The Avalanche
Sufjan Stevens Lyrics


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I call you cabin neighbors
I call you once my friends
But I trust when you labor
And put my head to rest

But I was on the hatch
I was on the avalanche
And I had found my match
I was on the floor

I took a train from Virginia
To Illinois, my home
He said â??I knew you had it in you
A mind to make its ownâ??

But I was on the hatch
Riding on the avalanche
I tried to take it back
I was on the floor

Come on stone
Come on star
Come on snow
Come on car
Come on hands
Come on feet
Come on face
Come on street
Come on state
Come on song
Move it fast
Move it along

Come on life
Come on Lord




Make it right
Make it yours

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Sufjan Stevens's song "The Avalanche" are a poignant reminder of the struggles and challenges faced along the journey of life. The singer, who calls the people around him "cabin neighbors" and "friends", acknowledges that he trusts these people to support him when he needs rest. Despite this, the singer finds himself on the "hatch" of an "avalanche", illustrating the feeling of being powerless and helpless in the face of difficulties. The line "I had found my match" could potentially refer to the singer facing overwhelming odds, or perhaps even his own limitations.


The second verse details the singer's journey from Virginia to Illinois, where he is told that he possesses the ability to create something unique and original: "A mind to make its own". However, as the first verse, it is revealed that he is still struggling to cope with the "avalanche" that has taken him down. The chorus calls for the various elements of life to come together, "stone", "star", "snow", "car", "hands", "feet", "face", "street", "state", "song", to "move it fast" and "move it along", echoing the idea of the singer feeling trapped and unable to move forward. The final line "Make it right / Make it yours" is perhaps an appeal to a higher power to help right the singer's struggles and challenges.


Line by Line Meaning

I call you cabin neighbors
I address you all as the ones who reside in the neighboring cabin


I call you once my friends
I used to consider you all my close friends


But I trust when you labor
Even though we may have grown distant, I have faith in your hard work and dedication


And put my head to rest
I can rely on you to help me relax and find peace of mind


But I was on the hatch
However, I found myself on a precarious footing


I was on the avalanche
I was caught in a dangerous and unstoppable situation


And I had found my match
I realized I had come across a challenge that pushed me to my limits


I was on the floor
I was defeated and at the mercy of my surroundings


I took a train from Virginia
I boarded a train departing from Virginia


To Illinois, my home
My ultimate destination was Illinois, where I belong


He said 'I knew you had it in you
Someone expressed their belief in my abilities and potential


A mind to make its own'
They recognized my ability to forge my own path


Riding on the avalanche
Continuing on with my previous experience, being carried away by a dangerous situation


I tried to take it back
I attempted to regain control and undo what had been done


Come on stone
Addressing objects of the natural world around me


Come on star
Urging celestial objects to move forth


Come on snow
Inviting the snow to come and pile up


Come on car
Inviting cars to go down the road quickly


Come on hands
Asking my hands to work faster and better


Come on feet
Asking my feet to walk more efficiently


Come on face
Urging my facial expressions to communicate more effectively


Come on street
Calling out to the road to facilitate my movement


Come on state
Addressing my emotional and mental state


Come on song
Inviting music to move me and affect me deeply


Move it fast
Demanding more speed and urgency in everything around me


Move it along
Urging the world to progress and move forward


Come on life
Inviting life and all its experiences to unfold before me


Come on Lord
Calling out to a higher power to guide me and grant me clarity


Make it right
Asking for the world to correct itself and balance out


Make it yours
Offering the world to a divine presence to take ownership and steer according to their will




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: SUFJAN STEVENS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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