Sufjan Stevens - The Predatory Wasp Of the Palisades

[RachaelPie]

That ending was a thunderstorm followed by a rainbow. 

[7FridayGirl109]

Wow. This is beautiful, especially the chaotic part til the end. I actually am sitting here with my mouth wide open.

[Islingtonians]

I LOVE SUFJAN HE IS AMAZING!!!!

[MrMojoRisin89]

The epitome of a sell out. What a crying shame he had his little "epiphany".

[MeLlamoAllison]

The story, his voice, the lyrics, him...I'm getting overwhelmed with how awesome it all is.

[stevencass90]

holly shit i love this song so much its unbearable

[jbruder]

1 person wanted to make a red sliver.

[StickyInADarkBlueCut]

I thought this would be a metal song with a name like that..... BOOOO

[Amoostoons]

it could be metal.. it could if it wanted to, but i don't think it does lol

[fatticus462]

@StickyInADarkBlueCut thank god it's not, right?

[pcnerd1010]

The one person who disliked this since 2007 is a hater... just saying. This song is amzing!

[murlough23]

@pcams10 I'd love to see the interview, concert footage, blog, whatever, where he said this. Of course, I'd also love to see the proof that he said what I remember him saying, because I only recall it anecdotally. Unfortunately I lack the Google Fu to fact check this one.

[veevee87]

I can't even speak after watching this. His voice is PERFECT.

[murlough23]

@jacksonboywonder1996 You're assuming that the protagonist of the song is Sufjan himself. Not every song he writes is autobiographical.

[phin68]

Gods eye

[xLordOfTheFliesx]

@jacksonboywonder1996

Um. Yes. You can.

[butterpranks]

I'm gonna buy a boyfriend pillow and name it Sufjan. Don't judge me.

[Tcklemesilly1092]

@butterpranks Never. It's completely understandable.

[briloheim]

the preditory wasp got someone...

[oywidapoodles]

We were in love.

We were in love.

So gorgeous.

[getox]

seriously one of the best performances I have ever seen on youtube, i fucking love you sufjan stevens. 

[ChanceCooper125]

First time a youtube video has made me cry. One of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard.

[lostismyconstent]

I love the absolute mess it turns into at the end, it's wonderfully done. Fits the story so well. I'd still love to hear an acoustic version though...

[tav6000]

Dude, he's talking about his dog.

[voluptamors]

To none in particular: I think Sufjan might very well be gay- he has quite a few homosexual references scattered across his songs- the most obvious is this one, but there's a few other songs on Illinois, Seven Swans and A sun came! and its mostly the slow, intimate type songs. But then again there's stuff like Supersexywoman and The dress looks nice on you, although they're not as romantic as the other ones. I can only speculate, but i think it'd be awesome if he was gay.

[ElHeat3]

I've always perceived this song as from a girl's point of view...

[LadyLinaJo]

@voluptamors omg everyone freaking shut up about Sufie being gay.

[Phthgn]

wow, I couldn't believe the vid was cut right at the time he starts playing the first chords of redford.. great moment, you should upload the next song if you got it, too

[jko1992]

This song is so beautiful! And no, Aurreus, it's not about being gay. It's about the perfect love that one has for his best friend.

[sassafrassalack]

god damn sufjan is so sexy

[clabog592]

My interpretation of the "kiss" mentioned in the song is that it isnt a physical kiss, so to speak, but a metaphor. "touching his back with my hand, I kiss him...". what this represents is how these small gestures, such as comforting someone with your hand, actually conveys a much deeper and personal signifigance, especially involving children. Whatever the interpretations are, i think we can all agree that this song is a beautiful piece of art

[daylightbroke]

It's awesome at 6:10 when everything goes deliberately chaotic and then switches back to beautiful. :D

[Aurreus]

Im not sure, but i think that might be the point.... dont quote me on that

[contempt2600]

if you are familiar with sufjan's earlier work, this very well may be exactly where he was planning for the song to go

[Aurreus]

This song is about his first love and being gay, and it is still one of the best love songs ever written. The emotion that comes through every time he sings this song is staggering

[absterz00]

it almost made me cry

[MrMakeveli]

This song is amazing. As others have said before, the buildup and climax are both so powerful. This song is about innocence, and nostalgia, and love. The imagery of them as kids just exudes carefree innocence, especially the kiss. There is nothing sexual about it. The love described is the carefree love of youth. Anything else you see in it is just what YOU yourself are bringing to the table. The imagery in the background is also perfect for the ending.

[Innercitylightsband]

Great. his voice is awesome in this performance

[trishaface]

This is so amazingly incredibly wonderful. Thank you for sharing.

[istrake]

Can everyone just accept/get over the fact that Mr. Stevens just MIGHT like other boys?

[bucketheadmyhero]

my favorite song on the album by far.

i wish i could write anything even close to this beauty and intensity

[Memerylane]

Oh man, great performance! This is my favorite Sufjan song. The words, the build. Makes me want to cry.

[svfanatic11]

i agreed with Ostendere about what its about, i love this song but thats what i think its about

[einarstraymusic]

i love this song

[wiggin56]

His voice is the most inspiring thing about him. Besides his amazing talent for songwriting and wonderful creativity and spark of course!

[BelleBobbin]

Sufjan Stevens is a god. His voice is beautiful enough to make me cry.

[timeisupUS]

@BelleBobbin Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

[timeisupUS]

@BelleBobbin Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

[arjunpanda126]

this song is not homosexual, but the point of veiw, i believe, is from of a female's point of veiw. this is folk, so this concept is not something radical or new. He (she) looks back to the times she spent with her best friend (and probably young love), and now that the friend has run away/died, she regrets not telling him how much he meant to her.

[depolarized]

disagreed. He was to young at the time the story is taken place. As a child you aren't SEXUALLY attracted to anyone therefore it's not homosexual, nor hetrosexual, you're asexual really, so falling in love with your bestfriend as a child psychologically is perfectly normal. (When he was writing in cursive, because yeah, little kids can't do that, he was about to have a flashback)

Probably 60% fiction though.

[0118981]

i love it how he spends time on his lyrics and uses them as they are ment to be used instead of just as filler

frikin sweet song, reminds me of summer!

[tspoelma]

Great Song. The complexity of this song is missed on those without a sound music history. There are about three melodies going on at once. Amazing. By the way Calvin College rocks for hosting such a talent. Especially considering that Sufjan went to Hope College in Holland. Part of the band Marzuki. I remember the days at the Park Theater

[cam132435]

the great thing about sufjan is that he is just as good live as he is on cd. he is truly talented, unlike so many mainstream celebrities these days

[kylesyl2]

i'm in love

[ChiDynasty12]

Can anyone explain to me what he's talking about in his intro story because I'd really like to know what this song is about. -thanks

[koolzies]

It's about when him and his friend saw the shadow or silhouette of some gigantic bird in the sky one night during summer camp and it scared them. Personally, I think he isn't revealing the whole thing.

[Ostendere]

Strange...I thought it was about a homosexual encounter during summer camp. Listen to the words again and tell me what ye think.

[disconsolatelove]

the live version is so incredible..

[lpluss]

I wish this song were about me...

[lukeisastalker]

me too

[nauticalnun]

me three

[visxaxvis]

these wings are so weird, they move around a lot so it doesnt even look like theyre fake

[grapefruit74]

Oh Sufjan, you cutie...

[ndekke39]

Thanks for posting this! Great pictures and video of the FFM, by the way!