Best Ode to Oak Park and Environs

A while back I was listening to a song called "Sweet Spots" on the Fiery Furnaces album "EP" (most definitely not an ep) and I paid a little attention to the lyrics (which most would regard [as is usual with the Furnaces] to be a Joycean morass) and realized that this "Sweet Spots" song was a tribute to the candy factories that found near my dear old home of Oak Park (also the home of Matt and Eleanor Friedberger, the Fiery Furnaces, but I'm always telling you that).

Now I present to you the fruits of my final day of Christmas Vacation, a visual tour of "Sweet Spots." (This visual tour would probably be significantly better if I had listened to the song before heading out to take my pictures. Oh well.)

Well I stuffed my stuff into a sport sac and I took the Lake St. El.





Well I got off Cicero and I snuck in through one of the loading docks.
And I smiled as I sucked my gem I mean to take a room at the Brach’s.






Well I put things into the pockets of my parachute pants and I walked on up the street.
Now Galewood makes me nervous but the corn syrup cloud’s such a lure.
So I’m staying off to the side at this end of the M&M Mars tour.





Well I bought a bike but the chair broke right outside of Parky’s
Well the wait was making my eyes wet and sticking french fries down my throat.



But I had to press on cause sweeter stuff’s on the other side of the moat.
Well the cars were turning off Harlem so I had to stop and stare.
And I had to gulp for air oh my heart was racing I made my escape.
I’s red hot to get lemonheaded and live with Alexander the Grape.





Maybe download the song here and read this post over again?