When I saw him live I cried at least 5 times, but MAN if he played this song I would sob so damn hard. I feel like he's been the soundtrack to my entire life.
I was at this show, and I can tell you, I cried....only concert I ever cried at. It was at St. Paul's Trinity Centre...a beautiful little church in Toronto. We sat in pews. And at risk of sounding dramatic, it was a holy experience.
As a former resident of Romulus, this song portrays the sadness that I hold when I see the deteriation of the area. It is really falling into decay as the Metro Airport swallows what little is left of memories of small time suburban Detroit.
I think that in the beginning it is the perspective of a young kid who feels that he is not good enough in his mother's eyes and he feels ashamed about that. Then as he grows up he sees what she is really like and he is ashamed to have her as a mother and of who she is.
@@finkey29 my father died this year after 19 years of off and on contact. Both this song and the entire Carrie and Lowell album helped me so much in finding clarity from this situation. Love Subaru so much honestly.
Let me clear you guys up. This is from the album Michigan. There is a town in MI called Romulus. And in case you've never been to MI, or have known a group of people from Michigan, my husband will tell you there is something about Michiganders that is "unique". Something about those lakes blocking us in. But this song is tender, and truthful and all about what I saw growing up in MI.
I think the reason Mr. Stevens is so popular is that all of his songs have such a feeling of home. It's like he's painting a picture of his past and everyone else's at the same time.
Sometimes I think that UA-cam requires people out there to just dislike videos to keep some kind of balance at work. How could someone not like this? It's so moving. It's one of the realest songs ever made. His ability to simply reveal so much about his life, while keeping the nostalgic selective awareness of childhood, and yet saying so little. What a way to write a song. It is straight from this persons heart. I'm obsessed with this song. I just want to keep getting more and more meaning out of it. It's like a new girlfriend you just want to keep fucking again and again
This story is about having a dysfunctional mother who runs around and doesn't take care of her kids when they are young. So, the grandfather (who dies in the song) is the one that takes care of them while she is gone. The kids grow up and move away, but the pain and shame of their mother still remains.
he killed this performance. im at work and had a play list of sufjan going and this came on and i thought it was just a low quality audio file but its him playing freaking LIVE. now thats good.
me too... especially relaxing with friends on a warm summer evening, not a care in the world. I just moved to California from Michigan and I miss it a lot, especially since i don't know anyone out here. This song feels so wonderfully nostalgic. I love Sufjan
sometimes people can hear meaning in the music, not the words. it doesn't matter what you get out of this song. its different for everyone. I think it is beautiful.
"our grandpa died in a hospital gown she didn't seem to care she smoked in her room, and colored her hair" i think he was expecting a different reaction from the death. she didn't seem to care and just went on with her life. "and i was ashamed, i was ashamed of her"
Is he talking about a town? Because it definitely sounds to me like he's talking about either his own or someone else's disinterested mother...it's quite moving actually, very sad.
He's like Austin Powers... "Women want him and men want to BE him." Sounded great of course, but it's too bad this song didn't have the banjo lead though.
Beautiful. We'll be talking about him in 50 years.
David Lawson your prediction is a quarter of the way correct already.
He's gonna have a legendary discography
Found him 5 years ago and will be doing the same :)
Waiting for this comment to be 50 years old is what keeps me going
I almost cried when he sang 'I was ashamed of her'. How could someone wrote this song so beautifully?
When I saw him live I cried at least 5 times, but MAN if he played this song I would sob so damn hard. I feel like he's been the soundtrack to my entire life.
+tenfortunecookies Never seen him live, but I can relate to this song and your crying. I can't really hear it without breaking down. I love this guy.
+tenfortunecookies Yeah... I can see why - his songs cut to the core. Several of his songs make me cry almost every time without fail.
Hey man same
I was at this show, and I can tell you, I cried....only concert I ever cried at. It was at St. Paul's Trinity Centre...a beautiful little church in Toronto. We sat in pews. And at risk of sounding dramatic, it was a holy experience.
I saw him in Orlando and heard “Fourth of July” for the first time live. The TEARS. It was amazing though.
Of all the sad songs he's ever sung. This is the saddest and one of the most beautiful. I don't know how he sings this without crying.
i completely agree with the person who says he'll still be talked about 50 years from now. amazing, amazing musician. his songs are so visual
I still cry when I listen to this
annnnnd... still.
I'm so glad someone posted this, from what I've heard he very very rarely plays this song live
Incredibly moving. He has such a gift of telling stories in a way that makes you feel them deeply.
As a former resident of Romulus, this song portrays the sadness that I hold when I see the deteriation of the area. It is really falling into decay as the Metro Airport swallows what little is left of memories of small time suburban Detroit.
sufjan is really a once-in-a-lifetime artist. I’m so thankful for this beautiful man
what a respectful crowd!
This song is totally unrelated to anything in my life, yet it breaks my heart anyway. Beautiful. Emotionally stirring.
I think that in the beginning it is the perspective of a young kid who feels that he is not good enough in his mother's eyes and he feels ashamed about that. Then as he grows up he sees what she is really like and he is ashamed to have her as a mother and of who she is.
its almost like the prequel to carrie and lowell
@@finkey29 my father died this year after 19 years of off and on contact. Both this song and the entire Carrie and Lowell album helped me so much in finding clarity from this situation. Love Subaru so much honestly.
this song wrecks me every time...when he finally just comes out and declares that he is ashamed of her, whew...
This song makes me cry every single time I hear it.
I love it.
One of the best artists alive---now or ever.
Great video.
