Sufjan Stevens: Chicago.

My friend Molly recently told me a great story.  She was leading the youth group at her Field Ed site, and played Sufjan Steven's song, Chicago, from his album Illinoise.  Not long after, one of her students confessed: "I finally get what the Gospel means."  Wow.

His lyrics are paradoxically complex and simple, his music is unique, and his voice is haunting.  From what I understand, Sufjan is a Christian, but definitely appeals to a broad audience.  His music is by no means explicitly Christian, but you can definitely see the Gospel in much of his work. 

Click on the link below to read the lyrics to Chicago, and look for the Gospel message within...

   

Artist: Sufjan Stevens Album: Illinois Year: 2005 Title: Chicago

I fell in love again
all things go, all things go
drove to Chicago
all things know, all things know
we sold our clothes to the state
I don't mind, I don't mind
I made a lot of mistakes
in my mind, in my mind

you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
all things know, all things know
you had to find it
all things go, all things go

I drove to New York
in the van, with my friend
we slept in parking lots
I don't mind, I don't mind
I was in love with the place
in my mind, in my mind
I made a lot of mistakes
in my mind, in my mind

you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
all things know, all things know
you had to find it
all things go, all things go

if I was crying
in the van, with my friend
it was for freedom
from myself and from the land
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes

you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
all things know, all things know
you had to find it
all things go, all things go

you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
(I made a lot of mistakes)
all things know, all things know
(I made a lot of mistakes)
you had to find it
(I made a lot of mistakes)
all things go, all things go
(I made a lot of mistakes)

Comments

[-drm-]

Great album! I still prefer to pronounce his name "Suf" (as in Stuff without the 't') "Jan" (as in the abbreviation for the month we're in).

[Dvorsk]

Uhm, you might want to check your sources; Stevens is an avowed athiest, not that it makes the song any worse. Great song.

[Josh]

Thanks for the comment, Dvorsk.

Ya, I have read interviews where he says a little bit of everything about what he might believe. For now it does seem like God is doing something in him and through his music/lyrics, for sure.

You are right, still a great song.

[Liam]

Sufjan went to school at a Christian college in Michigan and has been host and participant at a Festival of Faith and Music at Christian Reformed college Calvin - same one Bush spoke at commencement. He is good friends with Danielson who is very outspoken as an evangelical. So Atheist? I don't think so.