Few songs capture the weight of grief like Sufjan Stevens’ “Fourth of July.” Released in 2015 as part of his deeply personal album Carrie & Lowell, the track serves as a tender, devastating reflection on the loss of his mother. In typical Sufjan fashion, the song is both intimate and ethereal, weaving together delicate piano, whispered vocals, and lyrics that cut straight to the core.
“Fourth of July” feels like a quiet conversation with a ghost, as Sufjan revisits memories of his mother while grappling with her death. The lyrics are simple but heavy: “We're all gonna die,” he sings repeatedly, with a haunting calmness that echoes throughout the song. It’s a reminder of the inevitability of death, but also of the profound impact those we love have on our lives long after they're gone.
There’s a particular beauty in the way Stevens manages to balance the personal with the universal. While the song is rooted in his own experience of losing his mother, the themes of mortality, love, and memory resonate on a much larger scale. “Fourth of July” feels like a lullaby for the grieving, offering solace in the face of life’s most painful moments.
As we revisit “Fourth of July” this Throwback Thursday, it’s clear why the song continues to resonate with so many. It’s a reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of the bonds we share with those we love, even as those bonds fade into memory. In a world that often rushes past moments of grief, Sufjan Stevens creates space to sit with the sadness, offering a quiet but powerful reflection on what it means to say goodbye.
So take a moment, press play, and let “Fourth of July” remind you that even in loss, there’s beauty in remembrance, and a shared understanding that we’re all just passing through.