I always come back to this video because it's so spine-tinglingly good
Let me clear you guys up. This is from the album Michigan. There is a town in MI called Romulus. And in case you've never been to MI, or have known a group of people from Michigan, my husband will tell you there is something about Michiganders that is "unique". Something about those lakes blocking us in. But this song is tender, and truthful and all about what I saw growing up in MI.
I think the reason Mr. Stevens is so popular is that all of his songs have such a feeling of home. It's like he's painting a picture of his past and everyone else's at the same time.
I love how he does the shoelace guitar strap
the best to ever do it. i love you so much sufjan
Sometimes I think that UA-cam requires people out there to just dislike videos to keep some kind of balance at work. How could someone not like this? It's so moving. It's one of the realest songs ever made. His ability to simply reveal so much about his life, while keeping the nostalgic selective awareness of childhood, and yet saying so little. What a way to write a song. It is straight from this persons heart. I'm obsessed with this song. I just want to keep getting more and more meaning out of it. It's like a new girlfriend you just want to keep fucking again and again
absolutely incredible song.
Maybe someone doesn't like the quality of the video? I can't really see any other reason.
Yeah that must be the case
Tears. Legit tears. This is so beautiful.
Same! I can't even get halfway through the first verse without tearing up, because I know what's coming.
better than the studio version. absolutely amazing.
nah the studio version is unmatched
i see all these comments are 13 years old i hope you all are doing well
This story is about having a dysfunctional mother who runs around and doesn't take care of her kids when they are young. So, the grandfather (who dies in the song) is the one that takes care of them while she is gone. The kids grow up and move away, but the pain and shame of their mother still remains.
he killed this performance. im at work and had a play list of sufjan going and this came on and i thought it was just a low quality audio file but its him playing freaking LIVE. now thats good.
so dearly sad... but so expressly lovely.
I agree about crying, this would be unbelievable to see live
romulus is one of my favorite songs by him.
My favorite song of him!
don't have words for this. awesome.
SUFJAN BRILHANTE COMO SEMPRE.
oh, please, come to brazil.
omg... so old, so brilliant.
this video is from before I was born wow
Gonna take a while for these goosebumps to go away I think
me too...
especially relaxing with friends on a warm summer evening, not a care in the world.
I just moved to California from Michigan
and I miss it a lot, especially since i don't know anyone out here. This song feels so wonderfully nostalgic. I love Sufjan
holy i love everything that he ever does
he is amazing.
this is the saddest, most beautiful and most poignant song.
what a little bed head -- adorable!
thanks for being there sufjan
One of my favorite Suf songs... I had never seen him play this live. 💚 Thanks, it's awesome
Thank you for sharing
It's ok, guys. We're all a little gay for Sufjan.
No doubt. He's lovely.
Fantastic!
Beautiful man.
this is my comfort song
i cry
I don't even really know what to say when I watch this.
I am just in awe.
Love this song so much.
so beautiful
Beautiful.
amazing
He is a legend.
Fantastic song.
So as not to ruin the song, I only listen every three years or so, and having had an atrocious mother, it's a real emotional slap.
sometimes people can hear meaning in the music, not the words. it doesn't matter what you get out of this song. its different for everyone. I think it is beautiful.
THANKS FOR ANSWERING
This song always reminds me of Michigan...
I love that man.
incredible
oh god this man is AMAZING ! ! ! !! ! ! ! !
great tune
Great - Great - Great
3:27 seems to be accidental, but it totally rocks and adds a bunch to the song.
3:25
i think im in love
i cant figure his music out i love it!
i just looked up the lyrics. i always thought it was "when i turned gay, i was ashamed," instead of "when my turn came, i was ashamed." wooops
Ok, I'll admit it. He's my man crush.
@rameychix I don't think so...I think he wasn't sure of the lyrics so he kind of stopped for a second
...love this song
@luksonije Romulus, Michigan. He's talking about a town.
The 8 people that dislike this have no soul
no words
If you don't care about the meaning of this song then you don't deserve to listen to music like this.
Sujan will always be one of the finest musicians in North America!
He made a song called Romulus for fucks sake!
"our grandpa died in a hospital gown
she didn't seem to care
she smoked in her room, and colored her hair"
i think he was expecting a different reaction from the death. she didn't seem to care and just went on with her life.
"and i was ashamed, i was ashamed of her"
Oooooh taaaaampppoonnns!
Very moving song,but I am missing that banjo!
one of my fav ex girlfriends was from romulus ?
he does seem sad. :( but such a beautiful song...
wow this is a really sad song.
美しい
i dont think i understand what you mean by "sick joke".please explain.
is this a true story about him?
he's not the son of Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam) :)
2006 😰😰
Its our time is coming. I can FEEL it coming. Time to say something, an this time its gonna fucking matter,
or it's just a fashion again??
is Sufjan Stevens Cat Stevens son?anyone?
No relation. And before Cat Stevens was Cat Stevens, he was Steven Georgiou.
A shame you have to dig to find this kind of music
I couldn't care less if this a happy OR not happy song!
tu polak.. ahahah ... fajna piosenka, taka goniąca uciekające wspomnienia
This song kind of always makes me laugh just because im from Romulus. HAHA
he seems so sad...
Is he talking about a town? Because it definitely sounds to me like he's talking about either his own or someone else's disinterested mother...it's quite moving actually, very sad.
lol
He's like Austin Powers... "Women want him and men want to BE him." Sounded great of course, but it's too bad this song didn't have the banjo lead though.
But it's Arabic.
It'd be different if he was just pretty to look at, but he sounds pretty too. Lofty sigh.
@ebelskivers, You should be ashamed lmao XD
so beautiful
amazing