Sufjan Stevens - John Wayne Gacy Jr.

[jordanmyers487]

Dumbest song I've ever heard. I know about the story. Might as well pull out a book and sing the words. Example: Michael Vick liked killing dogs. He put them up against others. He did it for money and he did it for his "brothers." Then he would go play football. Then he would go home. Then he would lay down in bed. Then he would fall asleep.

Wow! Doesn't that make a great ass song when everything is too fucking accurate? I mean dude! At least Metallica could write one with some type of abstrac

[goluckyfilms]

@jordanmyers487 So... the point of the song is not simply the retelling of the story, but the artist's connection to the story. Did you listen to the last two lines? Abstract doesn't equal good.

[SevidicalOne]

@jordanmyers487 You should have your life revoked

[BonJovi987]

@jordanmyers487 Listen to the music. Metallica sucks dick. They can't play. This music right here is amazing. But your to stupid to notice.

[Vascor]

@BonJovi987 Says the douche with Bon Jovi in his name, this guy blows

[IGotAPagina]

@jordanmyers487 You're a fucking idiot.

[jordanmyers487]

Probably the dumbest song I've ever heard.

[nickfromCO]

this is going to haunt my dreams

[KarlaMay]

Breaks my heart every time. So hauntingly beautiful.

[SoundedFamiliar]

"I am really just like him," hardest line to swallow, it's so powerful.

[TheExploitedable]

wHERE THE HELL IS sUFJAN sTEVENS aNYWA,Y fUCK.?

[Vraya]

@TheExploitedable He's on a boat in Lake Michigan equidistant from Michigan and Illinois. He's hiding so he can avoid those who type with incredibly strange capitalization.

[riffraffskater]

my sister wore that shirt when she lived with us :) ..that was in 2005 or 2006..

[fillXinXblankXstares]

I love the Illinois shirt paired with a Michigan hat!

[MulticolouredMoogle]

The song is hauntingly beautiful. It lingers.

[natattack96]

I have a love/hate relationship with this song. I love so much about it, the way he sounds so emotional when he sings it, the intrumentals, Sufjan's voice (which is always beautiful)... But just the person that this song is about makes me a tad bit upset when I listen to it.

And when he says that line at the end everyone seems to be talking about; I read in an interveiw that Sufjan meant that Gacy was a human as we are and that anyone is capable of being a monster in some form of the word...

[JonnoXD]

why are all his tabs etc gone from UltimateGuitar and 911? ):

[MissTheMae]

Sufjan Stevens made a beautiful song about John Gacy. I didn't think that was possible.

[atomsever]

0 dislikes, one of the best vids on youtube XD

[brainmachine04]

Did anyone else notice that the backup singer girl was really, really cute?

[dnafarmdivide]

@brainmachine04 Yeah, and perfect voice, too.

[dnafarmdivide]

@brainmachine04 Yeah, and perfect voice, too.

[sequentialpowercycle]

@brainmachine04 that's shara worden! she is amazing.

[GoldenAshe9]

Gosh, he's perfect. What a completely stunning voice. And such beautiful but sobering lyrics... What a wonderful man. <3

[curlybluequeen]

But by saying "in my best behavior" I think it means something more like they have the same intentions in life but the things they've experienced and seen have made them different.

[DominoDreamer]

@curlybluequeen i think you're reading into that line of lyric waaaay too much. i think its simply that he's no better than john wayne gacy jr even when he's doing his best to be good.

[MrFerezu]

"and on my best behaviour I am really just like him,, Maybe sufjan means he is just like John Wayne on his best behaviour when hes on his?, thats my intepretation atleast

[Maxurai2222]

@MrFerezu Yeah, probably. Just like most true creeps went unnoticed for years because they behaved properly in public. It's what we do when no-one is watching that makes us who we are.

[rosesarefree2009]

@MrFerezu I interpret that line as strict conformity leads one to a terrible backlash when passions are finally set free.

