Where McKeown cites The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as an influence on her music, the Philadelphia Weekly recently described McKeown's music, saying:
"More singer-songwriters should follow the lead of Erin McKeown, the kooky songbird who's proved both playful and daring throughout her career. With a lilting delivery and chameleonic instrumentation, she even slipped into French for "Coucou", a gem off her unlikely standards album Sing You Sinners. But with McKeown, is anything really unlikely?"
McKeown's latest record, Hundreds of Lions, was released under Righteous Babe Records on October 13, 2009. Additionally, "CabinFever", a series of web concerts recorded in 2009 are available at McKeown's website.
McKeown began her career in the folk scene. She released her first album, Monday Morning Cold, on her own label (TVP Records), travelling throughout New England while still a student at Brown University in order to promote the record. Although she had begun studying ornithology, she graduated from Brown with a degree in ethnomusicology.
Earlier works include the roots and folk-orientated Distillation (2000), mainly pop and swing-orientated Grand (2003), We Will Become Like Birds (rock and pop, 2005) and the jazz and swing-orientated Sing You Sinners (2006, USA: 2007)
Considering she's praised for vivid and entertaining live shows, Erin McKeown released several live records such as an EP featuring live performances on KCRW Radio in 2006 and live recordings from Sirius FM by the end of 2009.
Rhode Island Is Famous for You
Erin McKeown Lyrics
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Peaches come from Georgia
And lobsters come from Maine
Well the wheat fields are the sweet fields of Nebraska
And Kansas gets bo-nansas from the grain
And old whiskey comes from old Kentucky
Ain't the country lucky
New Jersey gives us glue
Little old Rhode Island, it's famous for you
Cotton comes from Louisiana
Gophers from Montana
And spuds from Idaho
Well they plough land in the cowland of Missoura
Where most beef meant for roast beef
Seems to grow
And Grand canyons come from Coloradah
Gold comes from Nevada
But divorces also do
And you, you come from Rhode Island
Little old Rhode Island is famous for you
Pencils come from Pennsylvania
Vests from Vest Virginia
And tents from Tent-a-see
Well they know mink where they grow mink in Wyomink
And a camp chair in new Hamp-chair that's for me
And minnows come from Minnow-sota
Coats come from Dakota
So why should you be blue?
And you, you come from Rhode Island
Don't let 'em ride Rhode Island
It's famous for you
Famous for you
Famous for you
Erin McKeown's "Rhode Island Is Famous for You" is a song that celebrates the wonders of the various states in the USA, highlighting the unique products and features that make each one special. Using playful lyrics and an upbeat rhythm, McKeown takes the listener on a tour of America, showcasing the different things that come from each state. The song starts with the states that provide copper, peaches, lobsters, wheat, whiskey, and glue, emphasizing how lucky America is to have all these bountiful resources.
As the song progresses, McKeown shifts her focus to the less obvious things that each state contributes, such as cotton from Louisiana, gophers from Montana, and tents from Tennessee. She also touches on the more somber side of life, like divorces from Nevada, but assures the listener that there are still plenty of fun and light-hearted things to be found, like minnows from Minnesota and coats from South Dakota. Throughout the song, the chorus emphasizes how important each individual state and its contributions are, ending with the affirmation that Rhode Island, where the singer comes from, is also special and famous in its own right.
One possible interpretation of this song is that it is a celebration of American diversity and individuality. By highlighting the unique contributions of each state, McKeown is reminding listeners that every part of America has something to offer, and that all these diverse things make the country stronger and more interesting. The upbeat rhythm and joyous tone of the song also suggest that celebrating diversity can be fun and uplifting, and that there is a lot to be grateful for in America.
Line by Line Meaning
Copper comes from Arizona
Arizona is known for its copper production
Peaches come from Georgia
Georgia is famous for its peach crops
And lobsters come from Maine
Maine is known for its lobster industry
Well the wheat fields are the sweet fields of Nebraska
Nebraska is famous for its wheat production
And Kansas gets bo-nansas from the grain
Kansas is known for its grain production
And old whiskey comes from old Kentucky
Kentucky is famous for its whiskey
Ain't the country lucky
The country is fortunate to have these different products from each state
New Jersey gives us glue
New Jersey is known for its glue production
And you, you come from Rhode Island
Rhode Island is the singer's place of origin
Little old Rhode Island, it's famous for you
The singer thinks Rhode Island is special and unique because it produced her
Cotton comes from Louisiana
Louisiana is famous for its cotton production
Gophers from Montana
Montana is known for its gopher population
And spuds from Idaho
Idaho is famous for its potato crops
Well they plough land in the cowland of Missoura
Missouri is famous for its agriculture, particularly cattle farming
Where most beef meant for roast beef seems to grow
Missouri is where the majority of beef used for roasting is raised
And Grand canyons come from Coloradah
Colorado is famous for its Grand Canyon
Gold comes from Nevada, but divorces also do
Nevada is known for both its gold mining industry and its easy divorce laws
And you, you come from Rhode Island
The singer is still referring to her own origin in Rhode Island
Little old Rhode Island is famous for you
The singer believes Rhode Island is special because it produced her
Pencils come from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is famous for its pencil production
Vests from Vest Virginia
West Virginia is known for its vest production
And tents from Tent-a-see
Tennessee is famous for its tent manufacturing industry
Well they know mink where they grow mink in Wyomink
Wyoming is known for its mink farming industry
And a camp chair in new Hamp-chair that's for me
New Hampshire is known for its camp chair production
And minnows come from Minnow-sota
Minnesota is known for its minnow population
Coats come from Dakota
Dakota is famous for its coat manufacturing industry
So why should you be blue?
The singer is asking why the listener should be unhappy when there are so many unique things in different states to be happy about
And you, you come from Rhode Island
The singer is still referring to her own origin in Rhode Island
Don't let 'em ride Rhode Island, it's famous for you
The singer is telling the listener not to underestimate the influence of Rhode Island, just as it was important in producing her
Famous for you
Rhode Island is special and famous to the singer because it produced her
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ARTHUR SCHWARTZ, HOWARD DIETZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind