Sufjan Stevens - The Upper Peninsula

live @ town hall 09/30/06

Category:

Music

Tags:

• sufjan
• stevens
• the
• upper
• peninsula

[madkaye]

I'm sorry you feel insulted but it wasn't Sufjan portraying a stereotype. The guy is singing an autobiographical song about his father, who lived in the upper peninsula for a time. He lived with his father after living with his mother for a while, and the lyrics are from his experience.

[gustergirl]

Seriously?! All I can say is that I'm happy someone writes about the UP, eh? I literally freaked out, good times. I love my Yooperness. And Sufjan does, too.

[dreamingsleeping]

Fantastic!!

[BlueFreq]

this song did me good today on the bus

[conjon11]

poverty is everywhere, deal with it. besides, kmart & payless are american pastimes/stereotypes. Its a story about reality, not your's tho.

[bnash2002]

guitar riffs from heaven

[rodekill27]

hes just singing about a certain group of people, like trailer trash by modest mouse would be more condescending but hes writing from experience and truth

[ratmfan223344]

I like the song but now that you mention it, this is definitely a very condescending song. It will give everyone the impression that everyone who lives in the upper peninsula lives in poverty like the character of the song. Also, his implication that shopping at K-Mart and buying shoes from Payless something only poor people do really gets on my nerves. I'm not poor and I get my shoes at Payless.

[dmpelletier]

You have to be kidding me. This song is a joke. It is not an homage to the U.P., it is an insult. It isn't tongue in cheek ala Randy Newmann's "Rednecks." It is just a very lame and very classist song. It isn't in any way insightful and just seeks to fill bland stereotypes about Yoopers. Mr. Smarty Pants Stevens poking fun at the rubes up north. Poor form.

[bafcats]

Hey man, I have an excellent recording of the performance from the night before. If you'd like to have it, just let me know however you feel like and I'll hook you up. Did they play Majesty Snowbird at your show?

[kikih2o4]

Good that the Uppers are getting love besides us Trolls.