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Related Pieces
Piece Description
Brinkley, Arkansas, is located just a few miles from where the Ivory Billed Woodpecker recently was rediscovered. The Ivory Bill had been thought to be extinct… in fact, the previous confirmed sighting of the bird in the United States was in Louisiana back in 1944, in what was known as the Singer Tract, an area which was clear-cut to make sewing machine boxes, and then ammunition cases and caskets during World War Two. The rediscovery of the Ivory Bill was big news, and brought a ray of hope to the residents of Brinkley. Producers Dan Collison and Elizabeth Meister spoke with people in the town, then shared the interviews with singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens. Collison and Meister were curious about how Stevens writes his songs, which, much like their own work, are filled with stories of places and people. He wrote a song about the Ivory Bill, known as the 'lord god or 'great god' bird. Together, they offer this portrait of Brinkley--and the bird.
7 Comments
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Review of Lord God BirdAn audio town portrait meets original composition. This is lovely snapshot of a town on the cusp of change--Brinkley's extinction and resurrection mirrored in the story of one amazing bird. Long Haul Productions takes the 1-minute news clip beyond the mere headlines--exploring the voices of a town through interviews and an ethereal song by Sufjan Stevens. |
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Review of The Lord God BirdThis piece captures the mystique of the Ivory Billed woodpecker, and the hopes of the fading small town that has pinned its survival to the bird's "resurection." The soft cadence of rural southern voices, accompanied by the haunting melody of the original song, lingered in my ear and in my mind, bringing to life
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Broadcast History
Debuted on NPR's All Things Things Considered on July 6, 2005.
Intro and Outro
INTRO:The announcement in 2005 of the discovery of an Ivory Billed woodpecker in the Big Woods of Arkansas gave new hope to conservationists and bird lovers who feared the bird was extinct.
The last previous, confirmed sighting of the Ivory Bill in the United States was in the 1944 in Louisiana in what was known as the Singer Tract which was clear-cut to make sewing machine boxes and then ammunition cases and caskets during World War II.
News of the sighting brought a ray of hope to Brinkley, Arkansas – a small agricultural town down on its luck – located just a few short miles from where the bird was spotted.
Producers Dan Collison and Elizabeth Meister spoke with people in Brinkley - as well as members of the team that searched for the Ivory Bill. Then they asked singer/songwriter Sufjan Stevens to provide some background about the Ivory Bill, known as the ‘Lord God’ or ‘Great God’ Bird because of its awe-inspiring appearance. He came up with an original song.
OUTRO:The Lord God Bird was produced by Dan Collison and Elizabeth Meister as part of Long Haul Productions' song/story series. The song was written and performed by Sujfan Stevens. To hear more song/stories go to www.longhaulpro.org
Musical Works
"Lord God Bird" by Sufjan Stevens, 2005
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Megan Martin
Posted on March 23, 2009 at 11:34 AM | Permalink
Review of Lord God Bird
An audio town portrait meets original composition. This is lovely snapshot of a town on the cusp of change--Brinkley's extinction and resurrection mirrored in the story of one amazing bird. Long Haul Productions takes the 1-minute news clip beyond the mere headlines--exploring the voices of a town through interviews and an ethereal song by Sufjan Stevens.