How Sufjan Stevens Writes a Song

[@NortonTaylor]

Saw him in concert, it was the best concert I've ever been to. It was small and everyone was quiet so as to not disturb the performance. People were hugging each other at the end, it was magical.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Very cathartic.

[@paperclips5161]

You aint a real man unless you've cried to Sufjan

[@gravityfreaksmusic]

+1

[@zimzimzalabim]

WORD

[@dv4497]

I never cry during TV shows, movies or songs...but CPD gets me every time. It's a total heart wrencher of a song.

[@starrrburst]

DEADASS

[@mikeybuckley9226]

i do love sufjan been listening to him everyday for 7 years. I will say iv done lots of thinking

[@KarstenRunquist]

Oh man how has this video not been made yet...Sufjan Stevens is the boy

[@EntertainTheElk]

Karsten Runquist Agreed!

[@DiegoRodriguez-sn8jc]

Sufjan will be always underrated no matter how famous he gets eventually

[@ghost8974]

karsten!!

[@jerry_mandarin]

... it has been made?

[@mairead9714]

Karsten is Sufjan fan?? yeah yeah alright

[@saa1829]

A best friend of mine of about 15 years is finally making an album. He loves Sufjan. I haven't ever been into his music that much. THIS HELPED ME tremendously because I will be helping my friend produce some songs and Sufjans influence is clearly in his music. So yes thank you for making this video! Blessings

[@TimtheEnchanterOfYoutube]

I fucking love Sufjan.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Tim, the Enchanter Agreed!

[@maframuba]

I'd love fucking Sufjan Stevens ;)

[@MrKrk221988]

One of the best singer/songwriters of his generation.

[@CrobarUnite]

Kevin King One of the best singer/songwriters ever*

[@glassdolll]

what about elliott smith ;w;

[@cristopheracevedo4254]

You know it, Lenny

[@skylar_kada]

*of all time

[@el_rey_gris9321]

No doubt.

[@burrito270]

"And he takes, and he takes, and he takes" makes me tear up every time. Great video!

[@denalumley9310]

me too...takes my breath away every time...

[@apietsch100]

I was listening to Concerning the UFO Sighting by Sufjan and I broke down and started crying and I couldn't figure out why. The lyrics aren't anything spectacularly sad, but I realized after this video that it was the complexity of the melody and tone that touched me. Such an amazing artist.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Aaron Pietsch I feel like we’ve all had our crying while listening to Sufjan moment. :)

[@ToThePowerOfX]

The friend who died of cancer could have been a boy or a girl. The lyrics are purposely ambiguous. When he sings about the friend's blouse it could mean a regular blouse or that on a navy uniform. This is reinforced by the line about the father driving his car into the Navy yard.

[@EntertainTheElk]

That's interesting. A lot of people like to go out of there way to assume that Sufjan might be homosexual. I wonder how that rumor got started. Other songs?

[@ToThePowerOfX]

Id say this is the most compelling example of Sufjan's lyrics that might indicate that he's gay or bi: genius.com/Sufjan-stevens-the-predatory-wasp-of-the-palisades-is-out-to-get-us-lyrics The lyrics seem to be about an experience at summer camp where he and a male friend had some sort of sexual and romantic experience together. The same experience at summer camp is also discussed in the lyrics of 'Venus' but Venus keeps the genders more ambiguous than predatory wasp does.

[@ToThePowerOfX]

Oh, also Futile Devices. The lyrics are about having deep feelings of love for a friend. How "saying it out loud is hard". I think interviewers have asked him about it before in one way or another but he's never come out as anything so it's all speculation.

[@Vallam23]

There's no real reason to make so many songs that are so deliberately ambiguous if there wasn't something there, but Sufjan all but admits it in All For Myself: "hairy chests," "bathing boy." He also has a lot of songs about reconciling his actions with his faith that become pretty clear through this interpretation, and most recently wrote music for the soundtrack of a very gay movie. It's not 100% clear but there's a lot of material for it to be a coincidence

[@k_a_y_l_e_e]

so am i to presume, based on your logic, that armie hammer is homosexual too? i mean, after all, he did play the lead in a very gay movie.

