In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
One, two, three, four
Our step mom, we did everything to hate her
She took us down to the edge of Decatur
We saw the lion and the kangaroo take her
Down to the river where they caught a wild alligator
Sangamon River it overflowed
It caused a mudslide on the banks of the operator
Civil War skeletons in their graves
They came up clapping in the spirit of the aviator
The sound of the engines and the smell of the grain
We go riding on the abolition grain train
Steven A. Douglas was a great debater
But Abraham Lincoln was the great emancipator
Chicken mobile with your rooster tail
I had my fill and I know how bad it feels
Stay awake and watch for the data
No small caterpillar, go congratulate her
Denominator, go Decatur, go Decatur
It's the great I am
Abominate her, go Decatur, why did we hate her?
It's the great I am
Denominator, go Decatur, anticipate her
It's the great I am
Appreciates her, appreciate her
Stand up and thank her
Stand up and thank her
It's the great I am
Stand up and thank her
It's the great I am
Stand up and thank her
It's the great I am
Stand up and thank her
Our step mom, we did everything to hate her
She took us down to the edge of Decatur
We saw the lion and the kangaroo take her
Down to the river where they caught a wild alligator
Sangamon River it overflowed
It caused a mudslide on the banks of the operator
Civil War skeletons in their graves
They came up clapping in the spirit of the aviator
The sound of the engines and the smell of the grain
We go riding on the abolition grain train
Steven A. Douglas was a great debater
But Abraham Lincoln was the great emancipator
Chicken mobile with your rooster tail
I had my fill and I know how bad it feels
Stay awake and watch for the data
No small caterpillar, go congratulate her
Denominator, go Decatur, go Decatur
It's the great I am
Abominate her, go Decatur, why did we hate her?
It's the great I am
Denominator, go Decatur, anticipate her
It's the great I am
Appreciates her, appreciate her
Stand up and thank her
Stand up and thank her
It's the great I am
Stand up and thank her
It's the great I am
Stand up and thank her
It's the great I am
Stand up and thank her
Lyrics submitted by infranippies
Decatur, Or, Round Of Applause For Your Stepmother! Lyrics as written by Sufjan Stevens
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"The sound of the engines and the smell of the grain We go riding on the abolition grain train Steven A. Douglas was a great debater But Abraham Lincoln was the great emancipator"
I know everyone loves the Douglas v Linconl debate line, but I find it so much more enjoyable in context. Brief Hisotrical Context: Stephen Douglas (that's actually how you spell his name) was this political figure in Illinois/the rest of the country who was working to push Chicago as a transportation center by building a railroads through Chicago to the west. (which would explain the sound of engines line as well as the smell of grain as Illinois is well known for being the prairie state.) Douglas happened to get tangled up in this political mess about slavery (he was an advocate of popular sovereignty and brought about the Kansas-Nebraska Act), but he didn't support the Lecompton Constitution (I would explain all these things, but that literally would make this an essay...) so the South hated him. He wasn't an abolitionist per say, but the South viewed him as one (they were very touchy about slavery which would explain the "abolitionist grain trian" line). During his bid for the presidency, he and Lincoln had debates (hence the line "the great debater"). Douglas was not elected President. Lincoln was. He however, was not an abolitionist either, he was anti-slavery (which is not the same thing as an abolitionist). Lincoln staunchly denied for years during the Civil War that the war was not being fought for slavery, but to re-unite the Union. (however, yes, he did give the Emancipation Proclamation, hence the line "the great emancipator"
I really love this song because it is so rich in history.Every time I think of these lines, it jolts my brain which might come in handy when the AP US history test rolls around...and that power that it has over my memory makes the song much more rich to me.
ps (I'm sorry if their are any historical inaccuracies...I'm only a student)