Seven Swans
Sufjan Stevens
Seven Swans
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Tracklist
| Track | Duration | Listeners | ||||
| 1 | All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands | 4:13 | 98,725 | |||
| 2 | The Dress Looks Nice on You | 2:31 | 131,425 | |||
| 3 | In the Devil's Territory | 4:56 | 88,429 | |||
| 4 | To Be Alone With You | 2:44 | 191,426 | |||
| 5 | Abraham | 2:33 | 94,431 | |||
| 6 | Sister | 5:59 | 86,800 | |||
| 7 | Size Too Small | 3:04 | 90,257 | |||
| 8 | We Won't Need Legs to Stand | 2:12 | 87,775 | |||
| 9 | A Good Man Is Hard to Find | 3:15 | 93,970 | |||
| 10 | He Woke Me Up Again | 2:42 | 82,713 | |||
| 11 | Seven Swans | 6:31 | 86,977 | |||
| 12 | The Transfiguration | 5:17 | 77,802 |
About this album
Seven Swans is a folk rock music album by Sufjan Stevens. It includes songs about Abraham and Christ’s Transfiguration, among many others.
The album is softer and sparser than other albums by Stevens, relying more heavily on his trademark banjo and melodious voice.
Seven Swans was received well by critics. The Guardian called it “a record of remarkable delicacy” and Spin magazine said it sounded “like Elliott Smith after ten years of Sunday school”.
The album was released on compact disc and vinyl LP; the vinyl was released by Burnt Toast Vinyl.
Biblical allusions
Many of the songs on Seven Swans tell stories directly from the Bible.
All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands is a reference to Isaiah 55:12, where Isaiah says, “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”
In the Devil’s Territory is probably a reference to Matthew 4:1, where Jesus spends forty days and forty nights fasting in the desert in order to face the temptation of the devil. The first line of the song references Psalm 46 and possibly the Brian Wilson song Be Still.
To Be Alone With You discusses Christ’s atonement and how it has made him intimately connected with humanity (“You gave your body to the lonely, they took your clothes. You gave up a wife and a family, you gave your goals; to be alone with me…to be alone with me you went up on a tree.”) The beginning could also be a lament of Judas Iscariot; “I’d give my body to be back again, in the rest of the room ,” or Sufjan himself lamenting past sins, comparing himself to Judas.
The album is softer and sparser than other albums by Stevens, relying more heavily on his trademark banjo and melodious voice.
Seven Swans was received well by critics. The Guardian called it “a record of remarkable delicacy” and Spin magazine said it sounded “like Elliott Smith after ten years of Sunday school”.
The album was released on compact disc and vinyl LP; the vinyl was released by Burnt Toast Vinyl.
Biblical allusions
Many of the songs on Seven Swans tell stories directly from the Bible.
All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands is a reference to Isaiah 55:12, where Isaiah says, “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”
In the Devil’s Territory is probably a reference to Matthew 4:1, where Jesus spends forty days and forty nights fasting in the desert in order to face the temptation of the devil. The first line of the song references Psalm 46 and possibly the Brian Wilson song Be Still.
To Be Alone With You discusses Christ’s atonement and how it has made him intimately connected with humanity (“You gave your body to the lonely, they took your clothes. You gave up a wife and a family, you gave your goals; to be alone with me…to be alone with me you went up on a tree.”) The beginning could also be a lament of Judas Iscariot; “I’d give my body to be back again, in the rest of the room ,” or Sufjan himself lamenting past sins, comparing himself to Judas.
Other releases from this artist
Shouts
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blacknail wrote:
And btw, this album made me change from atheist to agnostic, as it somehow changed my religious point of view
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blacknail wrote:
Best Sufjan record!
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LePlatypope wrote:
Yep. This is my favorite Sufjan.
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phunkydellic wrote:
grabbed this one on vinyl, and I'm never letting go. such a beautiful album.
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SarahxFace wrote:
After discarding almost every Sufjan Stevens album recommended to me, this one has weaved it's way right into my very inner ear and will never leave.
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TheHochhaus wrote:
So calm and yet so strong.
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zthompson88 wrote:
sounds even better with crickets in the background!
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aulacrimosa wrote:
The most beautiful, inspiring, heart softening collection of music I have ever heard. It helped me make the biggest decision of my life. all the trees of the field will clap their hands is the supreme.
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plothead31 wrote:
Me too.
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nengleman wrote:
My fav as well.
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jeremymckemy wrote:
Seven Swans, my personal favorite
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hoedoro wrote:
Yes, I think THIS is even better than Illinois..wow.
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hotterthanjuly wrote:
Yes, but one gets far more attention than it deserves. And it isn't this one.
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boingocure wrote:
You cannot compare this album with Illinois, both are stunning in their own way
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bethwillson wrote:
top 5 album i've ever bought. to be alone with you never gets old. amazing
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outloud_tooloud wrote:
oh, wonderful.....
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donpablo73 wrote:
I simply love this album. Honetly, LOVE is what I feel listening to this.. and melancholy... my favourite as if there was any mediocracy about Sufjans songwriting...
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ahalP wrote:
Agreed, amazing album!
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snowdust13 wrote:
Easily the best album by Mr. Sufjan, also his most heavliy christian influenced which i think brings something unique and special to it. "The Dress Looks Nice on You" and "He Woke Me up Again" are the standouts of this album, IMO.
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hotterthanjuly wrote:
BETTER than Illinois.
Listeners
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Shark_ax
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to A Good Man Is Hard to… -
gdillo
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momonutz
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Recent Activity
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keanesian, mbile, jimrolf and 1 other person added Sufjan Stevens – Seven Swans to their libraries. yesterday evening
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dominicgeinosky wrote about Seven Swans in Best 50 Albums of the Decade. Sunday afternoon
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riverjones, 4Graeme, cqverhagen and 7 other people added Sufjan Stevens – Seven Swans to their libraries. Thursday afternoon
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Sytzeapers wrote about Seven Swans in Best albums of 2004. 21 days ago
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dlistblogger wrote about Seven Swans in Top Albums of the Decade. 22 days ago
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jamidwyer tagged Sufjan Stevens – Seven Swans with 2004 and 2000s. 27 days ago
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Mazzini wrote about Seven Swans in ''My Top 100 Albums of the 2000s''. 28 days ago
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lourencochacon, nittaku808, lae_ti_tia and 3 other people added Sufjan Stevens – Seven Swans to their libraries. 29 days ago
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lourencochacon tagged Seven Swans with ‘internacional - 2000’. 29 days ago
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peterruepschl wrote about Seven Swans in Top Albums. November 2009
Related Journals
-
Best 50 Albums of the Decade
by dominicgeinosky |
3 Jan 2010 | Add comment
-
Best albums of 2004
by Sytzeapers |
15 Dec 2009 | Add comment
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''My Top 100 Albums of the 2000s''
by Mazzini |
8 Dec 2009 | 7 comments
