Sufjan Stevens, "The Only Thing" (Official Audio) 

Sufjan makes this earth a little bit more beautiful than it is.

Sufjan Stevens, the only artist that can make a guitar sound like a harp.

As dark and terrible as it sounds, when depression and anxiety hits me hard I listen to this song, it's soothing to me, like cold water over a burn. It actually has helped me stop the though of killing myself for about two weeks by now. I hope Sufjan knows how terapeutic and precious his music is.

Sufjan has written an album that will help people keep it together during their darkest crises.

"The only thing that keeps me from cutting my arm, cross hatch, warm bath, Holiday-Inn after dark," Jesus Christ, this song is dark.

The thing about Sufjan is, the more fucked up your personal life gets, the more you can relate to his songs, every time go through this album it feels more and more intimate, maybe that's the genius

"I want to save you from your sorrow." Then that beautiful riff.

"Do I care if I survive this? Bury the dead where they’re found In a veil of great surprises; I wonder did you love me at all?"

Mom, I love you. I will miss you every day that I'm alive. Thank you for giving me a pulse so that I could be a great person for others. See you again.

I have never, ever heard music that more perfectly described what it is like to be a religious person dealing with depression and loss and trying to reconcile it with your faith. Or, for that matter, music that described depression better, period. This is literally perfect. It's too real. I am not joking when I say I literally cannot even.

Few artists can walk so perfectly the line between depression and bliss.

How does Sufjan make such terrifyingly tragic lyrics sound so beautiful and peaceful?

Sufjan genuinely helped me to cry about the lost of my mother. And I love him for that.

There aren't really enough words in the dictionary to describe my love for this man and his music.

it bothers me so much when Sufjan gets lumped in with other "sad indie folk guy" artists because he tackles the genre with more genuine love and sensitivity than anyone else

Hey guys, once again I am feeling suicidal and I feel I am in complete isolation with life. I am not asking for pity or anything but I am just trying show that depression effects everyone. Yesterday I was happy and smiling and today I feel like there is nothing I keeping me here. Living hurts so badly. I even cut myself again today after not doing it in a week. I know I have to keep trying and I will in the hope that life gets better; I just really hope it does.

I always listen to music with an open heart, and music always makes me feel things. But this is rare. It makes me weep, every time. I can't even describe the feelings it makes me feel because they don't seem logical... I find it devastating, but I keep coming back to it over and over, and not in a masochistic way. Sufjan, you're a fucking wizard.

Just ended a 3 year relationship, my ex sends me this. We still love each other, and are friends, but we know for certain that we don’t work. This song reminded me that I don’t have to stop loving her... my heart has enough room. Thank you Sufjan.

This is perfection within 5 minutes. Thank you Sufjan, we love you and wish you the best of strength and luck.

I honestly haven't felt like this listening to an album in years. This is perfection. Beautiful, tragic, perfection.

"I wanna safe you from your sorrow" hits me really hard

Hey. I see you. It’ll be ok.

"Should I tear my eyes out now? Everything I see returns to you somehow Should I tear my heart out now? Everything I feel returns to you somehow" Daaaaamn Sufj! You killing me bruh!!!

everything about this song is overwhelming. a lot of you say its the perfect description of depression and it really is but to me its more of a perfect description of missing or never having your parents love. i wish i could tell sufjan how much his story relates to mine sigh

I’ll take Groundhog Day.

I've been cuddling with this song for several nights. So much pain and beauty at the same time.

favorite track off the album

Holding a cup of tea and watch the sunset brings a bittersweet comfort. The serene beauty of the evening contrasts sharply with the deep ache inside me. Each note of the song resonates with the emptiness I feel, reminding me of how badly I miss her presence. The sunset's warmth and the tea's gentle embrace can't fill the void she left behind. It's a poignant reminder of the love lost and the enduring pain of her absence!!

I love most of the songs on Carrie and Lowell, but there's just something about this one that reaches that extra inch into my heart to give me that gut wrenching feeling. Most other Sufjan fans seem to prefer Should Have Known Better or Fourth of July, but for me The Only Thing is truly the one song on the album that makes me just... feel.

_"love, for you, is not like the usual romantic love. its like a religion. no one will ever want to sleep with you."_ - Richard Siken, _Litany in Which Certain Things Are Crossed Out_

Two years ago I escaped from an abusive relationship... I sobbed my heart out to this song for weeks. Happy to say I'm still here and piecing things back together. Thank you, Sufjan, for giving words to our pain.

You dont find this song. This song finds YOU...