[@Arqueete]

More recent interviews have implied that "Casimir Pulaski Day" is largely fictional (that Sufjan didn't actually have a friend who died of cancer, and certainly not on Casimir Pulaski Day). But this is part of what makes his songwriting interesting, I think. After all, it doesn't really matter if Sufjan was literally at a Tuesday night bible study praying over a dying girl's body, does it? (And who knows, maybe he was--is it important for us to know either way?) The honesty we're connecting with here is in the kind of personal struggle with grief and faith that that detail is being used to convey, and that's what he's good at.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Arqueete Totally agree. It’s hard going into Sufjan’s past because he’s not really an open book. The most we have to go off of us his lyrics, like his album Carrie & Lowell. But his wrestling of faith and his mother are definitely big themes throughout.

[@MrJosh6889]

And just to be fair, it doesn't necessarily have to be the same kind of grief or faith that he implies. As humans, that's kind of built in. His music connects with us on a human level, somewhere lower than the details. But I guess that's just another way of saying your point.

[@oof-rr5nf]

Exactly. The connection I am looking for is in an artist skilled enough to project grief, or any emotion really, in a _real_ way. They do not need to have actually suffered. I actually really detest the idea of the Depressed Artist. I think it romantices suffering in a way that is dangerous, not poetic or artistic.

[@oof-rr5nf]

@@MrJosh6889 agreed!

[@amesavis]

my esp tells me it is exaggerated; I won a writing contest with a similar story once...

[@BuyAnAxe]

Oh boy, I love Subaru

[@EntertainTheElk]

And I wanna be near you.

[@jimjimogen]

is this sufjan steven's song gay or about god?- a spotify playlist

[@zzzcocopepe]

imogen the wasp of the palisades

[@coldgrandpa]

both u dingo

[@Vallam23]

yeah it's weird that this video says that this song is definitely about a girl, when it's deliberately ambiguous

[@Vallam23]

it's deliberately ambiguous whether it's about a girl or a guy. Notice the lack of *any* gendered pronoun referring to the subject of the story and the navy reference which makes "blouse" ambiguous as it can refer to a military uniform

[@Vallam23]

Uh, why do you think he's straight? Sorry but he's almost certainly not, just listen to All For Myself

[@MrJosh6889]

It helps that the first song I heard was Chicago, but I instantly fell in love with Sufjan's music. So it was a nice surprise to see a video documenting his style. Although I've heard quite a bit of his music now, I still think Night Zombies is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Illinois is without a doubt my favorite of his albums.

[@EntertainTheElk]

MrJay6889 Illinois is so damn good. I might lean towards Michigan but only because I heard it first. I recently got both on vinyl. Soooo good.

[@marksoccer100]

Very well done. I'm a big fan of Sufjan Stevens.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@MattDraper]

Was literally tapping my toe when you mentioned it. Great video!

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thanks buddy!

[@iammrbeat]

My favorite songwriter. Great job!

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thank you!

[@Corrupted]

Damn, what a great video!

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thank you! :)

[@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat]

Never been a Sufjan Stevens fan but I always love hearing about how artists' songs are constructed. Great video! I'd love to see more music based videos if you have plans to do others. :)

[@EntertainTheElk]

What's So Great About That? Thanks so much! I’ll definitely do more music related vids in the future :)

[@loganperry6407]

Always liked him as an artist, but never loved him. This gave me a new appreciation, thank you for the upload.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Glad you liked it!

[@EverythingWentSideways]

found this video from a youtube recommendation and it was really inspirational. great analysis and dissection! subbed!

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thank you so much!

[@KorbsArmyProductions]

Great channel, dude. Keep up the fantastic work. I have been a Sufjan fan for a long time and this video really resonated with me.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Matt Paulson Thanks so much! Really glad that you enjoyed it. :)

[@titusdiodoros1876]

I remember this song playing on my pandora station in middle school and being lulled by the gentleness of his voice! It was the first song by him I ever heard! Could you do and analysis of “Visions of Gideon”?

[@EntertainTheElk]

I would definitely love to explore Sufjan more!

[@benmorrison8533]

The seamless audio in this video is top notch. Never seen (heard) that before.

[@jinxtheunluckypony]

I'm so happy someone else appreciates Sufjan's work.

[@danielwareking]

Nice work! This has always been one of my absolute favorite Sufjan songs. So devastating.

[@oceanside9508]

I discovered Sufjan Stevens through a little Life is Strange spin-off game called The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit by DONTNOD entertainment. Instantly fell i love with Sufjan Stevens’ song used in the game. Death With Dignity.

[@Paperbagman555]

Beautiful video. I love his lyrics, Sufjan is one of the most creative singer/songwriters out there.

[@sunnyta1990]

illinois is one of my all-time favourite albums good video

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thank you! And I agree. I finally just bought Illinois on vinyl and I've been enjoying it all over again.

