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Impossible Soul
Sufjan Stevens Lyrics


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Ooh, woman, tell me what you want
And I'll calm down without bleeding out
With a broken heart that you stabbed for an hour
Woman, I was freaking out because I want you to know
My beloved, you are the lover of my impossible soul

Woman, too, promise me you'll stay and put off all your woes
I was wigging out, too much worry
I could not get you at all
And you said what you want, you would laugh it off
But I know you won't go, not for it at last
Must you write it off for the impossible soul?
And I was in a dream, I was gone away without you, but not too slow
Lest I put it off, for I put it right for the impossible soul

And all I couldn't sing, I would say it all, my life, to you
If I could get you at all
Don't be a wreck, trying to be something that I wasn't at all

Seems I got it wrong, I was chasing after something that was gone
To the black of night, now I know it's not what I wanted at all
And you said something like, "All you want is all the world for yourself"
But all I want is the perfect love
Though I know it's small, I want love for us all

And all I couldn't sing, I would say it all, my life, to you
If I could get you at all
Trying to be something that I wasn't at all

Do you want to be afraid?
Do you want to be afraid?
For life in the cage where courage's mate runs deep in the wake
For the scariest things are not half as enslaved

Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Do you want to be alone?
Do you want to be alone?
For life isn't stained of righteousness pain
The seed and the hail, all impossible flights for an interesting light

Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Do you want to love me more?
Do you want to love me more?
For love is the breath
If water and wave is cursed by the same thing that nurtured its shame
Is it worth all the work?

Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Have you failed to feel delight? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
Have you failed to feel delight? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
Instead of the life, lived tired and lost, have you left it at last
Where it floundered its death with the language of ghosts

Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Do you want to be afraid? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
Do you want to be afraid? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
For life in the cage where where courage's mate runs deep in the wake
For the scariest things are not half as enslaved

Don't be distracted, don't be distracted

No... Don't be distracted

Stupid man in the window, I couldn't be at rest
All my delight, all that mattered, I couldn't be at rest
From what I liked, from what I gathered, I couldn't be at rest
Stupid man in the window, I couldn't be at rest

And don't be shy in the window
Come down and give your best
Oh, delight in the window I couldn't be at rest
Stupid man in the window, I couldn't be at rest
From what I liked, from what I gathered, I couldn't give my best

Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to breathe at all
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to breathe at all
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to breathe at all
Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to speak at all

1, 2 3, 4!

It's a long life, better pinch yourself,
Put your face together, better get it right
It's a long life, better hit yourself
Put your face together, better stand up straight
It's a long life, only one last chance
Couldn't get much better, do you wanna dance?
It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Get your face together, better stand up straight

Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better give love, give love, give love, give love)
Boy, we can do much more together,
(better get it right, get it right get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together it's not so impossible
It's not so impossible

It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Get your face together, better roll along
It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Put your face together, better stand up straight
It's a long life only one last chance
Couldn't get much better, do you wanna dance?
It's a good life, better pinch yourself
Is it impossible? Is it impossible?
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get a life, get a life, get a life, get a life)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy we can do much more together, it's not so impossible
It's not so impossible

It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Put your face together, better get it right
It's a long life, better hit yourself
Put your face together, better stand up straight
In the wrong life, everything is chance
Does it register? Do you wanna dance?
In the right life, it's a miracle
Possibility, do you wanna dance?

Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get a life, get a life, get a life, get a life)
Boy, we can do much more together
(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
Boy, we can do much more together
It's not so impossible

Do you wanna dance?

Boy, we can do much more together
It's not so impossible

I never meant to cause you pain
My burden is the weight of a feather
I never meant to lead you on
I only meant to please me, however

And then you tell me, boy, we can do much more
Boy, we can do much more
Boy, we can do much more together
Boy, we can do much more together

I'm nothing but a selfish man
I'm nothing but a privileged brother
And did you think I'd stay the night?
And did you think I'd love you forever?
And then you tell me, boy, we can do much more

I gotta tell you, girl, I want nothing less
Girl, I want nothing less
Girl, I want nothing less than pleasure
Girl, I want nothing less than pleasure

I gotta tell you, boy, we made such a mess
Boy, we made such a mess
Boy, we made such a mess together
Boy we made such a mess together

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Sufjan Stevens's song Impossible Soul appear to reveal the complicated emotions of someone who is deeply in love but struggling to express it. The song begins with the artist addressing his beloved, asking her what she wants and promising not to freak out anymore. He refers to her as "the lover of my impossible soul," suggesting that she is the only one capable of understanding the depth and complexity of his emotions. The song then takes on a series of themes, including fear, pain, and the desire for perfect love. The repeated refrain of "boy, we can do much more together" seems to suggest that despite his doubts and fears, the artist believes in the possibility of a deeper connection with his beloved.