It wasn't until after my guardian died that I was told of their bipolar disorder. To this day I have never been so close to anyone, loved so honestly and wholeheartedly. During my depression following her death, I lived solely for her for years. I knew she wanted me to be happy and she was my motivation to be. This song and this album have been such a great comfort to me. I really couldn't ask for more. it is a wonderful blessing to know I am not alone and neither is Sufjan. My heart goes out and beyond for him and so many others. This rare candid story of emotion could not be more of a blessing. I am so thankful

Just had a bad day at work and i may be expelled from college, and i arrived home and see my dog and he seems so happy to see me again and that just broke me to tears

i just want to leave something here for my Mom if u see this, everyday i love you more than my years that is yet to come, as well as papang, you are all my strength and my warmth, always remember me when my time comes

Anyone from the "Afterlife" sad-happy ending

it's almost 2017 and I'm almost positive that this is still my album of the decade so far.

I have listened to this song close to 50 times over the last two weeks but I only just realized the French Horn at 3:20. The beautifully subtle layers of instrumentation in this song perfectly complement the beautifully subtle layers of heartache in the lyrics.

This piece of music caused me to stop what I was doing. Absolute tenderness!

This album will shiver you (No matter when you read this).

music truly does save lives.

"cross hatch, warm bath, holiday inn after dark" these lyrics feel like a tight, loving embrace

This song is probably the most beautiful and sorrowful song ever written and I have a lot of love for it. The first stanza describes a suicide that the speaker imagines himself committing. Sometimes, his mind wanders and he fantasizes about intentionally crashing his car to end his life. BUT, he then references the myth of Medusa and Perseus, and how, in his triumph, Perseus was eventually immortalized in the stars with his lover Andromeda. The speaker refrains from suicide because he hopes that he may one day make it into heaven and be immortalized with his lost lover in the same way. The second stanza reverts back to his battle with suicidal thoughts. He wonders if it even matters whether or not he lives, or more importantly, where he goes when he dies. In the "veil of great surprises", which I believe is a symbol for fates role in what we perceive to be chance, he wonders if his lover truly loved him, or whether they just served as a pawn in the greater scheme of things. The third stanza introduces an alternate, yet highly specific suicidal fantasy, indicating that the speaker is somewhat invested in it. It is now more of an active thought than a daydream. He then references the book of Daniel, which prophesises an apocalyptic scenario. Through this we can infer that the speaker feels like it is the end of his world. He goes on to reference the illusion of coincidence and struggles to "live with" the haunting memories of an impermanent figure in his life. He then ask himself if he should harm himself in ways that would help him erase his pain. Should he tear his eyes out so that he doesn't have to face his lover's absence? Should he tear his heart out so that he doesn't feel it? He doesn't know The next stanza focuses on faith, or lack thereof, in the face of tragedy. From what we can gather, despite all his grief, the speaker has found reasons to hold onto his faith, likely because he can now recognize its role in destiny. His tone then shifts back into his previous despair. He wants to be drowned for a chance to reconnect with his lost loved one. He wants to remove his sight before he finds another reason to live. He wants to remove his arms so that he can avoid feeling the physical emptiness of his lover's absence. He ends with a series of questions, which implies that he remains unresolved in his current state. Tragic and beautiful.

Miss you, Zach. I'm sorry. Love you.

This is one of the best songs on the album, all of them are so great that they are hard to compare... but this one is definitely gold.

Did anyone else burst into tears when he sang "I want to save you from your sorrow"? And I was at the gym.....🫣🫣🫣

You can definitely hear Elliott Smith's influences on Sufjan Stevens on this track and on Carrie & Lowel.

"Blind faith, God's grace, nothing else to left impart." Beautiful. I want that read at my funeral.

lyrics: (stolen off of google) The only thing that keeps me from driving this car Half-light, jack knife into the canyon at night Signs and wonders: Perseus aligned with the skull Slain Medusa, Pegasus alight from us all Do I care if I survive this? Bury the dead where they’re found In a veil of great surprises; I wonder did you love me at all? The only thing that keeps me from cutting my arm Cross hatch, warm bath, Holiday Inn after dark Signs and wonders: water stain writing the wall Daniel’s message; blood of the moon on us all Do I care if I despise this? Nothing else matters, I know In a veil of great disguises; how do I live with your ghost? Should I tear my eyes out now? Everything I see returns to you somehow Should I tear my heart out now? Everything I feel returns to you somehow I want to save you from your sorrow The only reason why I continue at all Faith in reason, I wasted my life playing dumb Signs and wonders: sea lion caves in the dark Blind faith, God’s grace, nothing else left to impart Do I care if I survive this, bury the dead where they’re found In a veil of great surprises; hold to my head till I drown Should I tear my eyes out now, before I see too much? Should I tear my arms out now, I wanna feel your touch Should I tear my eyes out now? Everything I see returns to you somehow Should I tear my heart out now? Everything I feel returns to you somehow