[trufiend138]

@MrFerezu sufjan means he is just like John Wayne on his best behaviour when hes on his..i agree with that, becuase the song is about INNER LIVES and how we all have them...

[IRLKids79]

*Goosebumps*

[animaluver4u]

His voice sends chills down my spine.♥

[OneWayRoad]

audio/video not synced

[TheLMack]

Sufjan's got a voice like I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.

[muahahaha101]

Who is John Wayne Gacy Jr???

[TheLMack]

@muahahaha101 a murderer. Buried people under his house.

[animaluver4u]

@muahahaha101 A serial killer. who raped boys, and buried people in the crawlspace under his house.

[mushroomlint]

yo stockman214 your a fucking loser...butter?

[vdmerwe]

vocals on this song are v. evocative of simon/garfunkel

[superfluousness321]

"and on my best behaviour I am really just like him. Look beneath the floorboards for the secrets I have hid". Eerie to compare himself to such a horrific murderer.

[doublefeature]

@superfluousness321 like john lennon said 'were all hitler, were all jesus'

[lem1968a1]

The music is good and the singing but wtf John Wayne Gacy? I would have pick something else to go with the melody

[MissMarysca]

Amazing... O.O

[MgoBlueNo01]

Go Blue!

[heyitsjules]

does anyone know the names of the other people singing with him?

[pihceoj]

@heyitsjules

 Maybe Shara Worden from 'My brightest diamond'.

[h1mynameismatt]

@heyitsjules If you look on TheBoss2332's post of Casimir Pulaski Day, Sufjan says the first names of each of the other performers before he gets into the song, might help you out a little bit (perhaps if you cross referenced them with his myspace page/friends?)

beautiful song

[jimpendo]

this is such an awful song. in a good way. but it makes me so sad to listen to it.

[domarku]

it really is a sad song. although it's a bit morbid, it still calls for some sad emotions. love it!

[CrimsonEmpire]

I love Sufjan Steven's music. Pure Genius, but I've always been suspicious of his taste for dressing up and the uniforms and his cheerleaders and stuff like that. Just kinda strange, but then again, Sufjan Stevens is a strange guy so..... still genius.

[peterthemophead]

BOO Michigan go MSU! Other than that good stuff Sufjan!

[remynash]

What about a voice like cum? Thats not too buttery nor too velvety.

[metalstring346]

@remynash umm, what? :S

[northernlight45]

uh. where's the "john" part?

[petrifiedmetal]

I find it haunting how this song is so peaceful sounding but the lyrics and what its about is so dark

[play179]

i lold at ur inaneness

[wholewheatbagel]

the dichotomy between the form and the content is what makes this song.

[mythoe]

Too true...

[stacysteele]

sad, beautiful...

[vincentcoo]

He's absolutely brilliant; one of my favourite songs as well!

[pixiebit]

This song will burn on your brain for days.He has such a beautiful voice and it is sad how he sings this song.He's so good..he rocks! It is definitely a scary and sad song.

[absterz00]

this song makes me shiver

[loyalfrisbieknudsen]

Man, those harmonies at the end are mesmerizing. Love that.

[slackersnail]

So. CREEPY.

[stormstrader]

I love Sufjan... but for real when I listen to this I get sick to my stomach. I don't know why, but it hit some sort of nerve.

[HerzogsShoe]

That's interesting, in what way sick? I think I get what you mean, there's something very discordant and unsettling about this song.

[BugEyes85]

I think that's just a sign, that you got a healthy mind... the story sufjan tells theough this song is one of the most disturbing I've ever heard of. I felt just the same way, the first few times I heard this song...still happens sometimes

[PMcG6]

Love this song. When I first heard it I described it to my friend as "beautifully creepy".

[pouidg]

I love his shirt :)

Do you know where I can find it ?

[TheBoss2332]

On the Asthmatic Kitty in the Shop Section, they are $12.

[pouidg]

Thanks a lot :)

[BandOfGypsies]

brilliant song definitely one of my favorite cds i own.

