Romulus
Sufjan Stevens Lyrics


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Once when our mother called
She had a voice of last year's cough
We passed around the phone
Sharing a word about Oregon
When my turn came, I was ashamed
When my turn came, I was ashamed

Once when moved away
She came to Romulus for a day
Her Chevrolet broke down
We prayed it'd never be fixed or be found
We touched her hair, we touched her hair
We touched her hair, we touched her hair

When she had her last child
Once when she had some boyfriends, some wild
She moved away, quite far
Our grandpa bought us a new VCR
We watched it all night, we grew up in spite of it
We watched it all night, we grew up in spite of it

We saw her once last fall
Our grandpa died in a hospital gown
She didn't seem to care
She smoked in her room and colored her hair

I was ashamed, I was ashamed of her
I was ashamed, I was ashamed of her




I was ashamed, I was ashamed of her
I was ashamed, I was ashamed of her

Overall Meaning

In Sufjan Stevens's song "Romulus," the singer reflects on memories of his mother as he grew up in Romulus, Michigan. The song is poignant in its portrayal of a difficult family history and the emotional complexities that come with it. The first verse describes a phone conversation the singer had with his mother "last year's cough," suggesting that the relationship is strained and their communication infrequent. The singer feels ashamed when it's his turn to speak, perhaps due to a lack of achievement or disappointment in his mother's eyes.


The second verse tells the story of when the mother returned to Romulus but her car broke down, and the family kept it that way so that she would stay longer. The physical act of touching her hair is a tender moment in an otherwise difficult relationship, and it suggests that there are still remnants of love and affection between them. The third verse describes a time when the mother had a child of her own and moved far away, leaving behind boyfriends and a VCR that the family watched all night long. The line "we grew up in spite of it" is particularly poignant, as it suggests that the family had to rely on each other to survive and thrive through difficult times.


The final verse sees the mother return to Romulus again, this time for the grandfather's funeral. The singer notes that the mother "didn't seem to care," smoking and coloring her hair in her room. The repetition of "I was ashamed" throughout the song suggests that the singer himself feels guilty for harboring these negative feelings towards his mother, even as he reflects on the difficult memories of their relationship.


Overall, "Romulus" is a powerful song about family dynamics, regret, and the complexities of love and affection. It shows how difficult family histories can influence our emotions and relationships as we grow up and move forward in life.


Line by Line Meaning

Once when our mother called
The story begins with the singer remembering a phone conversation with his siblings when their mother called.


She had a voice of last year's cough
The mother's voice was hoarse and tired, like she had been sick for a long time.


We passed around the phone
The siblings took turns talking to their mother on the phone.


Sharing a word about Oregon
They talked about their home state of Oregon.


When my turn came, I was ashamed
The artist was ashamed to talk to his mother for some reason.


Once when moved away
The singer's mother moved away at some point in the past.


She came to Romulus for a day
She visited Romulus, a place the singer and his siblings lived, for a single day.


Her Chevrolet broke down
Her car, a Chevrolet, stopped working.


We prayed it'd never be fixed or be found
The artist and his siblings didn't want their mother to leave and secretly hoped her car wouldn't be fixed.


We touched her hair, we touched her hair
The artist and his siblings have a tender moment with their mother and touch her hair.


When she had her last child
The mother had another child at some point in the past.


Once when she had some boyfriends, some wild
The mother had several wild boyfriends at some point.


She moved away, quite far
The mother moved far away from her children.


Our grandpa bought us a new VCR
The singer's grandfather bought them a new VCR (video cassette recorder).


We watched it all night, we grew up in spite of it
The singer and his siblings watched movies all night despite the absence of their mother and her influence, and grew up without her.


We saw her once last fall
The artist and his siblings saw their mother one last time in the fall.


Our grandpa died in a hospital gown
The artist's grandfather died in a hospital gown.


She didn't seem to care
The mother didn't seem to care about their grandfather's death.


She smoked in her room and colored her hair
The mother smoked and dyed her hair while staying in a room.


I was ashamed, I was ashamed of her
The artist feels ashamed of his mother's behavior.


I was ashamed, I was ashamed of her
The artist reiterates his shame towards his mother.


I was ashamed, I was ashamed of her
The artist expresses his shame towards his mother one more time.


I was ashamed, I was ashamed of her
The singer concludes the song with a repetition of his shame.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SUFJAN STEVENS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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