State Songs

About State Songs

State Songs is a concept album released by John Linnell (of They Might Be Giants) in 1999. It was Linnell's third solo project and first full solo album. It consists of tracks that are named after, and are at least partially inspired by, 15 of the 50 U. S. states. The album is surrealist in nature, suggesting that there is another West Virginia inside of the state, that one can drive a house to Idaho, that Montana is a leg, Iowa is a witch, Oregon chases after people, and Arkansas has sunken and is to be replaced by a ship of its exact shape and size. "Montana" was released as the single for the album. Rather than a standard 7" or 12" vinyl record, the disc was green and die-cut into the shape of the 48 contiguous states. It was pressed by Erika Records. The single also featured the non-album track "Louisiana" as the B-side. Originally, "South Carolina" was the album's single, but the track was too long for the grooves to fit in the small area between the labels and the edges of the United States. The labels were marked with no text, instead only showing silhouettes of their respective states. more »