It's the same outside,
Driving to the riverside.
I pretend to cry,
Even if I cried alone.
I forgot the start.
Use my hands to use my heart.
Even if I died alone.
Since the first of June,
Lost my job and lost my room.
I pretend to try,
Even if I tried alone.
I forgot the part.
Lose my hands to lose my heart.
Even if I died alone.
Sufjan Stevens - Michigan Album Lyrics
Sufjan Stevens - Michigan Lyrics
- Flint (For the Unemployed and Underpaid)
- All Good Naysayers Speak Up! Or Forever Hold Your Peace!
- For The Widows In Paradise For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti
- The Upper Peninsula
- Say Yes! To M!ch!gan!
- Tahquamenon Falls
- Holland
- Oh Detroit Lift Up Your Weary Head
- Romulus
- Alanson Crooked River
- Sault Saint Marie Sleeping Bear
- They Also Mourn Who Do Not Wear Black
- Oh God Where Are You Now?
- Redford
- Vitos Ordination Song
- Marching Band
Writer: SUFJAN STEVENS
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
All Good Naysayers Speak Up! Or Forever Hold Your Peace!
All good thoughts in spite of righteousness
Is not the kind of thoughts in spite of greatness
Often not the state is advocation
If we form a power of recognition
Forget loss and perfect advocation
If it drops or stays in convocation
All we praise is all we want in commerce
All we praise is parties, foreign commerce
Entertain ideas of great communion
Shelter not materials in union
(All we praise is not the kind of commerce
That's the right solution!)
All good thoughts is not the act of doing
What we want but what we should improving
Properties, ideas, a woman's pleasure
Is empowered by love, a perfect measure!
Is not the kind of thoughts in spite of greatness
Often not the state is advocation
If we form a power of recognition
Forget loss and perfect advocation
If it drops or stays in convocation
All we praise is all we want in commerce
All we praise is parties, foreign commerce
Entertain ideas of great communion
Shelter not materials in union
(All we praise is not the kind of commerce
That's the right solution!)
All good thoughts is not the act of doing
What we want but what we should improving
Properties, ideas, a woman's pleasure
Is empowered by love, a perfect measure!
Writer: SUFJAN STEVENS
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
For The Widows In Paradise For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti
I have called you, children
I have called you, son
What is there to answer
If I'm the only one
Morning comes in Paradise
Morning comes in light
Still I must obey
Still I must invite
If there's anything to say
If there's anything to do
I there's any other way
I'll do anything for you
I was dressed in embarrassment
I was dressed in white
If you had a part of me
Will you take your time
Even if I come back
Even if I die
Is there some idea
To replace my life
Like a father to impress
Like a mother's mourning dress
If we ever make a mess
I'll do anything for you
I have called you, preacher
I have called you, son
If you have a father
Or if you haven't one
I'll do anything for you
I'll do anything for you
I'll do anything for you
I'll do anything for you
I did everything for you
I did everything for you
I did everything for you
I did everything for you
I did everything for you
I did everything for you
I did everything for you
I did everything for you
I have called you, son
What is there to answer
If I'm the only one
Morning comes in Paradise
Morning comes in light
Still I must obey
Still I must invite
If there's anything to say
If there's anything to do
I there's any other way
I'll do anything for you
I was dressed in embarrassment
I was dressed in white
If you had a part of me
Will you take your time
Even if I come back
Even if I die
Is there some idea
To replace my life
Like a father to impress
Like a mother's mourning dress
If we ever make a mess
I'll do anything for you
I have called you, preacher
I have called you, son
If you have a father
Or if you haven't one
I'll do anything for you
I'll do anything for you
I'll do anything for you
I'll do anything for you
I did everything for you
I did everything for you
I did everything for you
I did everything for you
I did everything for you
I did everything for you
I did everything for you
I did everything for you
Writer: Sufjan Stevens
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
The Upper Peninsula
I live in America with a pair of Payless shoes
The Upper Peninsula and the television news
I've seen my wife at the K-Mart
In strange ideas we live apart
I live in a trailer home with a snowmobile, my car
The window is broken out and the interstate is far
I drove all night to find my child
In strange ideas he's been revived
In strange ideas, in stranger times
I've no idea what's right sometimes
I lost my mind, I lost my life
I lost my job, I lost my wife
The Upper Peninsula and the television news
I've seen my wife at the K-Mart
In strange ideas we live apart
I live in a trailer home with a snowmobile, my car
The window is broken out and the interstate is far
I drove all night to find my child
In strange ideas he's been revived
In strange ideas, in stranger times
I've no idea what's right sometimes
I lost my mind, I lost my life
I lost my job, I lost my wife
Writer: SUFJAN STEVENS
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Say Yes! To M!ch!gan!
