Should Have Known Better - Sufjan Stevens (cover by Will Sturgeon)

I write my own songs too and put out a new album at the end of 2015!
► Available on Bandcamp: bit.ly/1LM4fKc
► Available on iTunes: apple.co/1Qrm3v6
There is so much I could say about Sufjan's latest album. I just love it, the sparseness of the arrangements and the reality of what he was wrestling with. I also geek out about intertwined-acoustic-fingerpicking arrangements, so I had to tackle this one. I hounded my sis into singing some backup vocals, and I used some of the footage from Sufjan's official music video in my own....hope that's ok Subaru xo
◎ / brightenermusic
◎ / brighten_r
◎ / willfrombrightener

[@stylebyjules]

damn, this is almost as good as sufjan

[@thecavalier6780]

actually almost better

[@slee5812]

This makes my heart weep

[@jordanputt]

I knew it was only a matter of time until people started breaking down his overlaid parts. This makes me so happy! I'm having a heck of a time trying to figure out death with dignity as he recorded it. Awesome cover. Love the second part especially

[@brightener]

Jordan Putt it took me a while to figure out that the second "guitar" part was actually a banjo part on this track heh. so I adapted as best as I could. Part of why I wanted to make this was so that there was at least some breaking down of these parts for people like you brotha. and death with dignity is one of the most beautiful picking parts EVA damn I love that. send it over if you ever figure it out!

[@jordanputt]

brightener With "death with dignity", The live videos that are starting to show up definitely give a lot more distinction between the parts. I still haven't figured out whether there are two or three parts. He also uses this really obscure instrument, the Mayfield Guitalin, which is so hard to find info or really anything about. I haven't heard it isolated, so it's hard for me to pick out by ear. In this video, it sounds to me like you're sometimes missing very high parts, could be a mandolin or perhaps this Guitalin instrument. Maybe I'm wrong. I'd be really interested in the stems for the whole album, if they're ever out there at all. I hope they become available at some point, because I'd really like to use it as reference, knowing how he does his arranging, and a bit about his recording process. The man is a genius!

[@jordanputt]

+brightener I did it! I figured out death with dignity or at least something that's 99% there. I can't tell, it sounds exact to me.

[@brightener]

Jordan Putt awesome man! you gonna put up a video for it? would love to learn

[@jordanputt]

brightener all i have right now is a recording on soundcloud. I'd like to make a video sometime soon! soundcloud.com/jpmusic-1/death-with-dignity

[@kaylarichardson74]

Will, this is absolutely amazing!! Would you be up for posting tabs or a tutorial? I love this song so much and I would love to learn how to play it :)

[@DriftwoodScarecrow]

A great song from what will likely be the best album of the year. You nailed it!. excellent!

Year?

[@KarisWaltmanmusic]

Extremely lovely. Hauntingly beautiful. Well done.

[@flatgroundman4717]

This is awesome! Why am I just finding this??

[@AaronAtkinsHonorableChairman]

You should post a tutorial!

[@bibekpawn6175]

we all agree on this

[@bibekpawn6175]

i think he first pan each of two guitar left and right and that one guitar with reverb to push it away and dont know abt vocals

[@AaronAtkinsHonorableChairman]

@@bibekpawn6175 five years later...

[@bibekpawn6175]

@@AaronAtkinsHonorableChairman lol didnt realised it haha ,it was recommended from youtube so i thought it's a new one ..still you can do a tutorial

[@bibekpawn6175]

oh sorry i thought you are the brightener my bad

[@igobykp]

Decided to look through my old videos that I favorited... Of course I came across a bunch of your videos. So glad to hear how rich your voice has become. I always loved your tone but time really has made you even better. I've loved Sufjan for such a long time and you singing this song is incredible. Keep up the good work, Will :)

[@zhylkos]

The best cover of this song! Wow

[@felipegand]

omg, this is so good! congrats

[@adriatic.vineyards]

This is amazing. Astounding level of accuracy. And a great voice to boot

[@kennedygrace5523]

this is absolutely beautiful

[@nicolett1604]

I can't explain how much I love this cover

[@lifu._]

How have I not known about this account?? Love your arrangement, it keeps the feel of the original. The singing and layering of instruments sounds great man!!

[@heatherhammers]

Will, this is so awesome. One of my favorites from the new album and you completely did it justice. I love the piano at the end, too.

