Sufjan Stevens - Romulus

Sufjan Stevens playing "Romulus" live in San Francisco.

[@DavidLawsonTalksOnstage]

Beautiful. We'll be talking about him in 50 years.

[@annettedanna2718]

David Lawson your prediction is a quarter of the way correct already.

[@jonnystovall5247]

He's gonna have a legendary discography

[@Elliotkelly00]

Found him 5 years ago and will be doing the same :)

[@chinchiIIa]

Waiting for this comment to be 50 years old is what keeps me going

[@indinding]

I almost cried when he sang 'I was ashamed of her'. How could someone wrote this song so beautifully?

[@Notesofcitrus]

When I saw him live I cried at least 5 times, but MAN if he played this song I would sob so damn hard. I feel like he's been the soundtrack to my entire life.

[@MrKimpanzee]

+tenfortunecookies Never seen him live, but I can relate to this song and your crying. I can't really hear it without breaking down. I love this guy.

[@Banecouch]

+tenfortunecookies Yeah... I can see why - his songs cut to the core. Several of his songs make me cry almost every time without fail.

[@ggthewhale]

Hey man same

[@amyc2563]

I was at this show, and I can tell you, I cried....only concert I ever cried at. It was at St. Paul's Trinity Centre...a beautiful little church in Toronto. We sat in pews. And at risk of sounding dramatic, it was a holy experience.

[@meganspencer805]

I saw him in Orlando and heard “Fourth of July” for the first time live. The TEARS. It was amazing though.

[@TheBoss2332]

I think that in the beginning it is the perspective of a young kid who feels that he is not good enough in his mother's eyes and he feels ashamed about that. Then as he grows up he sees what she is really like and he is ashamed to have her as a mother and of who she is.

[@finkey29]

its almost like the prequel to carrie and lowell

[@Akira-jk1lq]

@@finkey29 my father died this year after 19 years of off and on contact. Both this song and the entire Carrie and Lowell album helped me so much in finding clarity from this situation. Love Subaru so much honestly.

[@lauraberkholtz7959]

Of all the sad songs he's ever sung. This is the saddest and one of the most beautiful. I don't know how he sings this without crying.

[@myxomatosis.]

what a respectful crowd!

[@rodrigosalad]

I still cry when I listen to this

[@visitur4914]

annnnnd... still.

[@juliet6355]

sufjan is really a once-in-a-lifetime artist. I’m so thankful for this beautiful man

[@lilysmith3688]

I'm so glad someone posted this, from what I've heard he very very rarely plays this song live

[@teaandcakeordeath]

i completely agree with the person who says he'll still be talked about 50 years from now. amazing, amazing musician. his songs are so visual

[@Texaschilipepper]

As a former resident of Romulus, this song portrays the sadness that I hold when I see the deteriation of the area. It is really falling into decay as the Metro Airport swallows what little is left of memories of small time suburban Detroit.

[@Neelvar]

Incredibly moving. He has such a gift of telling stories in a way that makes you feel them deeply.

[@346soccerchick]

This song is totally unrelated to anything in my life, yet it breaks my heart anyway. Beautiful. Emotionally stirring.

[@ajsledzep]

This story is about having a dysfunctional mother who runs around and doesn't take care of her kids when they are young. So, the grandfather (who dies in the song) is the one that takes care of them while she is gone. The kids grow up and move away, but the pain and shame of their mother still remains.

[@GottaLoveMaia]

better than the studio version. absolutely amazing.

[@blinddig7525]

nah the studio version is unmatched

[@sungandco]

One of the best artists alive---now or ever. Great video.

[@korlu01]

Sometimes I think that KZbin requires people out there to just dislike videos to keep some kind of balance at work. How could someone not like this? It's so moving. It's one of the realest songs ever made. His ability to simply reveal so much about his life, while keeping the nostalgic selective awareness of childhood, and yet saying so little. What a way to write a song. It is straight from this persons heart. I'm obsessed with this song. I just want to keep getting more and more meaning out of it. It's like a new girlfriend you just want to keep fucking again and again

[@DoItAgain313]

Maybe someone doesn't like the quality of the video? I can't really see any other reason.

[@korlu01]

Yeah that must be the case

[@cinitrom]

This song makes me cry every single time I hear it. I love it.

[@aaronphilip2918]

i see all these comments are 13 years old i hope you all are doing well

[@jessb_nuttall]

I always come back to this video because it's so spine-tinglingly good

[@benji19842002]

this song wrecks me every time...when he finally just comes out and declares that he is ashamed of her, whew...

[@taruuuu]

the best to ever do it. i love you so much sufjan

[@fillXinXblankXstares]

I love how he does the shoelace guitar strap

[@Notesofcitrus]

I agree about crying, this would be unbelievable to see live

[@davthom]

Gonna take a while for these goosebumps to go away I think

[@abyssal666nocturnus]

he killed this performance. im at work and had a play list of sufjan going and this came on and i thought it was just a low quality audio file but its him playing freaking LIVE. now thats good.

[@recalljessica]

Let me clear you guys up. This is from the album Michigan. There is a town in MI called Romulus. And in case you've never been to MI, or have known a group of people from Michigan, my husband will tell you there is something about Michiganders that is "unique". Something about those lakes blocking us in. But this song is tender, and truthful and all about what I saw growing up in MI.

[@stompee_]

this video is from before I was born wow

[@earart616]

what a little bed head -- adorable!

[@pomegwanate]

Tears. Legit tears. This is so beautiful.

[@visitur4914]

Same! I can't even get halfway through the first verse without tearing up, because I know what's coming.

[@margotdelrey]

omg... so old, so brilliant.