Demonstrate I was
raised from the start
By a priest and
the maid on the part.
Still know what
to wear on my back:
Michigan!
Ponshewaing!
Cadillac!
If I ever meant to go away
I was raised, I was reaised
In the place, in the place.
Still I often think of going back
To the farms, to the farms
Golden arms, golden arms
start to remind me.
If the lakes took
the place of the sea.
If the cars drove
themselves, way to be!
Opposite the trains moving in
Rivers run interstate, Michigan!
Still I never meant to go away
I was raised, I was raised
In the place, in the place.
Still I often think of going back
To the farms, to the farms
Golden arms, golden arms.
Tried to change the
Made in Michigan
I was raised, I was raised
In the place, in the place,
part to remind me
raised from the start
By a priest and
the maid on the part.
Still know what
to wear on my back:
Michigan!
Ponshewaing!
Cadillac!
If I ever meant to go away
I was raised, I was reaised
In the place, in the place.
Still I often think of going back
To the farms, to the farms
Golden arms, golden arms
start to remind me.
If the lakes took
the place of the sea.
If the cars drove
themselves, way to be!
Opposite the trains moving in
Rivers run interstate, Michigan!
Still I never meant to go away
I was raised, I was raised
In the place, in the place.
Still I often think of going back
To the farms, to the farms
Golden arms, golden arms.
Tried to change the
Made in Michigan
I was raised, I was raised
In the place, in the place,
part to remind me
Writer: SUFJAN STEVENS
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © Original Writer and Publisher
Holland
All the time we spent in bed
Counting miles before we set
Fall in love and fall apart
Things will end before they start
Sleeping on Lake Michigan
Factories and marching bands
Lose our clothes in summer time
Lose ourselves to lose our minds
In the summer heat, I might
Counting miles before we set
Fall in love and fall apart
Things will end before they start
Sleeping on Lake Michigan
Factories and marching bands
Lose our clothes in summer time
Lose ourselves to lose our minds
In the summer heat, I might
Writer: SUFJAN STEVENS
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Oh Detroit Lift Up Your Weary Head
Once a great place (once a great place)
Now a prison (now a prison)
All I can say (all I can say)
All I can do (all I can do)
People Mover (people mover)
Bad Decision (bad decision)
From suburban (from suburban)
Now a prison (now a prison)
All I can say (all I can say)
All I can do (all I can do)
From the trembling walls it's a great idea!
Everything you want it's a great idea!
It's a great idea it's a great idea
Once a great place (once a great place)
Now a prison (now a prison)
All I can say (all I can say)
All I can do (all I can do)
Henry Ford henry Ford (Henry Ford)
Public Trans public Trans (public trans)
Pontiac pontiac (Pontiac)
Feed the poor feed the poor (feed the poor)
City Hall city Hall (city hall)
Windsor Park windsor Park (Windsor Park)
Saginaw saginaw (Saginaw)
After dark after dark (after dark)
Tigers game tigers game (Tigers game)
Eighty-four eighty-four (eighty-four)
Industry industry (industry)
Unemployed unemployed (unemployed)
Gun control gun control (gun control)
Wolverine wolverine (wolverine)
Iroquois iroquois (Iroquois)
Industry industry (industry)
Public Trans public Trans (public trans)
Auto Cars auto Cars (auto cars)
Jefferson jefferson (Jefferson)
Michigan michigan (Michigan)
From the trembling walls, it's a great idea!
Everything you want, it's a great idea!
From the Renaissance, it's a great idea!
Everything you want, it's a great idea!
Throw them all away, it's a great idea!
From the Renaissance, it's a great idea!
Everything you want
(Hesitate to burn the buildings)
Now a prison (now a prison)
All I can say (all I can say)
All I can do (all I can do)
People Mover (people mover)
Bad Decision (bad decision)
From suburban (from suburban)
Now a prison (now a prison)
All I can say (all I can say)
All I can do (all I can do)
From the trembling walls it's a great idea!
Everything you want it's a great idea!
It's a great idea it's a great idea
Once a great place (once a great place)
Now a prison (now a prison)
All I can say (all I can say)
All I can do (all I can do)
Henry Ford henry Ford (Henry Ford)
Public Trans public Trans (public trans)
Pontiac pontiac (Pontiac)
Feed the poor feed the poor (feed the poor)
City Hall city Hall (city hall)
Windsor Park windsor Park (Windsor Park)
Saginaw saginaw (Saginaw)
After dark after dark (after dark)
Tigers game tigers game (Tigers game)
Eighty-four eighty-four (eighty-four)
Industry industry (industry)
Unemployed unemployed (unemployed)
Gun control gun control (gun control)
Wolverine wolverine (wolverine)
Iroquois iroquois (Iroquois)
Industry industry (industry)
Public Trans public Trans (public trans)
Auto Cars auto Cars (auto cars)
Jefferson jefferson (Jefferson)
Michigan michigan (Michigan)
From the trembling walls, it's a great idea!