[williemiller1983]

Illinoise is a fantastic album!!!! recommend everyone to get it!!!

[laZydaiZy212]

What album is it? Illinoise?

[666RuDa666]

yes, indeed^^

[nicadeo]

first time i heard this song i was almost weeping

he is a powerful and amazing artist

[dreadedchampions]

One of the best songs written. Ever.

[davemja]

I agree - I was astonished when I heard it for the first time.

[trevinoband]

great song.

[BLucadouWells]

Was that Shara from My Brightest Diamond doing back-up?

[awesometimeg]

Yep, she toured with him for a while.

[roniisawesome]

I love this song with every fiber of my being. I cry everytime I listen.

[joshformanunited]

Same here, roni.

Cheers!

[ALEXAHHHHHH]

Wow.

Absolutely Brilliant.

[cruiser277777]

lovely harmonies

[SystemOfAMart]

awesome

[spluberti]

weeks of crying. diligence. identification. don't forget about birth... thank you...

[manus2313]

Y CANT HE COME TO AUSTRALIA :(

[jarfe]

came and went bro, bout 6 months ago, didnt c him myself, should have...

[bennettnewton]

best thing i ever saw :)

[3rdToppledHat]

Y cant he come to New Zealand :( I feel your pain.

[stockman214]

a voice like butter... he's amazing.

[TheBoss2332]

butter?!? What exactly does that mean?

[HellBent1337]

Silky smooth tone.

[CorrecterThanYou]

I believe that it's more like Muller yoghurt, technically. And I've studied music; I should know.

[lildrummerboy874]

bahaha

[jimmyxstewart]

what?

[pantypasta]

butter's a bit too fatty though. more like a velvet voice...

[IFinishedLast]

rich and smooth

[hayeslad]

@TheBoss2332

I think smooooooth? lol if so I agree!

[chewycakes]

@TheBoss2332 smooth?

[SuperTintin87]

@TheBoss2332  its smoothe

[petawb]

@TheBoss2332 It's smooth, full and delicious.

[HorrorVolumeOctober]

@TheBoss2332 Soft, smooth?

[jessevandendoren]

@TheBoss2332

I know exactly what it means, i just can't believe it's not butter!

[mmmbopgirl123]

@TheBoss2332 Hahahah it means that his voice just melts your insides.

[Omgshoes017]

@stockman214 agree just like butter man!

[BeerHombre]

really nice upload!, can't wait to see Sufjan the 23 of august! wooohooo!

[TheBoss2332]

Where is he playing?

[BeerHombre]

NORWAY land of the fjords!, sorry dude, doubt u live in Norway, unless u get a flight ticket, i doubt u'll be able to see him.

WOOOHOOO SUFJAN can't wait!

[TheHuldufolk]

But he did it cos it's where he's from. He talks about it in the interview.

[tiesthijsthejs]

some people can really say absolute nothing while trying to say something... what are you babbling about? do you have a fetisj for order? why is not moving alphabetically a dick move? what does it matter? look it's fine with me... I just really don't understand your comment...

[BeerHombre]

because he's from michigan, who wouldn't start from their homestate?, i know i wouldn't mind even if it is a dick move.

btw. if he did a alphabetical order washington could just forget their turn.

[Lostprophet5678]

he is so hot, and this is a great performance

[humeanesque]

This comment made me wish I had milk to shoot out my nose.

Physical appearance comes first! The performance is just an afterthought! Brilliant.

[talibiu]

tiene una voz magnifica excelente de veras...!!! wao es lo maximo

[inkblot17]

...les fleurs du mal...

[droctagon17]

Well, turns out the past tense of broadcast is broadcasted. For some reason my built-in spell checker underlines broadcasted as a misspelled word. Not that this has anything to do with Sufjan, but oh well.

[LordLazyBoot]

kcrw broadcasts in los angeles.

[droctagon17]

When was this recorded? Where is KCRW broadcast? Why doesn't the past tense of broadcast have an -ed at the end of it?

[TheBoss2332]

July, 2005