Why I Reacted To This Song
That was a horrifying tale, but Sufjan Stevens turned it into something hauntingly beautiful.
Original by Artist
About This Song
“John Wayne Gacy, Jr.” appears on Sufjan Stevens’ 2005 album Illinois. The song tells the story of the Chicago-area serial killer through soft vocals and gentle acoustic guitar. The guitar is in standard tuning (E A D G B E) with a capo on the 3rd fret, fingerpicking Dm, Cadd9, Am and F shapes that sound in the key of E flat. It ends with Stevens turning the lens on himself, admitting that in his best behavior he is really just like him.
First Impressions
It’s quiet and delicate from the first note, which makes the subject matter hit even harder.
My Reaction
“John Wayne Gacy, Jr.” shouldn’t work as well as it does. Stevens tells a horrifying story with tenderness instead of shock and the contrast is what makes it so unsettling. The final lines leave you thinking long after the song ends.
Rating
84/100