[@Squiddy3099]

***** Well since you're here I guess I'll ask, are you close to releasing a new video? I'm kinda going through withdrawal

[@brightener]

***** thanks heather! i appreciate it :)

[@heatherhammers]

I'm Cold Yes! I have a song picked out and everything. I tried to record it the other day and there were a ton of dogs barking and cars and other noises in the background. Haha. I'll get it done as soon as I can. :)

[@Squiddy3099]

***** Sweet, I can't wait to see what you picked out

[@roryobrien3947]

this is probably my favorite song from the new album and you absolutely knocked it out of the park. incredible cover man. very well done, seriously

[@JasonSchmidt-1979]

This is so good!

[@emmaluz1401]

Wow you captured the essence of this song. Beautiful

[@nicklesmokeefe]

awesome display of attention to detail and overall musicianship. I love the original and this is just as great!

[@julosaurusrex]

What an amazing job ! Great cover !

[@alekiller2]

Holy shit. Great production! Great job mate! I need a tutorial for this song!

[@1997bae]

wow, you rarely see a video without any dislikes! but man you deserve it! beautiful, heartfelt, spot on cover

[@ilovebooks49]

It started raining halfway through and it was perfect. Really amazing cover, dude! :)

[@luisliv_]

Omg this is beautiful Congraulations, mate

[@JennySutcliffe]

Hi Will, his is beautiful! How long have you been singing / playing for? :)

[@groweveryday9791]

Excellent, I knew this would be good when I heard the first notes! Well done!

[@emmahartsbilly]

Crikey this is one work of art!

[@brightener]

Emma Cooper-Williams thank you Emma! It was a labor of love

[@amynolan645]

This is absolutely amazing. Really, really great cover!

[@silviaspizzo3506]

Wow! Awesome job!

[@KieranSmithMusic]

Great job with this track Will, I’m working my way through covering all of Carrie and Lowell. I think you’ve done an amazing job with this one!

[@adriatic.vineyards]

Post it!

[@riebot]

Haha So awesome!!! Where did you learn to play this song? I'd love to get a tab for it!! Please if anyone knows where I can find one.

[@IamDema]

I truly love your cover. You are quite talented... Well Done!

[@benedettablabla9033]

oh man you're incredible! Voice and arrangement so perfect, it seems Sufjan himself :) I just upload a cover of John my beloved on soundcloud (soundcloud.com/henmusicproject/john-my-beloved-sufjan-stevens-cover) and I though it was a good take but then I found you D: great job!!!

[@DaveGilliss]

Fantastic job!

[@eliciabenitez9140]

This is absolutely amazing. Tutorial? Ugh💕💕💕💕

[@ajmainifti]

So dope 🔥🔥🔥

[@valentinfinozzi9358]

Excellent cover, man.

[@AnushkaMaheshwari]

beautiful!! ❤️

[@die1134]

This is truly amazing and inspiring really thank you for sharing your talent to the world.

[@elliottsmith10]

yay new music

[@rdt999]

I so love your music and your voice! You are fantastic!!

[@AntwaanMusic]

Lovely work, I really loved the sounds, how you managed them, honestly it was a pleasure to watch and to listen to

[@shalinc8840]

Best cover on KZbin

[@amandalyntweets]

what a lovely cover, will! :)

[@PreppedandPolished]

excellent cover man

[@WolfataDoor]

Great work.

[@34tttttaa]

WHOA, you've got my admiration

[@chuckhough]

Spot on, man. Did you end up panning things to figure out the guitar work? Pretty straight fwd chords but very clever inversions (typical of sufjan). But honestly, pretty indistinguishable from the album. You and your pretty ear.

[@brightener]

+chuckhough thanks man. yeah this took me a loooot of critical listening. the guitars/banjos are a little bit panned already so I would just keep one earphone on till I figured out the part...took me maybe a week. fun part to play, and cool to learn it broken up like that

[@suzannabout5372]

Hi, I know it'd been a while since you've uploaded this cover but I am currently trying to learn how to play this song and on my search for tabs I came across this video. I have to say, I am really impressed and you did a great job! Now, I know I'm being a bit rude by asking this but I just had to give it a try: would you by any chance have made tabs to go with this song? So far I haven't have anything that was anywhere near as good as your version and I'd love to give it a try!

[@brightener]

+Suzanna Bout hi suzanna! part of the reason I wanted to make this video was to help people to learn this song! however, I didn't make tabs, so you'll just have to pick out what my fingers are doing. it did take me about a week to figure out the exact picking (and even then I'm pretty sure this is not exact + I think one of the instruments is a banjo or something), so it's no easy task, but I hope this helps in some way! :) Will

[@suzannabout5372]

+brightener I already started figuring out the first parts and I'm pretty sure I got some of it down! Thank you so much ^^

[@ciiitrina]

caralho, ficou extremamente bom! Meus parabéns ganhou meu coração

[@slee5812]

Amazing!!!! How did you figure out the exact strings to pluck?

