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Futile Devices
Sufjan Stevens Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's been a long, long time since I've memorized your face
It's been four hours now since I've wandered through your place
And when I sleep on your couch I feel very safe
And when you bring the blankets I cover up my face
I do love you
I do love you

And when you play guitar I listen to the strings buzz
The metal vibrates underneath your fingers
And when you crochet I feel mesmerized and proud
And I would say I love you, but saying it out loud
It's hard so I won't say it at all
And I won't stay very long
But you are the life I needed all along
I think of you as my brother
Although that sounds dumb
And words are futile devices

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Futile Devices by Sufjan Stevens describe the feeling of being near someone who you love but can't fully express your feelings to, either because of fear or a perceived lack of reciprocity. The first stanza describes the physical presence of the person and how it brings comfort and safety, but also the distance that has built up between them over time. The second stanza highlights the things the person loves about their loved one - their music and their hobbies - but also the difficulty they have with saying "I love you" out loud. The line "words are futile devices" sums up the difficulty of expressing love with words and the sense that actions and presence speak louder than words.


Throughout the song, there is a sense of melancholy and nostalgia that is heightened by the sparse instrumentation and Stevens' soft, tender voice. The overall effect is a bittersweet meditation on the ways in which love can be both comforting and elusive.


Line by Line Meaning

It's been a long, long time since I've memorized your face
It has been a considerable amount of time since the singer has memorized the appearance of their loved one's face


It's been four hours now since I've wandered through your place
The singer has been wandering around their loved one's place for approximately four hours


And when I sleep on your couch I feel very safe
The singer feels secure and protected when they sleep on their loved one's couch


And when you bring the blankets I cover up my face
When the loved one brings the blankets, the singer covers up their face to feel comfortable and relaxed


I do love you
The singer confirms their love for their significant other


And when you play guitar I listen to the strings buzz
The singer enjoys the sound of the buzzing strings when their loved one plays the guitar


The metal vibrates underneath your fingers
The metal strings vibrate when their loved one plays the guitar


And when you crochet I feel mesmerized and proud
The singer feels entranced and honored when they watch their loved one crochet


And I would say I love you, but saying it out loud
Although the singer wants to express their love for their loved one, they find it difficult to say it out loud


It's hard so I won't say it at all
The singer avoids saying 'I love you' as it is too difficult for them to articulate


And I won't stay very long
The singer won't stay for an extended period


But you are the life I needed all along
The singer realizes that their loved one is the vital component they were missing in their life


I think of you as my brother
The singer thinks of their loved one as a sibling


Although that sounds dumb
The singer acknowledges that their comparison may seem illogical and foolish


And words are futile devices
The singer believes that words are ultimately ineffective at conveying the depth of their emotions




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Sufjan Stevens

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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