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Michigan

by Sufjan Stevens

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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Michigan 2LP comes housed in a gatefold sleeve.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Michigan via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 3 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      $28 USD or more 

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  • Digital Album
    Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $10 USD  or more

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  • University of Michigan/Michigan State AKR Edition
    Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    PRE-ORDER: Shipping Fall 2023

    Sufjan's 'Michigan' turns 20 this year! As part of the celebration, we've partnered with Third Man Pressing in Detroit to release this special variant! This edition is pressed on "University of Michigan/Michigan State" marbled vinyl.

    NOTE: orders are limited to one per customer; orders containing multiple records will be automatically canceled.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Michigan via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Sold Out

1.
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 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 Use my hands to use my heart Even if I died alone Even if I died alone Even if I died alone Even if I died alone Even if I died
2.
All good thoughts 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! (All we praise is not the kind of commerce. That's the right solution!)
3.
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, If there's any other way, I'll do anything for you. I was dressed embarrassment. I was dressed in wine. If you had a part of me, will you take you're 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 you 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 did everything for you
4.
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
5.
I live in America With a pair of Payless shoes The upper penisula And the television news And I've seen my wife At the K-Mart In strange ideas We live apart I live in a trailer home With a snow mobile, 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
6.
7.
Holland 03:26
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
8.
Once a great place. Now a prison. All I can say. All I can do. People Mover: Bad Decision. From suburban. Now a prison. All I can say. All I can do. From the trembling walls. It’s a great idea! Everything you want. It’s a great idea! Once a great place. Now a prison. All I can say. All I can do. Henry Ford. Henry Ford. Public Trans. Public Trans. Pontiac. Pontiac. Feed the poor. Feed the poor. City Hall. City Hall. Windsor Park. Windsor Park. Saginaw. Saginaw. After dark. After dark. Tigers game. Tigers game. Eighty-four. Eighty-four. Industry. Industry. Unemployed. Unemployed. Gun control. Gun control. Wolverine. Wolverine. Iroquois. Iroquois. Industry. Industry. Public Trans. Public Trans. Auto Cars. Auto Cars. Jefferson. Jefferson. 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)
9.
Romulus 04:41
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'd never be fixed or 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 boyfriends, some wild. She moved away quite far. Our grandpa bought us a new VCR. We watched it all night, but grew up in spite of it. We watched it all night, but grew up in spite of it. We saw her once last fall. Our grandpa died in a hospital gown. She didn't seem to care. She smoked in her room and colored 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
10.
11.
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
12.
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!)
13.
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, say 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 God 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
14.
15.
I always knew you in your mothers arms i have called your name i have an idea placed in your mind to be a better man ive made a crown for you put it in your room and when the bride groom comes there will be noise there will be glad and a 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 your jacket too i always knew you in your mothers arms i have called you son ive made amends between father and son or if you havent one rest in my arms sleep in my bed theres a design to what i did and said

about

Sufjan Stevens, Asthmatic Kitty, and Soundsfamilyre announce Sufjan's third full-length album, a collection of songs for his birth-state, MICHIGAN, "The Great Lake State."

Composed as a geographical tone poem, MICHIGAN follows a metaphysical expedition through the idiosyncrasies of middle America. Drawing from personal anecdote, regional history, and state heritage, Stevens mixes social and political grievances with songs about snowmobiles, Henry Ford, the Detroit race riots, and love.

MICHIGAN's songs resonate with a range of sources-Vince Guaraldi, Terry Riley, and Nick Drake as accompanied by Stereolab and The Sea & Cake-in executing Stevens' peculiar palette that is simultaneously rock and blue-grass, jazz and pop, a style The Village Voice appraises as "Arthur Lee meets the Book of Psalms."

In MICHIGAN, Stevens combines intimate, soft-spoken songwriting with the dense compositional complexity displayed on his previous release ENJOY YOUR
RABBIT, which XLR8R called "...a transgressive, majestic album conjuring an academic jam session of Stereolab and Luke Vibert conducted by Steve Reich."

Guest artists include Elin, Megan, and Daniel Smith (of The Danielson Famile), and John Ringhofer (Half-handed Cloud). Album art features original hand-paintings by Martha Stewart crafts editor Laura Normandin.

MICHIGAN is the inaugural entry of THE 50 STATES, a cumulative recording project by Sufjan Stevens unparalleled in its panoramic enterprise: a record for each state! You think he's kidding, don't you?

Now available from Asthmatic Kitty and Soundsfamilyre. Distributed by Secretly Canadian: release date: July 1, 2003 (which happened to be Sufjan's birthday).

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released July 1, 2003

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Sufjan Stevens New York, New York

Sufjan Stevens is a singer-songwriter living in New York City.

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