Listen to Sufjan Stevens’ ‘Casimir Pulaski Day’ from Shrinking, Ep. 6 – such a lovely song

Indie folk, baroque pop singer Sufjan Stevens’ ‘Casimir Pulaski Day‘ was one of the many songs played on the newest episode of the Apple TV+ series Shrinking yesterday — Shrinking, Season 1, Episode 6, “Imposter Syndrome“.

The track was heard after Alice has had a fight with her father and Sean goes to talk to her.

Stevens’ ‘Casimir Pulaski Day‘ was one of the tracks from his now-almost-iconic concept album Illinois, which came out in 2005 on his own Asthmatic Kitty record label.

The title comes from the Illinois state holiday of the same name, which is a holiday that honors the memory of a military officer who took part in the American Revolution.

Sufjan Stevens uses the date of the holiday, March 1st, although the holiday itself is never mentioned in the lyrics of the song.

Instead, the lyrics of ‘Casimir Pulaski Day‘ tell about a young woman he loved who was diagnosed with bone cancer and how, on the day of the holiday, she died.

Sufjan Stevens’ Illinois was one of 2005’s most critically acclaimed albums.

It went on to hit a huge number of critics’ lists as one of the Best Albums of 2005.

In the United States, Illinois charted at #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart, #4 on the Independent Albums chart, and #121 on the Billboard 200.

It also climbed charts in the UK, Norway, the Netherlands and Australia.

Listen to Sufjan Stevens’ ‘Casimir Pulaski Day‘ as heard on this week’s Shrinking in the video, and on his 22-track Illinois album.

It is such a simple but very lovely song.

The next episode of Shrinking will air on March 3rd via Apple TV+.

 

About Michelle Topham

I'm a Brit-American journalist, former radio DJ at 97X WOXY, and Founder/CEO of Leo Sigh. I'm also obsessed with music, anime, manga, and K-dramas. Help!