it's the weirdest thing. i discovered Sufjan through cmbyn more than 2 years ago and for all this time,his voice has been my sanctuary. Every time i feel lost,empty,hopeless, i come back to him.listening to his voice feels like a warm hug, like someone finally understands u,loves u, that everything will be better at some point.Every word he says feels like something warm pouring down my heart and lungs.

"Carrie and Lowell" came out shortly after my Dad died, and this particular song helped me confront and deal with the grief of his loss. I still choke up every time I hear it and lose the ability to speak.

Three years ago, I lost my grandmother. In the pursuit of success, I dedicated my time to chasing money and planning for higher studies. Despite achieving my goals of securing a good university placement, a fulfilling job, and a comfortable lifestyle, the void left by her absence has overshadowed my accomplishments. I obtained a scholarship and made my parents proud, yet the one person who unwaveringly believed in me is no longer here. The regret of not being there for her during her last days lingers, casting a shadow on the happiness I thought these achievements would bring some sort consolation. Happiness is when you can cherish and protect your loved. I failed and just want to end it all. I cant handle the hole in my heart. I practice smiling because i am feeling pain just by existing.

Oh my God I brutally envy you USA.. you have the best contemporary songwriter...his lyrics deserve a Nobel now actually more than Dylan after 50 years

i find myself with my eyes closed every time i listen to this song. i need to sit quietly and just take it in wholly.

I keep on explaining to other generations how they may have had incredible music but they didn't have Sufjan and I keep getting laughed at. Since getting Carrie & Lowell on vinyl, however, not one of those people has laughed at me when I've used this song as my evidence.

One of the most beautiful and heartbreaking songs ever recorded. I love you for this, Sufjan. Miss you (so desperately) Mom. God love us and keep us all.

Anyone who likes and listens to Sufjan is automatically my best friend. Have a good day

when Sufjan is singing, it sounds like he's whispering. Pure and sincere words and voice.

A lot of people commenting about sad shit but for some reason this song brings me peace and makes me happy 🧍‍♂️

this song is a freaking masterpiece and no one can tell me otherwise

Sufjan, you're a dream. Edmonton needs you.

Have you ever felt like a sound track makes you reminisce on a vivid memory that you actually didn’t have?

This was the song I put at the ending of my film which I made for my high school film class. Now i've graduated and moved on to a new part of my life, every time I listen to this song, it reminds me of the times I had at high school. Even when I thought it sucked, looking back now, the memories make me smile. This song will now always give me that bittersweet feeling of growing up.

i could overdose myself while listening to this. Too much beauty and pain to take in.

this is therapy

I lost my mother last year to cancer. She was always remote somehow, unreachable to me. These songs are so painful but so soothing to me. It helps to know someone out there feels the same.

“Should I tear my eyes out now, before I see too much? Should I tear my arms now, I wanna feel your touch.” Breaks my heart, man.

This album compiles everything so well. The dilemma of loving someone so much that their loss feels overbearing. The tragic feeling of realizing that maybe that love wasn't mutual. Still longing for that person and having so many thoughts and regrets that it takes you away from yourself. Drowing in depression, trying to find a way to keep going despite everything. And relying on faith, but also understanding that faith won't heal you completely and instantly. Grief is something that we all have to deal with sometime, and it's okay to let yourself feel those emotions too, in order to let them go.

Sufjan Stevens is just a wonderful artist and lyricist ("he called me Subaru" I'm talking about you) and I listen to this song whenever I get that sinking feeling nothing is right, that I'm worth nothing, like a lifejacket it pulls me out of the dark sea that depression seems to be. As melancholy as this song sounds, it's comforting to me. I just want to listen to this song with a friend after we've both cried for far too long.

I wish someone understood how much this song (and Sufjan's music in general, especially anything from Carrie & Lowell) means to me. I'm scared that I don't have enough time to share the music that holds a special place in my heart. Not sure why I'm saying this in the YT comment section lol, I just don't have literally anyone (like, literally) in my life to confide in.

