Lover, will you look at me now?
I'm already dead to you
But I'm inclined to explain
To you what I could not before
Whatever you didn't do, what you couldn't say
I am sorry that the worst has arrived
For I deserve more.
For at least I deserve the respect of a kiss goodbye

Tell me, do you think of me now
As I think of you?
For I could not have shaken the touch of your breath on my arm
For it has stayed in me as an epithet
I am sorry the worst has arrived
For I'm on the floor
In the room where we made it our last touch of the night

I walked, 'cause you walked
But I won't probably get very far
Sensation to what you said
But I'm not about to expect something more
I would not have run off
But I couldn't bear that it's me
It's my fault
I should not be so lost
But I've got nothing left to love

Lover, will you look from me now
I'm already dead
But I've come to explain
Why I left such a mess on the floor
For when you went away
I went crazy. I was wild with the breast of a dog
I ran through the night
With the knife in my chest
With the lust of your loveless life

I walked, 'cause you walked
But I won't probably get very far
Sensation to what you said
But I'm not about to expect something more
I would not have run off
But I couldn't bear that it's me
It's my fault
I should not be so lost
But I've got nothing left to love

I walked, 'cause you walked
I walked, 'cause you walked
I walked, 'cause you walked
I walked, 'cause you walked


Lyrics submitted by MisterHand

I Walked Lyrics as written by Sufjan Stevens

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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I Walked song meanings
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32 Comments

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  • +5
    General Comment

    The song seems to describe Royal Robertson, the schizophrenic artist who Sufjan has used as inspiration for his upcoming album.

    Back in 1975, after his wife left him for another man, his schizophrenia took over which resulted in him turning his house into a hate-shrine to his ex-wife; full of paintings depicting extraterrestrial affairs and female conspiracy.

    The walking, the love and the craziness all points towards Royal's story, however Sufjan could be drawing a parallel his own experience as he often tends to do.

    VelvetNoiseon August 30, 2010   Link
  • +5
    Song Meaning

    Sufjan in concert: "This next song is about physics, every action has an equal and opposite reaction, you know. Real deep stuff" everyone laughs

    emkwoodon February 01, 2011   Link
  • +4
    My Opinion

    If you've ever gone through a break up where you're on the wrong end, this song hits home. That first verse kills.

    FatMatton February 21, 2011   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    er, heard it as "last of your lovely smile"

    rattlesnakeron October 01, 2010   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    Like a lot of his songs, this one has Jesus written all over it. Whether the "I" is referring to Sufjan himself or Royal Roberston or someone else, the "you" and "lover" is definitely Jesus. Like lindsayg said, sufjan referenced newton's law of motion before preforming this song live when I saw him and it makes sense from a christian view- Jesus died so we could live, and as a Christian you die to yourself to live for him which is referenced in the second line "I'm already dead to you."

    "I walk because you walked" expresses the life of Jesus giving life to others and "but I porbably won't get very far" shows human inability to do anything without God. If Sufjan is referencing himself as "I" this song might be about a difficult time when although he knows what he believes, for whom he is living for, and why, it is also a time of spiritual drought where he does not feel God's presence- "Do you think of me now As I think of you?" and also "For when you went away I went crazy." He may be alluding to a time he strayed far from God, but he is now coming back to ask for forgiveness- "But I've come to explain Why I left such a mess on the floor."

    suchanamyxon December 11, 2010   Link
  • +2
    Lyric Correction

    "with the lust of your loveless bite" not "with the lust of your loveless life"

    Lover, will you look from me now I'm already dead but I've come to explain why I left such a mess on the floor For when you went away I went crazy. I was wild with the breast of a dog I ran through the night with the knife in my chest with the lust of your loveless bite

    Scapettion August 29, 2010   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    On further listening that's definitely a B... it might not be bite, the T isn't pronounced clearly... maybe it's just "bye" but "bite" seems to make sense and it rhymes with night so...

    And when did Sufjan take any years off? He's been working on the BQE all this time. And this certainly sounds like typical Sufjan to me, of course he's evolving but I wouldn't say this is entirely new to him. Very much like his cover of 'You Are the Blood'

    Scapettion September 05, 2010   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    i loved early sufjan but this sounds better than anything on michigan or illinois.

    landstanderron September 15, 2010   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    I saw him a few weeks ago, and he talked about how the concept of the album was strongly based on science and physics. He said that this song was kind of like for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction: I walk, 'cause you walk.

    He didn't mention Royal in regards to this song, but he did concerning 'Get Real Get Right'.

    lindsaygon November 27, 2010   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    It seems like the references to Royal are definitely on the surface of this song, especially considering his dedication to Royal while playing this song in concert. But underneath that, I think that this album and song undoubtedly depict Sufjan's loss of faith in the term "love" as it is so often thrown around. "Sensation to what you said", I believe, indicates the manner in which the narrator reacts so strongly in a physical, sensation-based manner to everything the lost love says, and as a result, he is now "lost." The narrator indicates that this is his own fault, presumably for putting so much faith in his ex-lover's words. He goes so crazy (for lack of a better term) after their separation, that he leaves a mess worthy of apologizing over and runs like a wild dog through the night with the wound still deep in his heart. Yet putting so much emphasis on her words and actions will get him nowhere, as when he walks because she walks, he "won't probably get very far."

    The song also reflects the importance we attach to emotions like love. Having nothing left to love, the narrator is lost--dead.

    adonnellyron November 18, 2010   Link

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