God, I haven't written a blog post in five years, but I have some free time, so let's see where this goes...
Ambitious singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens said in the early 2000s that he was going to embark in a major musical series, The Fifty States Project, in which he would do fifty albums, one for each state. In 2003, he released Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lake State to critical acclaim, and then followed that in 2005 with Illinois, which is, arguably, his masterpiece. While he was far from completing his lofty goal, he admitted that the project was, more or less, a gimmick, and that he had no plans of completing all 50 albums.
Since it has been 13 years since the Illinois album, I assume that there will be practically zero chance that Sufjan will release an album about my home state, Pennsylvania. But just on the slim opportunity that he may be considering another state album, I have created a potential list of song titles he could use - now, all he has to do is create words and music for these songs, piece of cake!
So, without further ado, here is the song list for the Proposed Pennsylvania: The Keystone State Album, combining parts of the state's history and local color. Hope this inspires him to create another state opus.
William Penn's Quaker Refuge
Behold the Mighty Ohio, Allegheny and Monongahela!
We Need More Scarves in Valley Forge!
Let Freedom Ring
The Gettysburg Address Polka
Hymen Lipman Added the Eraser
There's Something Wrong at the Steel Mill
The Horse and Buggy is in the Way (instrumental)
Andy Warhol Sketches His First Dress
Miss Vera Jane Palmer, née, Jayne Mansfield
The Aerodynamics of Johnny Unitas' Haircut (instrumental)
Observing the Remains of the Johnstown Flood
Hershey Kisses for Streetlights
Arnie's Army and the 1962 Masters
Night of The Night of the Living Dead
An Architectural Study of Falling Water
Fred Rogers Appears Before Congress
The Frank Rizzo Statue Removal
A Plate Full of Pierogis (instrumental)
Mr. Stevens, the ball is in your court. There can also be a Joe Paterno song, somewhere, if you feel like taking on that topic. I'd also be happy to assist in cover design, if you'd like. Let's do this!
