Welcome back! Took a break and, upon our return, received The Greatest Gift from Sufjan Stevens. As highlighted previously, the song is the title track of a Carrie & Lowell “mixtape,” which has just been released on Asthmatic Kitty. The mixtape includes unreleased outtakes, remixes, and demos from Carrie & Lowell. A portion of the proceeds from The Greatest Gift will be donated to Cancer Community Support, which it is said “is dedicated to ensuring that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action, and sustained by community.”

As you can see below, The Greatest Gift is a great reminder from Stevens to give thanks and go gentle in to that bright day and that dark night. Check out the song’s stop-motion video, which was directed by Stevens, along with the song’s lyrics at bottom.

Go HERE to purchase the new release.

The Greatest Gift:

“Praise the mountain and the rain
All the gifts that still remain
But the greatest gift of all
And the law above all laws

Is to love your friends and lovers
To lay down your life for your brothers
As you abide in peace
So will your delight increase

As the mystery of the cross
Asa Lovejoy lost the toss
And the fountain in the rain
Where my sorrow still remains

So I run to my friends and lovers
I lay down my life for my brothers
As I abide in peace
So will my delight increase”