Sufjan Stevens - A Good Man Is Hard To Find

[NiniDooDooDoo]

A good man is hard to find... Come on Sufjan, we all know you're an even better man.

[bluesensationist]

is he gay? ive never figured that out

[battlecaps]

He looks So. Damn. Attractive, even pixilated and in clashing colors

[PDeepIn]

what's the chords of this Beautiful song ?

[moccasins23]

@PDeepIn C#/A, C/A, Em, D/F, C, G, D/F for everything besides 'bah bah bah' parts

[kenmeyerjr]

KCRW has soooo many great interviews/performances. Any of you that haven't checked it out, I urge you to do so.

[tonks1988]

My English teacher showed us this video in class. I dig it a lot. Reminds me of singers from my country. This is pure Trova plain and simple.

[stephluv]

This man is important.

[scrimeboy]

@stephluv You're right.

[madmonkeyness]

I just want to hug him, and soak up his amazingness.

[qwerty17inv]

Amazing musician

[ursulade]

he's amazing but he'd want to relax on the whole america loving thing! its a bit sickening and kinda turned me off him a little. there's other countries in the world too sufjan!!! write beautiful music for those too (like ireland ... for me!!!!!!) :( (dont get me wrong, i think he's so talented and he's beautiful, and i always do love listening to his music, when he's not going on about america!!!!)

[TheBoss2332]

@ursulade I disagree on so many levels. First off he IS an American and whether you like it or not, if you are a U.S. citizen it is a part of who you are and so it will naturally come out in your music. Second, he made two albums based off of states and even if you call it a gimmick, he found thing he could relate to and write music about. Lastly, I would draw a comparison to his christian themed songs. He is not "preaching" just writing about things that are a part of his identity.

[HarrisY]

@ursulade On the contrary, if a European artist decided to write songs about the history and magic of Europe, it's a part of his identity and it would be appreciated by other people who enjoy music. That's really the point of music, isn't it? To write songs which make you feel a certain way, and to try and transcend those feelings to other people may they be 8,000 miles away or even if they don't speak your language. It's just about communication, not so much about American or Christian pride

[nickjeschke]

@ursulade being an well known artist does not mean that they have to make songs about your place or anything. heck, artists mostly do whatever they want to do. his singing about america is like why bob dylan sings about america, it is his identity and what he knows. if he does not know ireland intimately, are you sure you want him writing songs about it? and don't be such an ethnocentric snob.

[qwerty17inv]

@ursulade Do you wanna go tell Japan, China, the Koreas, Iraq, Israel,Canada, France, England and all the other countries of the world that being patriotic is a lousy thing to do and in fact singing songs about your homeland is a nuisance, especially to everyone else OF the SAME land? Put things in perspective please.

[ursulade]

@qwerty17inv i couldnt give as much as a rats arse anymore to argue with people....and since i wrote that comment, i actually do agree with all the replies. hes american, hes goin to obviously write about what he knows! so please, get over my last comment! (and as we are debating over the internet and not in person, your probably goin to to come back at me with all these remarks that i am immature or whatever, please save yourself the bother)

[qwerty17inv]

@ursulade Nah, you were probably just in a patriotic mood. are you from England? jk :)

[ursulade]

@qwerty17inv haha! no, even worse, ireland! :D

[warRreagle1]

@ursulade His "states" albums, which focus on Illinois and Michigan aren't really all that "patriotic" or "too American." I'm not a huge fan of that kind of stuff either. Illinois and Michigan are two states in the midwest which often get a bad rap from the rest of America for being dull/uninteresting or dangerous or "going downhill." Sufjan's just showing us the beauty in the things that the rest of us miss about these places. I think it's wonderful.

[TennisPlayer1413]

@ursulade Him writing about a country that he is unfamiliar with is like someone writing love songs about someone they're not in love with. The music wouldn't be half as good when the passion and familiarity is not there supporting the topic. He writes a lot about the United States because he is a citizen and a patriot.

[EddyC123]

@ursulade think you've missed the point mate. He is attempting to create an "American music". Something slightly more tangible than your everyday pop, something that encompasses America; what it is to be an American, how it is to live in American, the kind of people you can find America, it's diversity, its many wonders and many faults. I believe he said he would like to write an album for every American state. Whether or not he ever completes his task, he is sure not to be remember so simply.

[muahahaha101]

I lvoe that he is reading either the music, or lyrics froma stand simply becuase I always have a hard time memorizing lyrics =) loce him so muhc.

[michele7656]

This is still my favorite version.

[pricelessposition]

my babe. <3

if only.

[SAXZIOUS]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh  lovely

[itsmestevodweebo]

go blue

[NatHarry]

PLEASE put Jacksonville up. The end of this is such a tease

[newasthespring]

fantastic! <3

[Dadutta]

1:17 is ORGASMIC

[jellybellybean93]

yeah it is amazing or orgasmic

;)

[bignectar82]

bloody brilliant..would love to hear Jacksonville which they start playing at end of this song

[WARPALORPA]

a HARD man is good to find though. If you know what I mean. ... oooo. ....ZING!

[franzferdinand345]

don't know why everyone is thumbs-downing this. i am a sufjan fan and I chuckled at this comment.

[lumburgapalooza]

I don't get it.

Please explain it in vivid detail with visual aides.

Also, for brownie points, use a metaphor involving a train.

[beazer32]

lolol

[johnwebb16]

1:20 is where it's at!

[mellowthebear]

what's the melody playing at 4:20?

[AndrewVVwerdna]

Sounds like they were going into Jacksonville. There were two parts of the video I lost, maybe that was one of them.

[humeanesque]

Definitely Jacksonville. Good ear :)

[ruthg10]

I will never stop loving his music, ever.