One interesting aspect of the song is its structure, which includes a number of different sections and a total running time of nearly 26 minutes. It is unusual for a single song to contain so many distinct parts, and this structure reflects the complexity of the emotions the artist is trying to convey. Another interesting feature of the song is the use of electronic sounds and effects, which give it a dreamy and otherworldly quality. This is particularly evident in the instrumental sections of the song, which are characterized by ethereal synths and pulsing rhythms.


Line by Line Meaning

Ooh, woman, tell me what you want
I am pleading with you, asking you to express your desires


And I'll calm down without bleeding out
I will find peace and serenity without sacrificing myself


With a broken heart that you stabbed for an hour
You hurt me deeply, causing me emotional pain for a significant period of time


Woman, I was freaking out because I want you to know
I was overwhelmed with anxiety because I wanted to make sure you understood


My beloved, you are the lover of my impossible soul
You, my dearest, are the person who understands and loves the deepest parts of me


Woman, too, promise me you'll stay and put off all your woes
Woman, please assure me that you will remain by my side and let go of all your worries


I was wigging out, too much worry
I was extremely anxious and overwhelmed with excessive concern


I could not get you at all
I couldn't understand you or your actions


And you said what you want, you would laugh it off
You brushed off your desires as if they were insignificant


But I know you won't go, not for it at last
But deep down, I know you won't leave, not because of those desires in the end


Must you write it off for the impossible soul?
Are you dismissing it for the part of me that you believe cannot be fulfilled?


And I was in a dream, I was gone away without you, but not too slow
I was lost in a state of illusion, detached from reality, but not for too long


Lest I put it off, for I put it right for the impossible soul
In order to avoid delaying it, I will address it directly for the part of me that seems unattainable


And all I couldn't sing, I would say it all, my life, to you
All the things I couldn't express through music, I would communicate to you, my whole life story


If I could get you at all
If only I could truly understand you


Don't be a wreck, trying to be something that I wasn't at all
Don't be a mess, pretending to be something that I'm not


Seems I got it wrong, I was chasing after something that was gone
It appears that I made a mistake, pursuing something that is no longer present


To the black of night, now I know it's not what I wanted at all
Into the darkness of the night, now I understand that it's not what I desired in the first place


And you said something like, "All you want is all the world for yourself"
And you made a comment implying, "Your desires are selfish, and you only care about your own happiness"


But all I want is the perfect love
But all I truly desire is a love that is flawless


Though I know it's small, I want love for us all
Even though it may seem insignificant, I long for love that encompasses everyone


Do you want to be afraid?
Are you willing to embrace fear?


For life in the cage where courage's mate runs deep in the wake
For a life confined in fear where bravery's companion lies dormant but powerful


For the scariest things are not half as enslaved
Because the most frightening aspects of life are not nearly as restricted


Don't be distracted, don't be distracted
Don't lose focus, don't get sidetracked


Do you want to be alone?
Do you desire solitude?


For life isn't stained of righteousness pain
Because life is not tarnished solely by painful righteousness


The seed and the hail, all impossible flights for an interesting light
Both the smallest beginnings and the harshest blows contribute to captivating moments of illumination


Do you want to love me more?
Do you wish to increase your love for me?


For love is the breath
Because love is the very essence of life


If water and wave is cursed by the same thing that nurtured its shame
When both water and wave are hindered by the same force that once nurtured their disgrace


Is it worth all the work?
Is it worthwhile to put in all the effort?


