Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens (IPA: [ˈsuːfjɑːn], SOOF-yaan; born July 1, 1975) is an American singer-songwriter and musician born in Detroit, Michigan. Stevens first began releasing his music on the Asthmatic Kitty label, a label he formed with his stepfather, beginning with the 2000 release A Sun Came. He is best known for his 2005 album Illinois, which hit number one in the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart, and for the song “Chicago”.
Stevens has released albums of varying styles, from the electronica of Enjoy Your Rabbit and the lo-fi folk of Seven Swans to the symphonic instrumentation of Illinois and Christmas-themed Songs for Christmas. Stevens makes use of a variety of instruments, often playing many of them himself on the same track, and writes music in various time signatures. He is considered part of the folk revival in indie pop, but his influences are very broad. His music has been likened to electronica and aesthetically compared to the minimalism of Steve Reich. Stevens’ music often has spiritual themes, and many songs (most notably on Seven Swans) draw inspiration from Bible stories. More…
The Song
Lyrics
Oh life, with your shoulders in the mirror
From the park when Dakota ran and brought you there
In the car when your mother lost her temper
The catalog and the catastrophic smile
Let the bugles play the sermon on the raid
I kissed you on the face
I kissed you on the playground
Oh Father John, you cannot tell me
What’s right and wrong
You cannot tell me
I jump before I get around you
Oh Father John
Pick it up with the band on the Ronald Reagan Tollway
(Don’t give up, let’s go forget about yourself)
Illinois in it ran from the Ronald Reagan Tollway
Forget about yourself and all your plans
Oh life, with your colorful surprises
Eleanor, how you put one on disguises
Oh Father John, you cannot tell me
What’s right and wrong
You cannot tell me
In the mortal life
Far in the morning light
We’re back from Bloomington
We let the runners win
Far in the morning light
We let the movies play
A weekend from the holiday
Pick it up with the band
On the Ronald Reagan toll way
(Don’t break down, let’s go: forget about yourself)
Illinois in it ran from the Ronald Reagan toll way
(If I’m wrong makes nothing right about yourself)
Snowmobile on the field where the gunners throw their weight around
Forget about yourself and all your plans
