Lyrics:

I'm not afraid of you now
I know so I climb down from the bunk beds this low
I can talk back to you now
I know from a few things that I learned from this TV show
You can work late til midnight; we don't care
We can fix our own meals, we can wash our own hair
I go to school before sunrise in the cold
And I pulled the alarm and I kicked up the salad bowls

Since the time we meant to say much more
Unsaid things begin to take their toll
After school we shovel through the snow
Drive upstate in silence in the cold

You can remind me of it
That I was lazy and tired
You can work all your life
As I'm not afraid of you anymore

If I loved you oh a long time
I don't know if I can recall the last time you told me so
Here in this house in Pittsfield
The ghost of our grandmother works at the sewing machine post
Hiding the bills in the kitchen, on the floor
And my sister lost her best friend in the Persian Gulf War
There was a flood in the bathroom last May
And you kicked at the pipes when it rattled, oh the river it made

Stand there, tell me that I'm of no use
Things unspoken break us if we choose
There's still time to wash the kitchen floor
On your knees, the bath, the sink once more
You can remind me that I was tired
You can work late and do yourself honor
Now that I'm older, wiser and working less
I may regret having left the place a mess

You can remind me
That I was lazy and tired
You can work all your life
As I'm not afraid of you anymore

CarpePotus wrote: Outtakes can be a vital tool because sometimes it is Really Important to separate the "Sucks Ass" drivel from the "Really Sucks Ass" drivel as offerings.

andrewmi wrote: Definately NOT close to the best song on the album. It's a bummer, but the two strongest tracks were dropped rejected w/o review.

I bet this guy got beat up alot in highschool.

I try to refrain from negative comments--choosing to simply ignore the song. But no can-do. Shew.

Well, shoot. I'm a big Sufjan fan, but if this is supposed to be the best song on the latest album, I'll have to think twice about buying it. Some things are best left buried, I guess.

Wow, quite a polarised audience, reflected in the ratings... Not his strongest song.

Abbreviating the song would help this treacly Sufyawn offering. I guess the "jingle bells" part way thru are his attempt at more cowbell. And what IS that ending about?

Toss it OUT THE WINDOW!!! BORING!!!!!!!!!

I like Sufjan quite a lot, and this song is pretty, but I keep wanting to kick it, or poke it, just to make it MOVE a little. I like the lyrics and most of the melody itself, but those pauses between lines are incredibly irritating. It feels like the song is coming unglued, and that makes me anxious.

I normally enjoy Sufjan, but this... not so much. The title is appropriate though, this is the pitts!

I'm terribly depressed now.. gee.. thanks Bill.

CarpePotus wrote: At least he has the decency to write ''shamelessly compiled'' on the album cover. But isn't that just another way of calling his fans a bunch of suckers? Or is it that even his most awful meanderings are worthy? My dislike of Sufferyawn is becoming a white hot hatred.

that's why they're outtakes

wade44 wrote: I'm saying too much of a terrible thing. This guy sucks.

BLEH....

Bill is REALLY overplaying this guy. I like Stevens, but too much of a good thing makes it a not-so-good thing.

Oh my Christ. Make this stop. Worst. Singer. Songwriter. Ever.

My family is from Pittsfield. The Internet is hailing this song as the best from his latest album. I like most of this song, except for the strange guitar towards the end, which does not make sense. The lyrics are haunting and apply to myself in regards to my mother. I give it a 9.

Nice if a bit bland. However, I could have done without the last 30 seconds of radio noise.

Holy electronic noise, Batman! What happened at the end there, and more importantly, why?

Sufjan's usually OK, but this is dragging on way too long. Dude, save it for open mic night. On Mars.

Next..

It's Sufjan waxing geographical again. Intriguing lyrics, as always, and the horns are terrific.