[@el_rey_gris9321]

Same

[@milarose5155]

Much love to you for posting this. Thank you. It's one of my favorite videos now

[@EntertainTheElk]

Wow, thank you so much. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@honson7]

Brilliantly written commentary. Thank you.

[@HeyImPeterRS]

Man, thank you for reminding me how much I love this song. So much of my own writing has been influenced by how simply, beautiful, and open this song is

[@EntertainTheElk]

So glad you enjoyed the video. :)

[@QuincyKane]

This is my favorite of Sufjan's songs; great video man!

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thanks!

[@ivyscarf]

Fantastic video, Sufjan is one of my favorites. You are probably the best youtuber out rn

[@EntertainTheElk]

BluReviews Whoa, thank you so much. I really appreciate that!

[@visuelliot]

One if the best videos on KZbin at the moment! Please, do more of these analyzing, of other artists songs as well :)

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thank you so much! Any particular artists you'd like to see?

[@SteveBiedermann]

Thank you. Just thank you so much for making this video. I'm a pastor irl and I am consistently inspired by Sufjan's honesty and vulnerability in his faith and music.

[@EntertainTheElk]

From one Christian to another, glad you enjoyed the vid! :)

[@HungGarEarthBender]

Thanks for doing this! This has been my favorite song for 10+ years

[@danielurban3416]

This is for me the most perfect song ever written, lyrically. There aren't any lines (except perhaps the last) that would be stunning, but put together they all are a perfect picture.

[@loganbass9969]

Because your channel had been mostly film and tv so far, this was a very pleasant surprise! I look forward to watching this channel grow.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thanks Logan! I definitely want this channel to widen its focus and explore all genres of art/entertainment. I'm gaining more confidence to step outside my comfort zone as my channel grows and I learn more editing techniques. Thanks for the kind comment. :)

[@daniel_netzel]

Dang, I'm gonna have to check this dude out. Excellent video, you must have spent forever editing this one! Also, lately I've been really getting into this album called "The Party" by Andy Shauf, it's got a similar feel to Sufjan and he also approaches lyric writing from a fiction writing perspective. The whole album is a concept album of various different people's experiences at a party, and I'm absolutely addicted to it.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Sufjan is great. Check out his albums Michigan and Illinois. Carrie & Lowell is fantastic too. Btw, I'm listening to Andy Shauf right now. Never heard of him before but I'm enjoying it! How are you? How's the channel?

[@daniel_netzel]

I'll be sure to do that! My brother showed me him a few weeks ago and I can't stop listening to him! I'm doing well! Hard at work on the new video, with full tunnel vision blinding me from literally everything else, but I'm ALMOST finished with it, as soon as the new video's finished it'll be back to work looking for freelance/commission gigs and hopefully getting a new video done quicker than two months from now :P How about you?

[@arranstewart319]

What did you think of Age of Adz? I also appreciate how you highlighted his being religious; as someone who is not spiritual at all, I tend to forget/ ignore that aspect for my own convince. It's important to remember what inspires the artists that we love. I tend to associate my own values with the musicians I love for better or worse. Thanks for the great video.

[@yotamschmidt570]

The Party is a beautiful album!

[@jrmybwedding]

The Party is fuckin excellent.

[@Cosmolovescheese]

What a brilliantly made video, fantastic editing. Well done!!

[@EntertainTheElk]

Cosmo Thank you so much!

[@mccay6433]

What an excellent video.

[@jmarc0014]

THIS IS MY FAVOURITE EVER. Thank you very much!

[@EntertainTheElk]

Glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@xavier2706]

damn.. the quality of this video is next-level. keep it up!

[@EntertainTheElk]

Xavier Thanks so much!

[@liambaldwin6823]

What a video. How have I not come across this channel yet?

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thank you so much! Fairly new. But glad you found me! :)

[@liambaldwin6823]

Entertain The Elk welp it only took u 1 video to convince me to subscribe

[@bfischer77]

Great video, for me, the most amazing part of this song in terms of songwriting is the fact that for the entire song it goes D-C-Am-G, and just for the final section with the trumpet melody it goes D-C-Am-Em. It makes it end on a sadder note than when the song started, in a very subtle way

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thanks! So glad you enjoyed the video.

[@kokorowhiteninja]

YEEES, My favorite musician!

[@EntertainTheElk]

:)

[@rexdxiv]

bravo! thank you! most appreciated!

