I enjoy it so much.
seventhmolar 1 year ago
I love this album, so different compared to all the rest
br00tald00dz 1 year ago
why is he swearing like that... I thought he was a Christian?! :(
JRayMalcolm 1 year ago
@JRayMalcolm The "F" word isn't really a word. I'm a christian and am not offended by it at all. Its not the word but how its used. Really like this song.
rbh1138 1 year ago
@JRayMalcolm he is a christian artist. cursing in a song doesn't make you non-christian...especially when an earlier song on the album has the line "get right with the Lord" in its chorus.
hickersoncj08 1 year ago
@hickersoncj08 yes, but the Bible says that what comes from the mouth is a reflection of what is in the heart. it just doesnt bear very good witness is all
JRayMalcolm 1 year ago