Say Yes To Michigan!
Sufjan Stevens Lyrics


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Demonstrate I was
Raised from the start
By a priest and
The maid on the part
Still I know what
To wear on my back
Michigan!
Ponshewaing!
Cadillac!

If I ever meant to go away
I was raised, I was raised
In the place, in the place
Still I often think of going back
To the farms, to the farms
Golden arms, golden arms
Start to remind me

If the lakes took
The place of the sea
If the cars drove themselves
Way to be!
Opposite to the trains moving in
Rivers run interstate, Michigan!

Still I never meant to go away
I was raised, I was raised
In the place, in the place
Still I often think of going back
To the farms, to the farms
Golden arms, golden arms
Tried to change the
Made in Michigan
I was raised, I was raised




In the place, in the place
Oh to remind me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Sufjan Stevens's Say Yes! to Michigan! speak to the singer's deep connection to his home state. Stevens begins by acknowledging his upbringing by a Catholic priest and a maid, and the influence they had on his life. He then lists three specific locations in Michigan - Ponshewaing, Cadillac, and the state itself - that he associates with his roots. These names serve as a reminder of his past and what he once knew.


Stevens then reflects on the idea of leaving Michigan for good. While he has thought about it before, he is still drawn to the idea of returning to the place where he was raised. He conjures up images of golden farm fields and the natural beauty of the state, cementing his love and admiration for Michigan. He even poses a hypothetical scenario where the Great Lakes replace the oceans, and Michigan becomes an even more central part of the country.


Throughout the song, Stevens laments the outside forces that try to change or corrupt his home state, but ultimately, he remains fiercely loyal to Michigan. The lyrics are nostalgic and sentimental, conveying the feeling of being homesick for a place you may never be able to return to.


Line by Line Meaning

Demonstrate I was
I want to show that I am from Michigan


Raised from the start
I was born and raised in Michigan


By a priest and the maid on the part.
My parents were a priest and a maid, and we lived on the countryside


Still know what to wear on my back:
I still have my roots and know what's important to me


Michigan! Ponshewaing! Cadillac!
These are all places in Michigan that are important to me


If I ever meant to go away I was raised, I was raised In the place, in the place.
Even if I wanted to leave Michigan, I could never really escape it because it's a part of who I am


Still I often think of going back To the farms, to the farms Golden arms, golden arms Start to remind me.
I often think about going back to the countryside and the farm life that I grew up with


If the lakes took the place of the sea. If the cars drove themselves, way to be! Opposite to the trains moving in Rivers run interstate, Michigan!
Even though Michigan is different from many other places, I think it's great because it has its own unique character and charm


Tried to change the Made in Michigan I was raised, I was raised In the place, in the place, Part to remind me.
Even though I tried to distance myself from Michigan at times, I know that my upbringing and heritage will always be a part of me




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