This is a deeply affecting video from Leon Majcen. It’s hard not to be moved by the way the video is cut through with documentary-like footage of Stanley Ellertson, whose life story shows how easily a life can unravel. Stanley talks about The American Dream before saying: “It just didn’t work out that way,” in a narrative that will reflect many of the lives represented by the statistics at the end of the video. And this is the same American Dream shared by all those walking past in the street.
Majcen explains further: “When I first moved up to New York City, I was shocked to see how many people were living on the streets. It wasn’t until I heard stories of people freezing to death on park benches during the winter months that I was shaken up enough to write a song about it.
The video was born out of a day that we spent with Stanley Ellertson, a man who’s life had completely fallen apart due to the tragedy of losing his wife to cancer, followed by the death of his mother and father in a two-year span. Before that, he had a great job and a great life, but lost his footing when tragedy struck. This makes you realize that this can happen to just about anybody. I believe it’s important for people to hear Stanley’s story because there seems to be a common misconception in our society, where we feel as though people who are in that sort of situation are deserving of it in some way due to the choices they made throughout their life. We need to look out for one another…in the end, we’re all we got.”
Majcen has started a fundraiser for Ellertson, which you can donate to here. The video is an excellent piece of work in itself, which means you can easily overlook the quality of the song too. Majcen’s songcraft is excellent. Check it out.
From up north but now hiding in rural Suffolk. An insomniac music-lover. Love discovering new music to get lost in - country, singer-songwriters, Americana, rock...whatever. Currently enjoying Lukas Nelson, Midland, Jarrod Dickenson.
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1 thought on “Video: Leon Majcen “Legends Never Die””
If you like this song-check out the rest of Leon’s music! Love and Misery, Numb, What It Means (To Be Free) are just some of the incredible songs he’s released.
If you like this song-check out the rest of Leon’s music! Love and Misery, Numb, What It Means (To Be Free) are just some of the incredible songs he’s released.