Have you failed to feel delight? (NO, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL PAIN)
Have you been unable to experience joy? (No, I refuse to feel pain)


Instead of the life, lived tired and lost, have you left it at last
Instead of leading a weary and aimless existence, have you finally abandoned it


Where it floundered its death with the language of ghosts
Where it ultimately met its demise, drowned in the ghostly language of the past


Stupid man in the window, I couldn't be at rest
Foolish man in the window, I couldn't find peace


All my delight, all that mattered, I couldn't be at rest
All the things that brought me joy, all that was significant, I couldn't find peace


From what I liked, from what I gathered, I couldn't be at rest
From all that I enjoyed, from all that I collected, I couldn't find peace


And don't be shy in the window
And don't be hesitant to step out of your comfort zone


Come down and give your best
Come down and give your utmost effort


Oh, delight in the window I couldn't be at rest
Oh, the joy I saw, yet I couldn't find peace


From what I liked, from what I gathered, I couldn't give my best
From all that I enjoyed, from all that I collected, I couldn't give my utmost effort


Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to breathe at all
Oh, I understand now that it wasn't secure, it wasn't safe to even take a breath


Oh, I know it wasn't safe, it wasn't safe to speak at all
Oh, I realize now that it was risky, it wasn't safe to utter a word


It's a long life, better pinch yourself
Life is indeed lengthy, so you should wake yourself up from complacency


Put your face together, better get it right
Get your act together, make sure you present yourself in the best way


It's a long life, better hit yourself
Life is indeed lengthy, so you should motivate yourself


Put your face together, better stand up straight
Get your act together, have good posture and appear confident


It's a long life, only one last chance
Life is indeed lengthy, but there's only one final opportunity


Couldn't get much better, do you wanna dance?
It couldn't possibly get any better, do you want to join me in celebrating?


Boy, we can do much more together
We can achieve so much more as a team


(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
(Make sure we do it correctly, perfectly, without any mistakes)


Boy, we can do much more together
We can accomplish so much more as a team


(Better give love, give love, give love, give love)
(We should provide love, show love, express love, and share love)


Boy, we can do much more together
We have the ability to achieve so much more as a team


(Better get it right, get it right get it right, get it right)
(We must make sure we do it correctly, perfectly, without any mistakes)


Boy, we can do much more together it's not so impossible
We can accomplish so much more as a team; it's not as challenging as it seems


It's a long life, only one last chance
Life is indeed lengthy, but there's only one final opportunity


Couldn't get much better, do you wanna dance?
It couldn't possibly get any better, do you want to join me in celebrating?


It's a good life, better pinch yourself
Life is indeed pleasant, so you should remind yourself that it's real


Is it impossible? Is it impossible?
Is it something that cannot be achieved? Is it truly impossible?


Boy, we can do much more together
We have the ability to accomplish so much more as a team


(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
(We must make sure we do it correctly, perfectly, without any mistakes)


Boy, we can do much more together
We can achieve so much more as a team


(Better get a life, get a life, get a life, get a life)
(We should pursue a meaningful existence, engage in life, embrace life, live life to the fullest)


Boy, we can do much more together
We have the ability to accomplish so much more as a team


(Better get it right, get it right, get it right, get it right)
(We must make sure we do it correctly, perfectly, without any mistakes)


Boy we can do much more together, it's not so impossible
We can achieve so much more as a team; it's not as challenging as it seems


Do you wanna dance?
Would you like to join me in celebrating?


Boy, we can do much more together
We have the ability to achieve so much more as a team


It's not so impossible
It's not as difficult as it appears


I never meant to cause you pain
I never intended to hurt you


My burden is the weight of a feather
The weight of my troubles is the lightest it can be


I never meant to lead you on
I never intended to give you false hope


I only meant to please me, however
I only intended to satisfy my own desires, regardless


I gotta tell you, girl, I want nothing less
I must confess, girl, I want nothing but the best


Girl, I want nothing less
Girl, I desire nothing that falls short


Girl, I want nothing less than pleasure
Girl, I seek nothing but sheer delight


I gotta tell you, boy, we made such a mess
I have to admit, boy, we created a chaotic situation


Boy, we made such a mess
Boy, our actions resulted in a complete disaster


Boy, we made such a mess together
Boy, together we caused a significant amount of chaos


Boy we made such a mess together
Boy, together we created a situation that is difficult to rectify




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: SUFJAN STEVENS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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