[@GravyLazer]

I think the reason Mr. Stevens is so popular is that all of his songs have such a feeling of home. It's like he's painting a picture of his past and everyone else's at the same time.

[@horsewrecker]

so dearly sad... but so expressly lovely.

[@ReminiscentStudios]

me too... especially relaxing with friends on a warm summer evening, not a care in the world. I just moved to California from Michigan and I miss it a lot, especially since i don't know anyone out here. This song feels so wonderfully nostalgic. I love Sufjan

[@54spiritedwill54]

romulus is one of my favorite songs by him.

[@klaustholken274]

My favorite song of him!

[@Sef1111]

thanks for being there sufjan

[@evelinamorgan4652]

One of my favorite Suf songs... I had never seen him play this live. 💚 Thanks, it's awesome

[@jeansouzarj]

don't have words for this. awesome. SUFJAN BRILHANTE COMO SEMPRE. oh, please, come to brazil.

[@progftw]

It's ok, guys. We're all a little gay for Sufjan.

[@marylynne5238]

No doubt. He's lovely.

[@meadbook999]

Fantastic!

[@raissasaurus]

holy i love everything that he ever does he is amazing.

[@rjescobar7518]

i cry

[@tellmeimamazing]

this is the saddest, most beautiful and most poignant song.

[@mariamariaa]

I don't even really know what to say when I watch this. I am just in awe.

[@revisitingmadmen6836]

Thank you for sharing

[@lovefortherun]

Beautiful man.

[@ejh2066]

this is my comfort song

[@kazoh0lic]

He is a legend.

[@Khasar]

Love this song so much.

[@raissasaurus]

so beautiful

[@Rosalee2424]

Beautiful.

[@brilloobrill1846]

So as not to ruin the song, I only listen every three years or so, and having had an atrocious mother, it's a real emotional slap.

[@taherehaa]

I love that man.

[@elsquibbs]

Fantastic song.

[@mountainmmama]

oh god this man is AMAZING ! ! ! !! ! ! ! !

[@MissKenzieLoVe]

amazing

[@almostvanilla]

This song always reminds me of Michigan...

[@noodlenate]

3:27 seems to be accidental, but it totally rocks and adds a bunch to the song.

[@alram8143]

3:25

[@carolineairoline]

sometimes people can hear meaning in the music, not the words. it doesn't matter what you get out of this song. its different for everyone. I think it is beautiful.

[@ebelskivers]

i just looked up the lyrics. i always thought it was "when i turned gay, i was ashamed," instead of "when my turn came, i was ashamed." wooops

[@Peterromulus]

Great - Great - Great

[@outland2442]

THANKS FOR ANSWERING

[@GobbyRocks]

i think im in love

[@iluvacslater]

incredible

[@switchfootroxs]

@rameychix I don't think so...I think he wasn't sure of the lyrics so he kind of stopped for a second ...love this song

[@peligia]

great tune

[@dm8ns]

Ok, I'll admit it. He's my man crush.

[@SarahGlassmusic]

no words

[@manaya783]

Oooooh taaaaampppoonnns!

[@DoctorWha]

Sujan will always be one of the finest musicians in North America! He made a song called Romulus for fucks sake!

[@flippowitsforyou]

@luksonije Romulus, Michigan. He's talking about a town.

[@greenpowerranger7]

The 8 people that dislike this have no soul

[@chrisfranz]

is this a true story about him?

[@PadraicSR]

"our grandpa died in a hospital gown she didn't seem to care she smoked in her room, and colored her hair" i think he was expecting a different reaction from the death. she didn't seem to care and just went on with her life. "and i was ashamed, i was ashamed of her"

[@te33ss]

美しい

[@bradypeters]

he does seem sad. :( but such a beautiful song...

[@TheGirlYouDoNotKnow]

wow this is a really sad song.

[@calumlynn]

If you don't care about the meaning of this song then you don't deserve to listen to music like this.

[@outland2442]

Very moving song,but I am missing that banjo!

[@outland2442]

i dont think i understand what you mean by "sick joke".please explain.

[@MrWipcarrot]

Its our time is coming. I can FEEL it coming. Time to say something, an this time its gonna fucking matter, or it's just a fashion again??

[@mrmonkeybuns]

one of my fav ex girlfriends was from romulus ?

[@talesc.6406]

2006 😰😰

[@DeluxeRyan]

A shame you have to dig to find this kind of music

[@HiAdrian]

he's not the son of Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam) :)

[@nikogo1980]

tu polak.. ahahah ... fajna piosenka, taka goniąca uciekające wspomnienia

[@CitaSenoritalovesJP]

I couldn't care less if this a happy OR not happy song!

[@catchat105]

he seems so sad...

[@outland2442]

is Sufjan Stevens Cat Stevens son?anyone?

[@TakenTook]

No relation. And before Cat Stevens was Cat Stevens, he was Steven Georgiou.

[@KatalaEtak]

Is he talking about a town? Because it definitely sounds to me like he's talking about either his own or someone else's disinterested mother...it's quite moving actually, very sad.

[@CitaSenoritalovesJP]

This song kind of always makes me laugh just because im from Romulus. HAHA

[@drummermylo]

He's like Austin Powers... "Women want him and men want to BE him." Sounded great of course, but it's too bad this song didn't have the banjo lead though.

[@CitaSenoritalovesJP]

lol

[@Skullz930]

@ebelskivers, You should be ashamed lmao XD

[@sumiregusa]

It'd be different if he was just pretty to look at, but he sounds pretty too. Lofty sigh.

[@andreagabrielles]

But it's Arabic.

[@jessb_nuttall]

so beautiful

[@MgoBlueNo01]

amazing