[dondempezar]

i want a green t-shirt

[marxistsoldier]

good to see a music video where people are saying 'he's so hot' and commenting on the music instead

[depolarized]

saying sufjan is hot is a given ;)

[yourhaloisslipping]

i don't know but the part from 1:24 to 1:31 always gets to me. he scrunches up his face and then looks off for a couple of seconds, like he's remember something that he wanted to forget. it's weird because he has this kind of understood passion. there are some artists that'll make a big scene and fall on the ground to convey some kind of emotion, but with sufjan's songs, all of the emotion is understood. great song.

[TheBoss2332]

Yeah, sometimes he makes faces during a performance and I wonder if he or someone else made a mistake and he is thinking about what is going on or if he is in a whole other world.

[Myrmelie]

Maybe he just hates the camera.

[MollyonMolly]

Maybe he had to burp.

[TheMonkeySandwich]

Haha :D

[pablosep1]

@yourhaloisslipping What happened there was that his voice cracked for a split second. He is so musical that for him it was a big mistake and he probably thought a thousand thoughts including making another take. It was such a small thing that he probably decided to simply let it go. He is my favorite musician. He exudes musicality. I hope he continues recording and not sleeping in his laurels.

[elisheets]

@yourhaloisslipping I think he scrunches up his face because his drummer comes in late on both hooks and he is pissed at him

[wholewheatbagel]

one of my fav sufjan tunes

[FlightlessKatrina]

LOL at his michigan hat. he is so in love with where he comes from, it's adorable.

i just want to snuggle with him. you know?

[TheBoss2332]

From reading interviews and his music I actually think he is kind of at odds with where he comes from. A love/hate relationship maybe.

[duderanch321]

when his voice goes high its amazing

[BrennanAndrewWittig]

I envy his voice...

[pouidg]

Thanks for sharing .

[onlymodestmouse]

i think its cool that he uses 5/4 times and stuff. adds some distinct flavour to his music.

[zerotomly]

i think i actually prefer this to the album version!

[LlGANNA]

agreed!

[bernlin2000]

This is great stuff, but the out-of-sync issues are driving me nuts: please fix it OP

[aidenmnuroff]

this is my fave song by him. i love SS! RESPECT!

[peter110022]

I think he is perfect the way he is, I would hate for him to change his music.

[msclvr48]

love this guy

[nicadeo]

i really think his best album was Seven Swans

every song is amazing

[TheBoss2332]

....no

[BudaBoy111]

There are opinions and then there are people who shoould keep there mouths shut.

[thunderbolt94]

agreed.

[Lysistrata8u]

You are basically high if you think Dylan had no talent.

On this vids note, Sufjan is pretty ridiculously fantastic, he can always hit you with subtle lyrics that remind you of your childhood.

[notfireproofequipped]

what a fucked up thing to say

[rachelwilson5]

...wtf?

[Jess1876]

He should marry me.

[MarcusMett]

Not all the songs in this session were as brilliant as this one. I think Sufjan was a little nervous. This song however is extraordinary. No doubt that he is one of the greatest songwriters of our time.

[beliefactionnexus]

bad-ass. sufjan will be recognized as one of the best north american singer songwriters ever, if he's not already. You can check out my "Seer's Tower" cover on my page.

[monologtube]

right along with Gordon Lightfoot and James Taylor

[beliefactionnexus]

and neil young!!!:)

[nBode]

No. He is above all others.

[nomoreallucaneat]

and Leonard Cohen?

[n2sv6e]

what about LC? This is very close to Leonard indeed, very warm and intense songwriting and very very fragile playstyle... it's as close to perfection as you can get imho. I love both... and Neal Morse :-)

<3

[rejectedchik89]

i loveeeee sufjan!

[drummerzunite]

is there any place to get these recordings?

[abajibijo]

we have him, Jeff Daniels, the red wings, and the city with the worst crime rate!

[sgtpepep]

and tim allen and madonna.

[abajibijo]

hooray for Michigan!

[katvisman]

I love it.

[Nickthejedi1]

I haven't heard Sufjan Stevens sing so pure and smooth like this before. How beautiful.

Flannery O'Conner is a good short story writer, who can disagree with me? I'm surprised he wrote this song out of the story.

[MajestySnowbird]

For a radio cut, this sure is oddly bad audio quality.

Whatever though, still an awesome video. Glad to see Sufjan wears his own merchandise.

[Osmun79]

I love this song and yes, a post for predatory wasp of the palisades would rock.

[smirf44]

wow...i really like this song it's greate

audio isn't the best on it though

[LeKepa]

Great vid!

[eutychus37]

If memory serves me, "Metropolis" was performed at this set. I could be wrong...

[TheBoss2332]

You're right. It was the second song. I have yet to upload it.

[droctagon17]

Great performance, but the video isn't synced right. The video is a little behind the audio. Maybe it's just my computer though...

[TheBoss2332]

No, you're right. It happened when I uploaded the video to youtube and I don't know what to do about it. Maybe upload it again? It happened with most of the KRCW performance videos and one or two is worse than this.

[droctagon17]

Did they perform "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades" by any chance? If yes, can you post it? That's my favorite song.

[TheBoss2332]

No they didn't. Sorry

[sssllloooaaannn]

Well, it depends on how much you care about it I guess. The format that it is in most likely doesn't jive with youtube (which is lame). They say they are updating all of their codecs, but I don't know. In the meantime, if you really want it to be good, I would suggest downloading a program called "super" and then converting it into a format like .mpg

[TheBoss2332]

Eh, considering the original is easily available that probably wouldn't be worth it. At least not for this video.

[sufjandorado]

where do you get these videos? they're amazing.