Uranus
Sufjan Stevens Nico Muhly Bryce Dessner Lyrics


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What are you now?e
Castrated by your son
The odd spring scattered on the deep
From Aphrodesia

You sexless fraud
From chaos choreographed
Defiled us in a fit of rage
The earth will find its way

Violent storm, from mysterious vengeance lies
Born from incest, as the evidence flipped its eyes

Cross me with your wildness
Snake-eyed warrior's knife

Aquarius
The scorpion
Your venom kiss
My guardian
I trust your touch
I trust your cries
Render the knife
Cut off my kind





My, you, they, we, us

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song, Uranus, by Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly and Bryce Dessner, are complex and enigmatic. The first few lines, "What are you now? Castrated by your son. The odd spring scattered on the deep, from Aphrodesia" suggest a complicated relationship between two characters, possibly a father and his son. The son has castrated the father, rendering him sexless and powerless. However, the mention of "Aphrodesia", which is the goddess of love and sex in Greek mythology, could be interpreted as the son taking the father's virility and using it for himself.


The next few lines, "You sexless fraud, from chaos choreographed. Defiled us in a fit of rage, the earth will find its way" adds to the complexity of the relationship. The father is described as a "sexless fraud", which could imply that his power lay in his sexuality. The son, therefore, has stripped him of this power, exposing him as a fraud. The mention of chaos reinforces this idea - the son has disrupted the order that his father imposed upon the world. The line "the earth will find its way" suggests that the natural order will eventually be restored, despite the chaos.


The rest of the lyrics is equally enigmatic, referring to violent storms, mysterious vengeance, and snakes. The mention of Aquarius and the scorpion could be references to astrology. Overall, the lyrics of Uranus are open to interpretation, but they suggest a complex relationship between two characters, possibly a father and his son, and their struggle for power.


Line by Line Meaning

What are you now?
Asking about the current state of the subject


Castrated by your son
Subject has been emasculated figuratively by their own child


The odd spring scattered on the deep
Referring to strange, unusual symbols or things that have spread throughout society


From Aphrodesia
Implying that the subject is associated with sensual pleasures and indulgence


You sexless fraud
Accusation that the subject is dishonest and has no sexuality


From chaos choreographed
Implying that events may seem random, but are actually being manipulated


Defiled us in a fit of rage
The subject has committed acts of abuse or misconduct in a state of anger


The earth will find its way
Implies that nature will eventually balance itself out


Violent storm, from mysterious vengeance lies
Refers to dangerous events or situations that are caused by unknown motives


Born from incest, as the evidence flipped its eyes
Indicating that a problem has arisen from something that was hidden or kept secret


Cross me with your wildness
Asking the subject to bring their craziness to the table


Snake-eyed warrior's knife
A metaphorical weapon representing cunningness and tactics


Aquarius
A reference to the zodiac sign, which is associated with spontaneity


The scorpion
Another zodiac sign, which represents danger and passion


Your venom kiss
A reference to a toxic, negative influence on the subject


My guardian
The subject is seen as a protector or guide


I trust your touch
The subject's actions are seen as beneficial or calming


I trust your cries
The subject's emotions are seen as genuine and trustworthy


Render the knife
A request to use the aforementioned tactics


Cut off my kind
To separate from one's own people or group


My, you, they, we, us
Implying that everyone is connected and associated with the same experiences




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, James McAllister

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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