Imagine Sufjan Stevens’ crystalline songs put through Chris Thile‘s deft Live From Here music-blender. This actually happened last Saturday in New York City. As good as your imagination is, the performances more than live up to it.  Watch below as Stevens, meshed sympathetically with the mandolin and vocals of Thile, and augmented  by the show’s stellar backing ensemble (Gaby Moreno, Rich Dworsky, Billy Contreras, Josh Dion, Chris Eldridge, and Mike Elizondo), performed recent Record Day single Tonya Harding, Heirloom (off Stevens’ 2010’s All Delighted People), Visions of Gideon and Mystery of Love, the latter two off the Academy Award-nominated Call Me By Your Name film soundtrack (and Stevens’ Mystery of Love EP). There will be beauty among all the humanity. The songs’ lyrics follow at bottom.

Tonya Harding:

“Tonya Harding, my star
Well this world is a cold one
But it takes one to know one
And God only knows what you are

Just some Portland white trash
You confronted your sorrow
Like there was no tomorrow
While the rest of the world only laughed

Triple axel on high
A delightful disaster
You jumped farther and faster
You were always so full of surprises

Are your laces untied?
What’s the frown on your face for?
And just what are the skates for now?
Tell me which is your good side?

Are you lonely at night?
Do you miss all the glory
And the mythical story
Of the Olympian life?

Yamaguchi in red
She had high rise and roses
And red-carpet poses
And her outfit was splendid

Nancy Kerrigan’s charm
Well she took quite a beating
So you’re not above cheating
Can you blame her for crying?

Tonya, you were the brightest
Yeah you rose from the ashes
And survived all the crashes
Wiping the blood from your white tights

Has the world had its fun?
Yeah they’ll make such a hassle
And they’ll build you a castle
Then destroy it when they’re done

Tonya Harding, my friend
Well this world is a bitch, girl
Don’t end up in a ditch, girl
I’ll be watching you close to the end

So fight on as you are
My American princess
May God bless you with incense
You’re my shining American star

Shining American star
Shining American star
Shining American star
Shining American star”

Heirloom:

“When your heirloom’s wilted brown
When the devil’s pushing down
When your mourning has a sound
And you hesitate to laugh
How quickly will your joy pass
How quickly will your joy pass

And when you walk inside I feel the door
I’ll never let it push your arms no more
And when your legs give out just lie right down
And I will kiss you till your breath is found
And when you walk inside I feel the door
I’ll never let it push your arms no more

So do you think I came to fight?
And do I always think I’m right?
Oh no I never meant to be a pest to anyone this time
Oh no I only meant to be a friend to everyone this time

And when you walk inside I feel the door
I’ll never let it push your arms no more
And when your legs give out just lie right down
And I will kiss you till your breath is found
And when you walk inside I feel the door
I’ll never let it push your arms no more”

Visions of Gideon:

“I have loved you for the last time
Is it a video? Is it a video?
I have touched you for the last time
Is it a video? Is it a video?

For the love, for laughter, I flew up to your arms
Is it a video? Is it a video?
For the love, for laughter, I flew up to your arms
Is it a video? Is it a video?
Is it a video?

I have loved you for the last time
Visions of Gideon, visions of Gideon
And I have kissed you for the last time
Visions of Gideon, visions of Gideon

For the love, for laughter, I flew up to your arms
Is it a video? (Is it a video?) Is it a video? (Is it a video?)
For the love, for laughter, I flew up to your arms
Is it a video? (Is it a video?) Is it a video? (Is it a video?)
For the love, for laughter, I flew up to your arms
Visions of Gideon, (visions of Gideon), visions of Gideon, (visions of Gideon)
For the love, for laughter, I flew up to your arms
Visions of Gideon, (visions of Gideon), visions of Gideon, (visions of Gideon), Visions of Gideon

Visions of Gideon, visions of Gideon, visions of Gideon
Visions of Gideon, visions of Gideon, visions of Gideon
Visions of Gideon, (Is it a video?), visions of Gideon, (Is it a video?), visions of Gideon
Visions of Gideon, (Is it a video?), visions of Gideon, (Is it a video?), visions of Gideon
(Is it a video?) (Is it a video?) (Is it a video?)”

Mystery of Love:

Oh, to see without my eyes
The first time that you kissed me
Boundless by the time I cried
I built your walls around me
White noise, what an awful sound
Fumbling by Rogue River
Feel my feet above the ground
Hand of God, deliver me

Oh, oh woe-oh-woah is me
The first time that you touched me
Oh, will wonders ever cease?
Blessed be the mystery of love

Lord, I no longer believe
Drowned in living waters
Cursed by the love that I received
From my brother’s daughter
Like Hephaestion, who died
Alexander’s lover
Now my riverbed has dried
Shall I find no other?

Oh, oh woe-oh-woah is me
I’m running like a plover
Now I’m prone to misery
The birthmark on your shoulder reminds me

How much sorrow can I take?
Blackbird on my shoulder
And what difference does it make
When this love is over?
Shall I sleep within your bed
River of unhappiness
Hold your hands upon my head
Till I breathe my last breath

Oh, oh woe-oh-woah is me
The last time that you touched me
Oh, will wonders ever cease?
Blessed be the mystery of love”