Thank-you for being so poetically vulnerable. This song is profoundly beautiful; not just for the truthful lyrics but also shedding light towards our heart. Most of us hide in the shadows at times, and people only see our smiling face. Much love XooXoo For thou art greatly beloved.

This song makes me cry .... so beautiful !!

"bury the dead where there found" hits so different idk why

This album is so powerfull. It can cure everything. Bon Iver For Emma is the only other album like this, love this guys

This song was very important to me around the time of my not-suicide attempt. It was a "not-suicide attempt" because I had the loaded gun in my hand, and if I'd made an attempt, I wouldn't be here typing. But I couldn't even cock the gun, much less point it at my head and pull the trigger. At any rate, the second verse of this song, "Holiday Inn after dark" and all that, just rips my soul into fucking shreds.

this song just tears me up after listening to it on 'after life'... lovely song

Sufjan is a beacon of light in this cracked and broken Earth. “Everything is cracked, that’s how the light comes in”

It takes all of my courage to listen to this song. I am chocked up and gasp to breathe. I am compelled to listen--a glorious sound of Sufjan;s voice, instrumentation in a key of E♭keeps me attuned and ready to listen even with lyrics that are painful and bore a hole in my spirit and yet at the same time are elevating feeling. I have gone through this pain that he has lived through as well.

The reverb guitar at 2:38 is everything

All the way around!

this song makes me fantasize about a life i will never have

"I want to save you from your sorrow" How relatable in such a personal way, that''s just as much about your life, as it is about how you want everyone's life to be important because it is important to them. When it comes to any sudden natural disaster that kills a lot of people--you feel such unique sense of despair/angst at the tragic nature of how quickly those individual lives were unaware of the end!

“I want to save you from your sorrow” that line hits me like a speeding truck down the freeway every single time

I’m currently grieving for my beloved mother who passed away 2 weeks ago. I decided to drive 3 hours from Portland to Florence to witness the sea lion caves Sufjan sings about in this song. I stood in a massive dark and stinky cave, 150 feet below the ground to see and listen to hundreds of sea lions inside a massive cove. I don’t know if this will help me feel better in the long run, but it sure was cool to see. Thanks Sufjan.

Sufjan has created the 'Johnny Cash - Hurt' of this generation. 10 seconds of this song is enough to make my eyes hurt and I can't listen to the entire song without crying as if someone close to me has died and almost physically feeling my heart hurt. It's just as sad as it is absolutely beautiful

This song have some of my favorite lyrics like "Signs and wonders: Perseus aligned with the skull, slain Medusa, Pegasus alight from us all." But when he sang "I wanna save you from your sorrow," that's when I cried rivers :(

She has gone on now. Along with my most beloved. Expressions can barely soothe my personal loss. But music is healing. I love Sufjan's articulation.. of all of our griefs. God bless this musical angel. That's what he is.

to be honest, despite all the people that say this song is therapeutic to them, it only makes me want to leave this world more

Thanks Afterlife and Ricky Gervais, thank to you I knew and love this song

Afterlife brought me here. Beautiful song.

This feels like laughing at a friends funeral. Like they told you a joke before they left. And as you walk away, the last to leave, you can still hear their their laughter, it's just as vibrant, but just a little bit further away.

After life series 2 brought me here ❤ Just beautiful x

Oh that part "in a veil of great surprises I wonder did you love me at all." Is beautiful and hits me hard. I remember that time when I figured out that my father never planned to have me. So he left, before I was even born. I made peace with that, but boy did I cry so hard two years ago. Because my family never told me anything. I wasted years obsessing the idea of him, wondering. I'm okay though :)

Everything I see returns to you somehow.

Hearing Sufjan's use of metaphors to represent this feeling of being alive while feeling dead is so comforting. It makes me feel like I'm not the only one and that takes away my loneliness.

Sufjan Stevens got me through some of the hardest times of my life. It's so nostalgic listening to his music after so many years and remembering all those memories. It didn't matter if the times were good or bad, this man brought out the best in me just by hearing his music.

the other 6.6 billion people has missed this from their life

No matter how long it has been (almost three years now), this song never fails to make me Remember Him, the night he died, the things we said, the way I cried, with his urn at the front of the room, fake flowers, fake people, Wrongness. His smile, his laugh, his anger, his cruelty. No matter the type of person he was, it is hard to live with his ghost. I have no God to keep me going... I guess Sufjan will have to take that place.

I'm glad Al brought me here

The most beautiful thing about such a difficult lyrics is that you can assign any meaning to the song and the melody. It can convey everything you feel at the moment.