All 50 states? Lord God!
A few days ago I was driving home, listening to All Things Considered on NPR. I really do enjoy my drives to and from work, paying the road less attention than I should and paying my radio slightly more. I mean, who’s going to feel worse when I ignore them? That’s right, me. When I’m sitting in my sad, broken car.
Anyway, I happened to tune into the last half of a report on the ivory-billed woodpecker and its reappearance in Arkansas. It had your standard NPR-interview sound bytes from local residents who were either incredibly mad that they could no longer hunt and fish in this newly protected habitat, or those that were already trying to make money off the situation.
But as the story went on, I started to feel quite sad for Brinkley, Ark. This tiny, dying town really had no hope before this bird appeared. And now this goofy bird is their very last chance.
Sufjan Stevens was invited by producers to come up with a song from these interviews. With albums on Michigan and now Illinois already out, Stevens gladly took on the role of adopting yet another state. The result was “The Lord God Bird,” named because of the “Lord God!” reaction to seeing the bird for the first time.
It just might be his best effort yet.
NPR: Brinkley, Ark., Embraces ‘The Lord God Bird’ The entire story, with interviews.
Sufjan Stevens – The Lord God Bird (MP3)
July 8, 2005
11 responses to All 50 states? Lord God!
I heard about the Surfjam thing the other day and I, myself, was like WTF? All 50 states? Wow.
Who would have thought that a woodpecker would bring so much joy to a community as well as to our ears thanks to Mr. Stevens’ wonderful song. One of his best. Did you make the graphic?
I did! And I think I might do that more often…
Wonderful! I do love originality.
Oh… and what happened to your once nice car?
that’s an interesting story…
kind of funny actually.
He possess way too much talent for one person. It’s amazing how he can have these great folk albums, and then have an electronic album.
Who am I?
Adam, you have definitely been around real journalist types too long. How about a few typos here and there? Maybe an incomplete sentence for good measure. You can even use that one.
oh, good post by the way. thanks for introducing me to sufjan stevens. i do enjoy him. and the name. SOOFYAAAANNNN.
To Greg: the car is fine. I was just predicting a future of NPR-bliss.
To (BLANK): who ARE you?
To Krister: Your funny. Keep reading.