Music Video

Sufjan Stevens, "John My Beloved" (Official Audio)
Watch Sufjan Stevens, "John My Beloved" (Official Audio) on YouTube

Featured In

Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS
Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens
Lead Vocals
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens
Songwriter
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens
Producer
Josh Bonati
Josh Bonati
Mastering Engineer
Brian Joseph
Brian Joseph
Engineer
Patrick Dillett
Patrick Dillett
Mixing Engineer
Thomas Bartlett
Thomas Bartlett
Producer

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Are we to speak?
First day of the week
Stumbling words at the bar
Beauty blue eyes
My order of fries
Long Island kindness and wine
Beloved of John
I get it all wrong
I read you for some kind of poem
Covered in lines
The fossils I find
Have they no life of their own?
[Chorus]
So can we pretend, sweetly?
Before the mystery ends
I am a man with a heart that offends with its lonely and greedy demands
There's only a shadow of me, in a matter of speaking, I'm dead
[Verse 2]
Such a waste, your beautiful face
Stumbling carpet arise
Go follow your gem
Your white feathered friend
Icarus, point to the sun
If history speaks of two baby teeth
I'm painting the hills blue and red
They said, "Beware"
Lord, hear my prayer
I've wasted my throes on your head
[Chorus]
So can we be friends, sweetly?
Before the mystery ends
I love you more than the world can contain in its lonely and ramshackle head
There's only a shadow of me, in a matter of speaking, I'm dead
[Verse 3]
I'm holding my breath
My tongue on your chest
What can be said of my heart?
If history speaks, the kiss on my cheek
Where there remains but a mark
Beloved, my John
So I'll carry on
Counting my cards down to one
And when I am dead
Come visit my bed
My fossil is bright in the sun
[Chorus]
So can we contend, peacefully?
Before my history ends
Jesus, I need You, be near me, come shield me from fossils that fall on my head
There's only a shadow of me, in a matter of speaking, I'm dead
Written by: Sufjan Stevens
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