[@EntertainTheElk]

Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@548latino]

Man I just want to let you know that the editing in this video is amazing. This is a very beautiful video.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thank you so much! Appreciate the kind words.

[@freejrs]

Thank you very much I really enjoyed the video. Sufjan's music is incredibly powerful and evocative. Like a dark cloud raining happiness down on everyone.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jeffarredondo]

Wow! This is simply fantastic, thank you!

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thanks for the kind words! :)

[@nathanielgarcia7225]

Man! I love watching your videos!

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thank you so much! :)

[@cartercasteel2513]

Incredible. I really appreciate this video!

[@EntertainTheElk]

Glad you liked it!

[@blerg123456]

This is wonderful. Would love to see more videos about song construction!

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thanks so much! I'll be doing more in the future. :)

[@thuccie]

easily one of my top 5 songs of all time, so simple and beautiful, i'm always on the verge of tears when i listen to it

[@EntertainTheElk]

Agreed!! That's basically how I feel when I listen to the entire Carrie and Lowell album.

[@santiagoprietov.4493]

This video was just amazing. Loved every sec of it

[@polarislandpkwy]

The quote at the end is so well said. What an amazing dude.

[@shalomleizerovitch5912]

Beautiful, Thanks.

[@sirandrew82]

I found Sufjan during 8th grade, one of my friends (and first crush) was diagnosed cancer in the 7th. While she's fine now I remember listening to this song for hours at a time, taking comfort in the soft beat and more relatable lyrics than I have heard anywhere else since.

[@Legionere]

Fascinating. My favorite artist.

[@chrisw5139]

The songs aren't all complex musically. In fact, your example, Casmir Pulaski Day, is remarkably simple.

[@sailormike77]

I think the author is referring to the complexity of using the simplified elements to produce something greater than the sum of its parts. It's the way the song structure and dynamics of the instruments and his voice, coupled with the words, can have such a profound effect.

[@snappycaster]

Music isn't just the instruments.

[@nifa.9929]

I would recommend you to listen Impossible Soul, if you want. I don't know much, but, for me, it seems like quite a complex song, lyrically and musically. So, yeah. Hope you have a nice day.

[@chrisw5139]

@@nifa.9929 The arrangements and production are fancy, but it sounds like a pretty simple tune to me. That's the wonder of Sufjan. He does a lot with a little. I remember reading once that Philip Glass was an influence. You can hear the minimalism, the repetition, the simple loops that gradually build on each other.

[@movedmindpoRUSZonyUMYS]

A perfect dive into song-writing. Riveting!

[@mcpoyleswilltakeoverthewor934]

What a good video! Nice job dude.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thank you!

[@georgethomas3377]

This is so well done

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thank you!

[@VoOrT3xX]

Amazing video !Love Sufjan.

[@radiantsun]

whoa, i've been subscribing to you since you were around in your 20k subscribers, now i come across your video again bc i have been listening to sufjan songs and i come across you again and you're now on 107k! you're awesome. i love your channel and you really put hard work and awesome content. great work.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thank you so much! Don't leave for such extended periods. Keep watching new vids. I need loyal supporters like yourself! :)

[@radiantsun]

Entertain The Elk oh wow thanks for replying. will visit vids regularly, then :) i don't comment much, but i'll be there.

[@jacsiebs]

Great artist, love listening to Illinois walking through downtown Chicago

[@EntertainTheElk]

Once I finally visit Chicago, I'm sure I''ll do the same thing. :)

[@ameryaser3987]

Well done

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thanks!

[@andrewmanning3639]

Genuinely insightful, thanks 😊

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thanks! :)

[@joshmcgootermier2301]

I love this man and a perfect song to take a look at. So diverse in his various releases.

[@arranstewart319]

This is a great video thanks!

[@EntertainTheElk]

Teclis tyrion Thank YOU!

[@AlexEscalante]

I am just discovering this guy. His music sounds simple but profound. Worth listening with attention…

[@EntertainTheElk]

I'd suggest his earlier albums Michigan and Illinois.

[@pallenk]

you said he was in love with a girl. i always thought it was a boy. i think that is why the father freaked. and it seems they had spent the night together. most parents don't let boys and girls that are the age i would think they are in the song spend the night together.

[@KiraldoTheGreat]

pallenk thank you

[@alecpoyopachii6615]

I have never thought that this could be about a boy, I always imagine the song is about a girl cause he sings "I almost touched your blouse" which is usually referring to a feminine piece of clothing, but I guess it is just that, a piece of clothing

[@KiraldoTheGreat]

Sufjan Stevens is gay. He sings about being in love with a boy in the same fucking album.

