Lyrics for Adlai Stevenson as interpreted by artblot

Adlai Stevenson Lyrics
Righteous men of the earth
Oh, have you been patient
I suppose our thoughts about United Nations

Adlai, Adlai
What did he say
And what is the answer?
Adlai, Adlai
What did he say
And what is the answer?

1952, the heart was not your master
The accident you threw
Would carry with your laughter

Evidence, evidence
I've heard of it
And what is the answer?
Evidence, evidence
I've heard of it
And what is the answer?

Adlai, Adlai
Your holiday
The greatest of man, sir
Adlai, Adlai
What did he say
And what is the answer?

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  • 19 Comments
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tybees
04-13-2006

Rated 0 
I love this man....the meaning is fairly obvious just by looking up Adlai Stevenson, and it's a beautiful first look at the upcoming outtakes album! All Sufjan fans rejoice!

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tybees
04-16-2006

Rated 0 
Hear it now Free! http://iguessimfloating.blogspot.com/2006/04/new-sufjan-stevens-adlai-stevenson.html

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artblot
04-17-2006

Rated 0 
The accident mentioned in the song is probably referring to Adlai accidently shooting someone when he was young. Supposedly the immense guilt he felt from this motivated him to try and do things for good.

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newsha
04-17-2006

Rated 0 
Surjan Stevens is nice.

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Icantspell
04-17-2006

Rated 0 
who is this? well doesn't sound very good but P.S. whoever
these people are I love them awesome music (even if i've never herd it) I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!!

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IamSteveTaylor
07-12-2006

Rated +1 
First off, I want to say what an amazing artist Sufjan Stevens is, if he keeps this up he will be the Bob Dylan of our generation. I have spent all summer in Germany and if there is one artist I can give them that best describes what America really is all about, it's Mr. Stevens.

This song though also happens to be about one of my favorite politicans of all time. Artblot was right when saying the accident was about when he accidently shot a friend that he forever haunted him for the rest of his life and willed him to do great things in his life.

I believe the lines "What did he say? What is the answer?" refer to when he was asking Soviet Leaders during a conference if they had built Nuclear Missles in Cuba. When he asked the question, he did not wait for a translation but demanded an outright answer from the Soviets themselves.

I'm a Republican, and I still think he was an amazing man.

One quote that sticks out showing his complete honesty was when one person came up to him and said "That any thinking man would vote for you." and Mr. Stevenson said back "Thank you, but I need a majority to win."

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bluebarquentine
07-26-2006

Rated 0 
Unfortunately there are some lyrics missing on this page here they are: =)
(from the Avalanche liner notes)
"Ad-a-lay, ad-a-lay, your holiday
The Greatest of Man, sir."

too good of a line to get lost, if you ask me.

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floz2323
08-15-2006

Rated 0 
I know that sufjan makes references to holes in shoes in several songs, and that Adlai Stevenson was known by many for a picture taken in which his shoes had holes (this became a symbol of his symplicity and connection with the common man). There could be some connection there. 1952 is probably refering to the year he ran for President, and obviously lost, to Eisenhower. Everythign else that I have read on here makes perfect sense too, this is a beautiful song!!!

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chopwood
09-09-2006

Rated 0 
Sufjan put another version of this song on a Kill Rock Stars compilation called The Sound the Hare Heard. Here's what he said about the song in the liner notes:

"I wrote quite a few oblique homage pieces that never made it on the Illinois album, including a brief meditation for Adlai Stevenson, Illinois' beloved governor, presidential hopeful, UN ambassador, healthy Unitarian, and the great American voice of conscience. Today you might call him Obama's saintly predecessor. Or the last man of political virtue. In my research, of course, I was much more interested in his one biographical blemish: as a boy he accidentally killed a childhood friend with a rifle. Very little has been written about this incident, but it has been said that its ramifications could be felt in his political benevolence, in his empathy for those less fortunate, and in his lifelong effort to serve others."

Man, those liner notes were tiny. Also, when i die, I'd like Sufjan to write my obituary.

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robinbabu
10-22-2006

Rated 0 
in a town next to detroit there is a high school named adlai stevenson high school. i know he grew up in petsokey, but perhaps he got the idea from the high school name?

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Alley-oop21
12-22-2006

Rated 0 
I live about 15 minutes away from adlai stevenson high school.

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blueofthesky
04-09-2007

Rated 0 
This is why Sufjan is a genius.

You know, I (most of the time) can't stand it when people write literary biographies about people they never knew. You can't take someone elses life and write it in a way as if you understand *coughdaveeggerswhatisthewhatcough* but when Sufjan takes real people he never knew and writes songs, man, they just...there isn't a word for this. They're just great, moving, full of feeling in this distant, warm, loving, light way.

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roman candle
05-02-2007

Rated 0 
there's also an adlai stevenson high school in illinois, around chicago somewhere.

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oldfishtremble
06-21-2007

Rated 0 
i don't like stevenson as a politician, but sufjan makes him seem beautiful. to me, adlai seemed like he was running for president just because, like an obligation. not the good, bobby-kennedy sort of obligation (see his announcement-of-candidacy speech in '68), but the, 'gosh i guess i should, i don't really want to' obligation. i think this is where mr. stevens comes up with, "1952, the heart was not your master," as in his heart was just not in it.

that's just what i think though! beautiful song!

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LeopoldSampsonite
08-01-2007

Rated 0 
I go to Adlai E. Stevenson high school in Illinois. Its in Lincolnshire.

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Flamingo*
12-14-2007

Rated 0 
Haha ahh yes. "What did he say? What was the answer?"

When Adlai was speaking to ebassador Zorin at the UN general assembly about his USSR placing Soviet missiles in Cuba.

"Do you, embassador Zorin, deny that the USSR has placed and is placing medium and inter-mediate range missiles in Cuba? Don't wait for the translation! Answer Yes or No!"

The whole world was watching. What a genius. Just like Sufjan.

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taylorsaurus rex
02-15-2008

Rated 0 
What's really interesting about this song is the line, "What did he say, and what is the answer?" can be applied to so many different things. Just that one line alone could be stuck into a billion different songs and fit perfectly. It's such a simple, sweet little line - much like the song itself. Damn, this song needs to stop rocking so hard.

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jenniferjferris
10-13-2008

Rated 0 
The brilliant thing about this song is the way that it is so appealing despite the fact that all of the instruments used in it are completely non-traditional. Trumpets, flutes, banjo and Taylorsaurus still describes the song as "rocking." There are no heavy guitars, no distortion, just band music.....music that I usually hate...and yet....I can't stop listening to the song. It's absolutely magnificent. The trumpets, flutes, and drums create political music, almost like an anthem, which….I am very surprised to say….is rocking. As far as I’m concerned, Stevens has turned lemons (unappealing instruments and political music) into lemonade (Adlai Stevens).

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jenniferjferris
10-13-2008

Rated 0 
The brilliant thing about this song is the way that it is so appealing despite the fact that all of the instruments used in it are completely non-traditional. Trumpets, flutes, banjo and Taylorsaurus still describes the song as "rocking." There are no heavy guitars, no distortion, just band music.....music that I usually hate...and yet....I can't stop listening to the song. It's absolutely magnificent. The trumpets, flutes, and drums create political music, almost like an anthem, which….I am very surprised to say….is rocking. As far as I’m concerned, Stevens has turned lemons (unappealing instruments and political music) into lemonade (Adlai Stevens).

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