Lyrics:

This song is about Sufjan’s sister, Djohariah. Stevens sings from the vantage of an older brother looking at her life: seeing her miseries and mistakes and offering a perspective for a joyful, fulfilling life.

(Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah)
(Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah)


I know you won’t get very far
With the back seat driver in the carpetbagger
With the dagger heart grabber stuck in your car
And the yard is grown to a hilt
And the money spent money spent where it went
Embarrassment, embarrassment to pay for the car
And the man who left you for dead
He’s the heart grabber, backstabber, double cheater, wife beater
You don’t need that man in your life
And you worked yourself to the bone
While the people say what they say
It’s the neighbors anyway
They don’t know what’s good for your life
And I see your head hangs low
In the black shadow, half shadow
Living room is fitting room, is sitting room, is fit for your crying

Don’t be ashamed—don’t hide in your room
For the woman is, woman is the glorious, victorious
The mother of the heart of the world

Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah

And the time you held to the light
When the water ran, water ran with the strange attic
And when the walls were wet with your life
And you pushed yourself to the floor
And the spirit went where it went
Hovering, discovering, uncovering your life, on the floor

And the walls were wet with your love
For the mother is, the mother is the glorious, victorious
The mother of the heart of the world
Don’t be ashamed, don’t hide from me now
For the woman is, the woman is the glorious, victorious
The mother of the heart of the world

Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah
Djohari, Djohariah

Don’t be ashamed, don’t cry in the bath
For it’s the story of, story of, morning glory story
It’s the gloriole that comes to your path

There is a time when the lights will arise
For the mother is, the mother is the glorious, victorious
The mother of the heart of the world

Go on! Little sister! Go on!
For your world is yours, world is yours
All the wilderness of the world is yours to enjoy
Go on! Little sister! Go on, little sister!
For your world is yours, world is yours
All the wilderness of the world is yours
Go on! Little sister! Go on! Go on! Little sister!
For your world is yours, world is yours
All the wilderness of the world is yours
Go on! Little sister! Go on!
For you’re beautiful, beautiful
All the fullness of the world is yours