[@oof-rr5nf]

@@EmileFeik "Often people don't realise they have homosexual feelings when they are young." Brah. No. How about you hop in a time machine and go see Kid Me in the past. See how gay she was.

[@andeggbreaks]

Sufjan's sexuality doesn't fucking matter just interpret it how you want

[@dylanlancaster9895]

i loved your video thank you for it

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thank you!! :)

[@ricovanonselen]

Oh my. So good. Thanks dude!

[@EntertainTheElk]

Rico Thank you!

[@tatum1140]

Amazing musician and great video

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thanks!

[@calebb8009]

Earned a subscriber, great analysis of a great song.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thank you! Glad to have you on board.

[@VooDooJueJue]

first song that ever made me cry.

[@MixMeMcGee]

Wow sir. You really get the nuance of this song - faith and fear, death and hope. Good stuff. Thanks much for your thoughts here .

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thank you for the kind comment. I'm glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@thethinkerer]

Well done, and clear. Maybe odd, but I found the construction paper background to be comforting.

[@ItAllFadestoBlack]

I was first introduced to Sufjan's music when I was 15. I normally listened to any other genre at the time. Sufjan's stuff was new territory to me. Then I heard the line "and the cardinal hit the window" from this song and I actually stopped for a little bit and was so thrown off by how visually impactful that line was and I felt like crying. It was the most beautiful and tragic thing I heard at the time. I was in love with his music since, much respect for this guy. Well made video also!

[@suziesalamander]

excellent analysis -well done indeed

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thanks so much! :)

[@wasprider7239]

I love these lyrics. They make me think of my favorite lyricists Craig Finn and John Darnell.

[@EntertainTheElk]

I haven't heard of them. Are they also in the folk genre?

[@wasprider7239]

John Darnell is the lead singer/songwriter for The Mountain Goats, and I cannot recommend them highly enough. Craig Finn was the lead singer for The Hold Steady, which is an absolutely amazing group. He also has several solo records. Based on your video here I would bet that you would like these guys a lot.

[@wasprider7239]

Great video by the way, I always get excited when I see your stuff in my feed.

[@evilmilkbottle]

This is such a great video. Definitely subscribing!

[@EntertainTheElk]

Evil milkbottle Awesome! I’ll make you proud. :)

[@cecilia5093]

Great video!!

[@mrfats5004]

The more of your stuff I watch, the more I can tell you're going to end up one of the bigger 'review' style channels. Keep up the good work my dude.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Mr Fats Thanks so much! I really appreciate that. I hope you’re right. :)

[@max-beckett]

This video was just so beautifully edited. Subbed

[@postwage]

Thank you for this, I never paid much attention to this song being the "ah so Chicago ended", and now I feel I have to listen to it more carefully.

[@EntertainTheElk]

postwage Yes please do! The entire album is incredible.

[@no_peace]

My birthday is March 1 and this always fucks me up

[@youthofyesterdayrecords]

John Wayne Gacey, Silver and Gold and all of Carrie and Lowell. These plus Camir Pulaski day...just utter emotional genius. Would love to hear your thoughts on Richmond Fontaine or Mount Erie...

[@EntertainTheElk]

I haven't heard of these artists. Now you've given me some homework assignments!

[@vandres493]

great analysis

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@guitaoist]

Been jammin him since 2006 and saw him in new orleans that same year, his new albums are still amazing too

[@teddymackerel]

literally i started crying the second the guitar started up in this video

[@hugoanthony5522]

One of my favorite songs :)

[@EntertainTheElk]

Mine too!

[@charliexoxox]

Whoa. great video, I love the Christian take. As a man of Faith myself I've tried to wrap my head around Sufjan's Relationship with Christianity in his music. Thanks for outlining it so well. Sufjan is the only Christian music I can listen to outside of church without cringing

[@kugelblitz2001]

My favourite Sufjan Stevens song.

[@liltooshy3410]

When u subscribe because of the family guy death video and the next video is a sufjan steven song

[@EntertainTheElk]

Lil TooShy Yesssss!!! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@burakcopur3841]

Also lyrically, I think he creates this feeling that what he talks about is real and dreamy at the same time.

[@mikeybuckley9226]

Man do i love sufjan

[@flurko55]

Would love it if you analyzed more Sufjan songs!

[@charleseivens7728]

Love this! You should analyze The National's music!