[@brightener]

thanks!! I actually tackled the picking by ear, which took me a few tries and a good amount of critical listening haha. No guides that I know of anywhere, I hoped that this would help though!!

[@TheScoobysteve]

Nailed it bro.

[@umbleself]

really good!!

[@AmyAlways]

really sweet cover :)

[@sidneincgm3345]

Lindo! Maravilhoso !

[@vpc152]

would u mind telling me the notes u playing after this? kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGq6kIKmlK9mlcU thank u so much appreciate it

[@TheMusicOnline]

Damn dunno how I missed this! Your voice is so well suited for this song. P.S. been shopping "Filters" and "Haven't You Noticed" around IL this year. Hoping to make you enough fans so that you can come out here and play!

[@brightener]

TheMusicOnline thanks christian! filters is coming out on this next album, and haven't you noticed will be on the next release if it works out. i'd love to get out there and play...we'll see how it all shakes out!

[@TheMusicOnline]

Hell yeah! Once that record comes out, be sure to consider Chicago as a destination.

[@mikemukati5552]

great cover

[@hanuszka7649]

i love it

[@randomness264]

could anyone tell me the chords he was using??? I really want to be able to play this beautiful song. well done!

[@tzantsow]

Nailed it.

[@slee5812]

Is there a guide online somewhere?

[@VeraBalde]

beautiful

[@FatalWordsLeague]

is there any possible way you could post a tutorial for this? really great cover,and im sure a lot of people including me would like to learn the guitar riff. thanks

[@gabrielmaia909]

That was perfect

[@petepictures]

lovely, indeed

[@AlexanderRobichaud]

fantastic

[@skl31]

Respect !!!

[@newhansen]

Nice video! I've made a transcription of the tab for both guitars.

[@jimmy2sticks]

could you link to it, if it's available for general consumption? TYVMIA

[@newhansen]

I can, I don't think it's possible to link it here though. Would you send me a pm?

[@stevensilva1442]

I'll second that, sent

[@dontbescaredofit]

hook me up please bro

[@Galaredon]

Can you please send it my way as well? Such a great song.

[@kittyshort5560]

this is excellent

[@kittyshort5560]

Kitty Short *how

[@Flifella]

💓

[@climberjde]

Youve done it

[@nagmalitongyawa]

Thanks you.

[@themeltdown337]

Uff nice...

[@Tocy777isback0414]

WOW

[@bibekpawn6175]

my guitar gently weeps

[@nicollsandison331]

that's mint

[@marleyfrost1]

Oh fuck Will. Damn.

[@marleyfrost1]

Perfect. Done.

[@FramDamn]

10+

[@teddy7799wastaken]

tabs?

[@bbbr0f33uh]

NICE

[@climberjde]

Do elliott smith 👍

[@theyoutubegeek7493]

wow

[@trissuseno1067]

make a guitar tutorial for this please. :)

[@JLJarina]

Woww

[@themeltdown337]

Tab please

[@thecavalier6780]

damn,

[@baskarb]

10,000th view!

[@KylaAzucena]

at one moment, i thought he was felix (pewdiepie) amazing cover, though :)

[@corvo9443]

I should have known better To see what I could see My black shroud Holding down my feelings A pillar for my enemies I should have wrote a letter And grieve what I happen to grieve My black shroud I never trust my feelings I waited for the remedy When I was three, three maybe four She left us at that video store Oh, be my rest, be my fantasy Oh, be my rest, be my fantasy I'm light as a feather I'm bright as the Oregon breeze My black shroud Frightened by my feelings I only wanna be a relief No, I'm not a go-getter The demon had a spell on me My black shroud Captain of my feelings The only thing I wanna believe When I was three, and free to explore I saw her face on the back of the door Oh, be my rest, be my fantasy Oh, be my rest, be my fantasy I should have known better Nothing can be changed The past is still the past The bridge to nowhere I should have wrote a letter Explaining what I feel, that empty feeling Don't back down, concentrate on seeing The breakers in the bar, the neighbor's greeting My brother had a daughter The beauty that she brings, illumination Don't back down, there is nothing left The breakers in the bar, no reason to live I'm a fool in the fetter Rose of Aaron's beard, where you can reach me Don't back down, nothing can be changed Cantilever bridge, the drunken sailor My brother had a daughter The beauty that she brings, illumination Illumination

[@antoniomendoza1059]

Man that was good. You nailed it my friend!