Best Song Title Ever(?)

“The Black Hawk War, or, How to Demolish an Entire Civilization and Still Feel Good About Yourself in the Morning, or, We Apologize for the Inconvenience But You’re Going to Have to Leave Now, or, ‘I have fought the Big Knives and will continue to fight them until they are off our lands!’.”

Or maybe it’s “Come on! Feel the Illinoise!” Or maybe “To the Workers of the Rockford River Valley Region, I have an Idea Concerning Your Predicament, and it involves shoe string, a lavender garland, and twelve strong women.” Or maybe “Let’s Hear That String Part Again, Because I Don’t Think They Heard It All the Way Out in Bushnell.”

I know some will find the recently announced song titles for Sufjan Stevens’ upcoming Illinois album (which comes out on July 5!) trite, pretentious, or just plain silly. I, on the other hand, love them. But then again, I seem predisposed to liking pretty much everything the man does.