Everything you want, it's a great idea!
From the Renaissance, it's a great idea!
Everything you want, it's a great idea!
Throw them all away, it's a great idea!
From the Renaissance, it's a great idea!
Everything you want
(Hesitate to burn the buildings)
Writer: Sufjan Stevens
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Romulus
Once when our mother called
She had a voice of last year's cough
We passed around the phone
Sharing a word about Oregon
When my turn came
I was ashamed
When my turn came
I was ashamed
Once when we moved away
She came to Romulus for a day
Her Chevrolet broke down
We prayed it never be fixed or be found
We touched her hair
We touched her hair
We touched her hair
We touched her hair
When she had her last child
Once when she had some boyfriend somewhile
She moved away quite far
Our Grampa bought us a new VCR
We watched it all night
We grew up in spite of it
We watched it all night
We grew up in spite of it
We saw her once last fall
Our Grampa died in a hospital gown
She didn't seem to care
She smoked in her room and coloured her hair
I was ashamed
I was ashamed of her
I was ashamed
I was ashamed of her
I was ashamed
I was ashamed of her
I was ashamed
I was ashamed
Of her
She had a voice of last year's cough
We passed around the phone
Sharing a word about Oregon
When my turn came
I was ashamed
When my turn came
I was ashamed
Once when we moved away
She came to Romulus for a day
Her Chevrolet broke down
We prayed it never be fixed or be found
We touched her hair
We touched her hair
We touched her hair
We touched her hair
When she had her last child
Once when she had some boyfriend somewhile
She moved away quite far
Our Grampa bought us a new VCR
We watched it all night
We grew up in spite of it
We watched it all night
We grew up in spite of it
We saw her once last fall
Our Grampa died in a hospital gown
She didn't seem to care
She smoked in her room and coloured her hair
I was ashamed
I was ashamed of her
I was ashamed
I was ashamed of her
I was ashamed
I was ashamed of her
I was ashamed
I was ashamed
Of her
Writer: SUFJAN STEVENS
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © Original Writer and Publisher
Sault Saint Marie Sleeping Bear
Oh Sleeping Bear!
Ran to the top and got scared
of what I could see.
Oh Lamb of God!
Tell us your perfect design
and give us the rod.
Oh Sturgeon Bay!
Covered completely in sand
And covered in sun.
Oh Saint Marie! Give up
the rocking boats drowned.
The Captain is done
Ran to the top and got scared
of what I could see.
Oh Lamb of God!
Tell us your perfect design
and give us the rod.
Oh Sturgeon Bay!
Covered completely in sand
And covered in sun.
Oh Saint Marie! Give up
the rocking boats drowned.
The Captain is done
Writer: SUFJAN STEVENS
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
They Also Mourn Who Do Not Wear Black
If you happen to be educated
Time it marches on,
oh time it marches on.
In the end there is a sacred show
delivers every song,
delivers every song.
Mourning steps and
mourning gallivants
And mourning never shows,
no mourning never slows.
If the avatar reminds that it
will never stand at all,
will never stand as tall.
Since the water made it,
most to sail it,
made it most to song,
it made it most to song.
For the politics are not political
for what they stand,
For not what they demand.
Every senator and diplomat
combines her certain part,
A matter for the heart.
Save yourself from recognition.
selfless and quite song
To better get along.
(We love you. We Chose to.
We made to. We love you.)
If we concentrate and pull
resources to the highest poll,
To beat the highest pull, too.
Ever will we conquer grief
and find it faster to resolve
the dead, to be absolved
and fed, to restore.
If the advantageous
reprimand misgivings,
We wont grow.
We will not ever know.
We will not!
(Lift my life in healthy places!)
Time it marches on,
oh time it marches on.
In the end there is a sacred show
delivers every song,
delivers every song.
Mourning steps and
mourning gallivants
And mourning never shows,
no mourning never slows.
If the avatar reminds that it
will never stand at all,
will never stand as tall.
Since the water made it,
most to sail it,
made it most to song,
it made it most to song.
For the politics are not political
for what they stand,
For not what they demand.
Every senator and diplomat
combines her certain part,
A matter for the heart.
Save yourself from recognition.
selfless and quite song
To better get along.
(We love you. We Chose to.
We made to. We love you.)
If we concentrate and pull
resources to the highest poll,
To beat the highest pull, too.
