Although Sufjan Stevens brilliantly weaves religioun into each empty nook and crany in his songs, each song on his two "States albums" has a real world story which he is telling.
In this song he is talking about a large number of towns in Illinios which have changed their names over years in order to change. These towns were engulfed in poverty and such, so changing their names was changeing their identity. If they were no longer the name of a town in poverty, they were no longer in poverty, right?
This constant change of identity resulted in the people there being left rather displaced. They already had no job, no house, no lives, and now on top of that they did not have a city for more than a year. They lost their identities as the names changed.
This song is the uprising chant of all of those disposesed citizens who were forgotten as a result of all the poverty and public policy. They are back to claim the lives and the towns that were theirs. They say, "Look out all you who reaped benefits from our untimely demise!"
As the title states, they are neighbors. They are the people all around us whom we ignore, who we refuse to help. They are back from the dead and are here to judge us for what we have done or done none of.
There is the religous undertone: honor thy neighbor, for judgement day is near.
Sufjan Stevens talked a little about the history behind this song and others on a radio interview which is available as a podcast from "KPBS These Days."
I'm not sure what the website is but I'm sure google won't fail you if you are in search of it.
@zachharrisment I think this explanation is a bit dismissive and overly simplistic. The song is about the things you describe, but the other 2-3 themes in the song are moreso what the song is about, spirituality and patriotism.
@zachharrisment I think this explanation is a bit dismissive and overly simplistic. The song is about the things you describe, but the other 2-3 themes in the song are moreso what the song is about, spirituality and patriotism.
You just said the zombies are poor people, that's highly unlikely. The religious undertone is more sophisticated; it's not simply 'honor they neighbor', it's 'how and why do I honor my neighbor when my neighbor is a victim of corrupt systems and false ideologies in both the state and of humanity itself?' The zombies are those corrupted/misled people.
You just said the zombies are poor people, that's highly unlikely. The religious undertone is more sophisticated; it's not simply 'honor they neighbor', it's 'how and why do I honor my neighbor when my neighbor is a victim of corrupt systems and false ideologies in both the state and of humanity itself?' The zombies are those corrupted/misled people.
According to...
According to the Bible, "all fall short" so how can you honor someone's falling short? How can you honor a country when everything is backwards and bankrupt in every way? Why should you? The reason is because there are things greater and more important than our own lives. FAITH in your country or in our Lord are what give us unimaginable strengths of mind and soul and lead us to do many amazing things in the advancement of His plan. However it's when these aspects are corrupted, usually in the pursuit of wealth and power that the worst things are done in the 'name of God'.
Faith is like a muscle and it can weaken or be strengthened. The ability to be faithful builds character and improves your life and the lives of those around you, that's why you do it. It is right. The narrator isn't a zombie because he is Christian, yet he is far from safe. It is so easy for anyone to be lead astray at any time.
To simplify my summary of the bigger point of this song:
Questions: How do I honor my neighbor who is morally corrupted? How can I be patriotic when everyone is poor and the government is corrupt?
Answer: Hold your tongue and don't divide people, God is with us and will make everything right/ (and alternately) The U.S.A. is the best country in the world, they will make all these economic problems go away
Although Sufjan Stevens brilliantly weaves religioun into each empty nook and crany in his songs, each song on his two "States albums" has a real world story which he is telling.
In this song he is talking about a large number of towns in Illinios which have changed their names over years in order to change. These towns were engulfed in poverty and such, so changing their names was changeing their identity. If they were no longer the name of a town in poverty, they were no longer in poverty, right?
This constant change of identity resulted in the people there being left rather displaced. They already had no job, no house, no lives, and now on top of that they did not have a city for more than a year. They lost their identities as the names changed.
This song is the uprising chant of all of those disposesed citizens who were forgotten as a result of all the poverty and public policy. They are back to claim the lives and the towns that were theirs. They say, "Look out all you who reaped benefits from our untimely demise!"
As the title states, they are neighbors. They are the people all around us whom we ignore, who we refuse to help. They are back from the dead and are here to judge us for what we have done or done none of.
There is the religous undertone: honor thy neighbor, for judgement day is near.
Sufjan Stevens talked a little about the history behind this song and others on a radio interview which is available as a podcast from "KPBS These Days."
I'm not sure what the website is but I'm sure google won't fail you if you are in search of it.
@zachharrisment I think this explanation is a bit dismissive and overly simplistic. The song is about the things you describe, but the other 2-3 themes in the song are moreso what the song is about, spirituality and patriotism.
@zachharrisment I think this explanation is a bit dismissive and overly simplistic. The song is about the things you describe, but the other 2-3 themes in the song are moreso what the song is about, spirituality and patriotism.
You just said the zombies are poor people, that's highly unlikely. The religious undertone is more sophisticated; it's not simply 'honor they neighbor', it's 'how and why do I honor my neighbor when my neighbor is a victim of corrupt systems and false ideologies in both the state and of humanity itself?' The zombies are those corrupted/misled people.
You just said the zombies are poor people, that's highly unlikely. The religious undertone is more sophisticated; it's not simply 'honor they neighbor', it's 'how and why do I honor my neighbor when my neighbor is a victim of corrupt systems and false ideologies in both the state and of humanity itself?' The zombies are those corrupted/misled people.
According to...
According to the Bible, "all fall short" so how can you honor someone's falling short? How can you honor a country when everything is backwards and bankrupt in every way? Why should you? The reason is because there are things greater and more important than our own lives. FAITH in your country or in our Lord are what give us unimaginable strengths of mind and soul and lead us to do many amazing things in the advancement of His plan. However it's when these aspects are corrupted, usually in the pursuit of wealth and power that the worst things are done in the 'name of God'.
Faith is like a muscle and it can weaken or be strengthened. The ability to be faithful builds character and improves your life and the lives of those around you, that's why you do it. It is right. The narrator isn't a zombie because he is Christian, yet he is far from safe. It is so easy for anyone to be lead astray at any time.
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To simplify my summary of the bigger point of this song:
Questions: How do I honor my neighbor who is morally corrupted? How can I be patriotic when everyone is poor and the government is corrupt?
Answer: Hold your tongue and don't divide people, God is with us and will make everything right/ (and alternately) The U.S.A. is the best country in the world, they will make all these economic problems go away
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