This song originally debuted on Sufjan’s 2009 tour. It is described as a homage to the Apocalypse, existential ennui, and Paul Simon’s ‘The Sound of Silence’, which it references often in the lyrics.
Both this song and The Sound of Silence invoke visions of spiritual significance, hence the apocaly...
[Verse 1]
Tomorrow you’ll see it through
The clouded out disguises put you in the room
And though I wandered out alone
A thousand lights abounded on our home
And I remember every sound it made
The clouded out disguises and the grave
So yeah I know I’m still afraid
Of letting go of choices I have made
[Chorus]
All delighted people raise their hands
[Verse 2]
And I took you by the sleeve
No other reason than to be your leading man
And you woke up with a fright
Our lives depended on the visions through the night
All we had always, all we had always wanted to before
The hurricane inclined us, grappling on the floor
[Chorus]
All delighted people raise their hands
[Verse 3]
Still the force of nature spurned
Ideas of strength and style abated by the burning basement
[Chorus]
All delighted people raise their hands
[Verse 4]
I’m not easily confused
The trouble with the storm inside us grew
But I had so much to give
In spite of all the terror and abuse
[Verse 5]
And the people bowed and prayed
And what difference does it make for you and me?
[Chorus]
All delighted people raise their hands
[Verse 6]
And the people bowed and prayed
And what difference does it make?
It doesn’t matter anyway
The world surrounds us with its hate
[Verse 7]
Hello darkness my old friend it breaks my heart
I’ve come to strangle you in spite of what you’d like
And don’t be a rascal, don’t be a laughing dog in spite of odds
All I’m deciphering from the spirits in the light within
[Chorus]
All delighted people raise their hands
[Verse 8 ]
In restless dreams I walked alone I walked alive
The clouded out disguises left me in a dream of lightness
[Chorus]
All delighted people raise their hands
[Refrain 1]
And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And what difference does it make?
I love you so much anyway
And on your breast I gently laid
Your arms surround me in the lake
I am joined with you forever
[Verse 5]
And the people bowed and prayed
And what difference does it make for you and me?
[Chorus]
All delighted people raise their hands
[Verse 4]
I’m not easily confused
I feel alive I feel it glowing in the room
[Bridge]
All delighted people raise their hands
All delighted people
All delighted people raise their hands
All delighted people
All delighted people raise their hands
All delighted people
All delighted people raise their hands
All delighted people
[Refrain 2]
And the people bowed and prayed
Oh I love you a lot; Oh! I love you from the top of my heart
And what difference does it make?
I still love you a lot; Oh! I love you from the top of my heart
And on your breast I gently laid all my head in your arms
Do you love me from the top of your heart?
I tried my best I tried in vain. Do you love me a lot?
Do you love me from the top of your heart?
[Refrain 3]
And the people bowed and prayed
Oh! I love you a lot; Oh! I love you from the top of my heart
And you can see through my mistakes
Oh! I’ll tell it to you now; Oh! I’ll tell it from the top of my heart
And what difference does it make
If the world is a mess; if the world is a mess?
And on your breast I gently laid
Oh! I’ll tell it to you now; Oh! I’ll tell it to you now
[Verse 9]
(When the world’s come and gone shall we follow our transgressions
Or shall we stand strong?)
[Verse 10]
I tried to save the things I made
Oh! But the world is a mess, Oh! But the world is a mess
And what difference does it make if the world is a mess?
If the world is a mess!
I tried my best I tried in vain
Oh! But the world is a mess!
Oh! But the world is a mess!
[Outro]
Suffer not the child among you or shall you die young when the world's come and gone
Suffer not the child among you or shall you die young when the world's come and gone
All Delighted People (Original Version) was written by Paul Simon & Sufjan Stevens.
All Delighted People (Original Version) was produced by Sufjan Stevens.
Sufjan Stevens released All Delighted People (Original Version) on Fri Aug 20 2010.