Eugene
Sufjan Stevens Lyrics
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What if I'd never seen hysterical light from Eugene?
Lemon yogurt, remember I pulled at your shirt
I dropped the ashtray on the floor
I just wanted to be near you
Emerald Park, wonders never cease
The man who taught me to swim, he couldn't quite say my first name
And he called me "Subaru"
And now I want to be near you
Since I was old enough to speak I've said it with alarm
Some part of me was lost in your sleeve
Where you hid your cigarettes
No I'll never forget
I just want to be near you
Still I pray to what I cannot see
In the sprinkler I mark the evidence known from the start
From the bed near your death, and all the machines that made a mess
Far away the falcon flew
Now I want to be near you
What's left is only bittersweet
For the rest of my life, admitting the best is behind me
Now I'm drunk and afraid, wishing the world would go away
What's the point of singing songs
If they'll never even hear you?
The lyrics of Sufjan Stevens's "Eugene" explore themes of nostalgia, loss, and longing for connection. The first verse describes a moment of sensory overload ("hysterical light") from a lemon tree, followed by a memory of dropping an ashtray and a desire to be close to someone. In the second verse, Stevens recalls a man who taught him to swim but struggled to pronounce his name ("Subaru"), ultimately framing him as a father figure. The repetition of "And now I want to be near you" throughout the song creates a sense of yearning for connection.
The third verse shifts to a more somber tone, with Stevens describing a moment of prayer amidst the mundanity of a sprinkler. He reflects on the "machines that made a mess" near someone's deathbed and their eventual flight, portraying a sense of loss and the desire to be closer to those moments. The final verse brings the song full circle, acknowledging the bittersweet reality that the best moments may be behind us. Stevens expresses a desire to escape ("wishing the world would go away") and questions the point of creating art if it may go unheard.
Overall, "Eugene" is a poignant reflection on the complexities of human relationships and the fleeting nature of life itself.
Line by Line Meaning
Light struck from the lemon tree
The lemon tree had a moment of illumination
What if I'd never seen hysterical light from Eugene?
Imagine if I hadn't witnessed Eugene's outburst of emotion
Lemon yogurt, remember I pulled at your shirt
You remember that time I tugged at your shirt while we were eating lemon yogurt
I dropped the ashtray on the floor
I accidentally let the ashtray fall from my hands and hit the floor
I just wanted to be near you
All I wanted was to be in your presence
Emerald Park, wonders never cease
I am constantly amazed when I think about Emerald Park
The man who taught me to swim, he couldn't quite say my first name
The person who taught me how to swim had trouble pronouncing my name
Like a Father he led community water on my head
As if he were my own father, he placed me in the water during a community ceremony
And he called me "Subaru"
He gave me a nickname, "Subaru"
And now I want to be near you
All I want is to be close to you
Since I was old enough to speak I've said it with alarm
Ever since I was young, I've been warning people about some danger or another
Some part of me was lost in your sleeve
I feel like a part of myself was left behind in your shirt sleeve
Where you hid your cigarettes
I noticed you would often hide your cigarettes in your sleeve
No I'll never forget
I won't ever forget about it
I just want to be near you
Being close to you is all I desire
Still I pray to what I cannot see
I continue to pray to an unseen force
In the sprinkler I mark the evidence known from the start
In the sprinkler water, I see the clues that were present all along
From the bed near your death, and all the machines that made a mess
I remember being near your deathbed, as the machines beeped and whirred and made a commotion
Far away the falcon flew
At that moment, a falcon flew far off into the distance
Now I want to be near you
I wish I was closer to you now
What's left is only bittersweet
All that remains is something both sweet and melancholy
For the rest of my life, admitting the best is behind me
From now on, I will accept that the best moments of my life have already taken place
Now I'm drunk and afraid, wishing the world would go away
I am both intoxicated and scared, wanting everything to disappear
What's the point of singing songs
I wonder, what is the reason for singing?
If they'll never even hear you?
What if nobody even listens to your music?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Sufjan Stevens
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hawksnacks-2419
Light struck from the lemon tree
What if I’d never seen hysterical light from Eugene?
Lemon yogurt, remember I pulled at your shirt
I dropped the ashtray on the floor
I just wanted to be near you
Emerald Park, wonders never cease
The man who taught me to swim, he couldn't quite say my first name
Like a Father, he led community water on my head
And he called me “Subaru”
And now I want to be near you
Since I was old enough to speak, I've said it with alarm
Some part of me was lost in your sleeve
Where you hid your cigarettes
No, I’ll never forget
I just want to be near you
Still, I pray to what I cannot see
In the sprinkler, I mark the evidence known from the start
From the bed near your death, and all the machines that made a mess
Far away, the falcon flew
Now I want to be near you
What’s left is only bittersweet
For the rest of my life, admitting the best is behind me
Now I’m drunk and afraid, wishing the world would go away
What’s the point of singing songs
If they’ll never even hear you?
@klatkyllingen
Sufjan: "♪ lemon yoghurt ♫"
Me: thanks I want to die
@domuv383
hahahahah
@galihhad
me literally
@wolfgangmercury774
Are you suicidal?
@detectivezinc1365
why?
@hospital4146
i love the replies not knowing this is a tumblr post and thinking op actually wants to die bc sufjan said lemon yoghurt
@lawrencecook9300
I call my Subaru "Sufjan"
@lilyvenable4327
That's beautiful
@edmundmetzold
You to Sufjan: "Call my Subaru by your name and I'll call your Subaru by mine"
@JimmyChaos1985
'Now I'm drunk and and afraid / wishing the world would go away / what's the point in singing songs / If they'll never even hear you'