Michigan (album)

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Michigan
Studio album by Sufjan Stevens
Released	July 1, 2003
Recorded	2003 Petoskey, Michigan Brooklyn, New York Clarksboro, New Jersey Williamstown, Massachusetts
Genre	Folk rock, Indie rock
Length	66:11
Label	Asthmatic Kitty
Producer	Sufjan Stevens
Professional reviews
AllMusicGuide link Pitchfork Media (8.5/10) link
Sufjan Stevens chronology
Enjoy Your Rabbit (2001) Michigan (2003) Seven Swans (2004)

Michigan (2003) is a concept album by Sufjan Stevens, with songs referencing cities and people in the state of Michigan. It is the first in "The 50 States" project, a planned series of 50 albums to encompass all 50 states of the United States. Although the album cover reads "Greetings From Michigan The Great Lake State", the official album title is just "Michigan". "Holland" was also featured on the soundtrack to Weeds.

Contents 1 Guest Artists 2 Album Art 3 Track listing 4 Covers 5 Trivia 6 External links

[edit] Guest Artists

Elin, Megan, and Daniel Smith (of Danielson Famile), and John Ringhofer (Half-handed Cloud).

[edit] Album Art

Album art features original hand-paintings by Martha Stewart Living crafts editor Laura Normandin.

[edit] Track listing

1. "Flint (For the Unemployed and Underpaid)" – 3:44
2. "All Good Naysayers, Speak Up! Or Forever Hold Your Peace!" – 4:33
3. "For the Widows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti" – 3:57
4. "Say Yes! to M!ch!gan!" – 2:46
   • (The track title refers to a Michigan tourism slogan from the 1980s)
5. "The Upper Peninsula" – 3:23
6. "Tahquamenon Falls" – 2:18
7. "Holland" – 3:26
8. "Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head! (Rebuild! Restore! Reconsider!)" – 8:20
9. "Romulus" – 4:41
10. "Alanson, Crooked River" – 1:18
11. "Sleeping Bear, Sault Saint Marie" – 2:52
12. "They Also Mourn Who Do Not Wear Black (For the Homeless in Muskegon)" – 6:21
13. "Oh God, Where Are You Now? (In Pickerel Lake? Pigeon? Marquette? Mackinaw?)" – 9:23
14. "Redford (For Yia-Yia & Pappou)" – 2:02
15. "Vito's Ordination Song" – 7:07

Bonus Tracks on the Vinyl release:

1. "Marching Band" – 3:41
2. "Niagara Falls (final)" – 2:22
3. "Pickerel Lake" – 3:11
4. "Presidents and Magistrates" - 4:16
5. "Vito's Ordination Song (demo)" – 5:25
6. "Wolverine" – 2:10

The European re-release of the album in 2004 also contains the bonus tracks "Marching Band" and "Pickerel Lake".

[edit] Covers

The album A Collision by the David Crowder Band includes a cover of track 13, "Oh God, Where Are You Now? (In Pickerel Lake? Pigeon? Marquette? Mackinaw?)".

[edit] Trivia

The song For the widows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti was used in The OC.

The song "Redford (For Yia-Yia & Pappou)" [it's opening chords] were used in an NBC news special on June 8th, 2008.

[edit] External links

v • d • e Sufjan Stevens Albums A Sun Came (2000) · Enjoy Your Rabbit (2001) · Michigan (2003) · Seven Swans (2004) · Illinoise (2005) · The Avalanche (2006) · Songs for Christmas (2006) Singles The Dress Looks Nice on You (2004) Related articles Marzuki · My Brightest Diamond · Danielson Famile · Rosie Thomas and Denison Witmer · Asthmatic Kitty · Rough Trade Records · Michigan