Ever will we conquer grief
and find it faster to resolve
the dead, to be absolved
and fed, to restore.
If the advantageous
reprimand misgivings,
We wont grow.
We will not ever know.
We will not!
(Lift my life in healthy places!)
Writer: SUFJAN STEVENS
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Oh God Where Are You Now?
Oh God hold me now.
Oh Lord hold me now.
There's no other man
Who could raise the dead.
So do what you can
To anoint my head.
Oh God, where are you now?
Oh Lord save somehow.
The Devil is hard on my face again.
The world is a hundred to one again.
Would the righteous still remain?
Would my body stay the same?
Oh God hold me now.
Oh God touch me now.
There's no other man
Who could save the dead.
There's no other garden
To place our head.
Would the righteous still remain?
Would my body stay the same?
There's no other man
Who could raise the dead.
So do what you can
To anoint my head.
Oh God hold me now.
Oh Lord touch me now.
Oh Lord hold me now.
There's no other man
Who could raise the dead.
So do what you can
To anoint my head.
Oh God, where are you now?
Oh Lord save somehow.
The Devil is hard on my face again.
The world is a hundred to one again.
Would the righteous still remain?
Would my body stay the same?
Oh God hold me now.
Oh God touch me now.
There's no other man
Who could save the dead.
There's no other garden
To place our head.
Would the righteous still remain?
Would my body stay the same?
There's no other man
Who could raise the dead.
So do what you can
To anoint my head.
Oh God hold me now.
Oh Lord touch me now.
Writer: SUFJAN STEVENS
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © Original Writer and Publisher
Vitos Ordination Song
I always knew you
In your mother's arms
I have called her name
I've an idea
Placed in your mind
To be a better man,
I've made a crown for you
And put it in your room
And when the bride groom comes
There will be noise.
And there will be glad
And the perfect bed
And when you write a poem
I know the words,
I know the sounds
Before you write it down
When you wear your clothes
I wear them too
I wear your shoes.
And the jacket too
I always knew you
In your mother's arms
I have called you son.
I've made amends
Between father and son.
Or if you haven't one
Rest in my arms,
Sleep in my bed,
There's a design
To what I did and said
Rest in my arms,
Sleep in my bed,
There's a design
In your mother's arms
I have called her name
I've an idea
Placed in your mind
To be a better man,
I've made a crown for you
And put it in your room
And when the bride groom comes
There will be noise.
And there will be glad
And the perfect bed
And when you write a poem
I know the words,
I know the sounds
Before you write it down
When you wear your clothes
I wear them too
I wear your shoes.
And the jacket too
I always knew you
In your mother's arms
I have called you son.
I've made amends
Between father and son.
Or if you haven't one
Rest in my arms,
Sleep in my bed,
There's a design
To what I did and said
Rest in my arms,
Sleep in my bed,
There's a design
Writer: SUFJAN STEVENS
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Copyright: Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Marching Band
One dark day the trees began a trumpet sound,
trumpet sound
We sat listening patiently, the sky was near
and I felt the trembling motion
we ran out to see the future, from the ground
from the ground
from the ground
from the ground
people died and people risen everywhere
We held hands and made a circle
quietly from the ground
quietly from the ground
We returned and set the table, by the door
trumpet sound
We sat listening patiently, the sky was near
and I felt the trembling motion
we ran out to see the future, from the ground
from the ground
from the ground
from the ground
people died and people risen everywhere
We held hands and made a circle
quietly from the ground
quietly from the ground
We returned and set the table, by the door
Copyright: Lyrics © Original Writer and Publisher
Michigan (styled Sufjan Stevens Presents... Greetings from Michigan, the Great Lake State on the cover) is a concept album by American indie folk songwriter Sufjan Stevens, released on July 1, 2003, on Sounds Familyre, Asthmatic Kitty and Secretly Canadian in the US, and on Rough Trade in Europe. It is Stevens' third studio album and features songs referencing places, events, and persons related to the U.S. state of Michigan.
The album is the first in Stevens' fifty states project, a planned series of fifty albums to encompass all fifty U.S. states. Stevens only released two state albums before admitting the project was a "promotional gimmick". The other album was Illinois (based on the U.S. state of Illinois), which was released in 2005.
Performed By:
Sufjan StevensThe album is the first in Stevens' fifty states project, a planned series of fifty albums to encompass all fifty U.S. states. Stevens only released two state albums before admitting the project was a "promotional gimmick". The other album was Illinois (based on the U.S. state of Illinois), which was released in 2005.
Genre(s): Indie folk, folk pop, baroque pop
Producer(s): Sufjan Stevens
Released: July 1st, 2003
Year: 2003