When I was 7, I listened to rock, punk etc, and I went on my bro's laptop, and found this song (7 years ago) and this song just stood out to me as a kid, When I got older I forgot the singer until I found this song again i don't know how, but when I listened again, I nearly cried, and realized this song was so emotional and moving that as kid it's difficult to understand even as a teenager it is. an invisible force within this song grabs you and really makes you think, this song changed my life
I loved the Illinois album. I've gone back and gave the Michigan album a thorough listen & I adore this song. I live in Flint & have all my life. I am an optimistic person, but I feel Flint is lost. There is nothing here but ruins of a greatness that once was & a stale hope that lingers over every stranger's head. I will be getting out as soon as I can, but I will always remember the roots which I came. I think this song is a near perfect representation of this city and it's keepers.
It's great to see your comments about your own town. You know, initially I just liked the song because it reminded me of the situation Northern France (the area where I'm from)went through when the factories that supported the place crumbled. I felt personnally related to it because of this, although Flint seemed a distant reality to me, of course. Reading your comments makes it much closer. And it's great to think the web enables that (OH NOW! THAT'S NEWS! :p)
I just recently got this CD. I lived in detroit for the first 13 years of my life (florida now) and he really captured the feel of the city. Bravo, monseiur Stevens.
It's a beautiful song and has been a favorite of mine for a long time. I like what you've done with the video. It reminds us of what has disappeared from Flint, leaving behind the impoverished and victimized city we see today.
Awesome work! I always heard this track a different way (different to how it was written) but I love the way you've captured the true essence of the song with these images.
Yeah Flint is making some progress. It bottomed out years ago and has been diversifying. Like Jess alluded to, its got decent opportunities for higher learning. Kettering is still going strong as a top notch engineering school. Having UM Flint students living in Flint will help. In various studies Flint shows up among the worst cities in the US, but if that's the worst, the US really is a great place to live. France is nice too, I've visited :)
Wow it tells the sad sad lives of americans working as slaves loosing their homes to government, leaving their countries to find a better life but all they receive is hell.
great vid. i wish i could make one. been loking for work for seven months now in portland oregon ex military no criminal record. fast food wouldn't even take me. i'll be homless by the end of this month i am 24 years old. I'll see if i can make it if not i think i will be killing myself.
fifteen years later, somehow reading all these old comments makes it hit even harder
When I was 7, I listened to rock, punk etc, and I went on my bro's laptop, and found this song (7 years ago) and this song just stood out to me as a kid,
When I got older I forgot the singer until I found this song again i don't know how, but when I listened again, I nearly cried, and realized this song was so emotional and moving that as kid it's difficult to understand even as a teenager it is. an invisible force within this song grabs you and really makes you think, this song changed my life
sad this is still relevant.l, even more so today
I loved the Illinois album. I've gone back and gave the Michigan album a thorough listen & I adore this song. I live in Flint & have all my life. I am an optimistic person, but I feel Flint is lost. There is nothing here but ruins of a greatness that once was & a stale hope that lingers over every stranger's head. I will be getting out as soon as I can, but I will always remember the roots which I came. I think this song is a near perfect representation of this city and it's keepers.
Tragic how capitalism builds up these cities then ruins them when the profit dries up
a song like this has so much depth in it's meaning. It's absolutely beautiful
It's great to see your comments about your own town. You know, initially I just liked the song because it reminded me of the situation Northern France (the area where I'm from)went through when the factories that supported the place crumbled.
I felt personnally related to it because of this, although Flint seemed a distant reality to me, of course.
Reading your comments makes it much closer. And it's great to think the web enables that (OH NOW! THAT'S NEWS! :p)
when the government cant even provide things as basic as clean drinking water, you know things are fucked
I just recently got this CD. I lived in detroit for the first 13 years of my life (florida now) and he really captured the feel of the city. Bravo, monseiur Stevens.
Why is that Sufjan goes so great with old black and white footage? This and the John Wayne Gacy Jr. video are so fitting.
The most depressing song ever. Mesmerizing...
It's a beautiful song and has been a favorite of mine for a long time. I like what you've done with the video. It reminds us of what has disappeared from Flint, leaving behind the impoverished and victimized city we see today.
C'est sobre, c'est juste, c'est émouvant.
Il y a du coeur et du talent.
you can set really ANY sufjan song to a black and white film. truly beautiful.
Beginning piano is so beautiful
i moved away from Flint for 3 months and missed it so much that i made excuses to move back. i love this shit hole of a town
So damn good
Thank you, very subtle video, just right amount of sentiment. Corresponds well both with the emotion of the song and with a tempo.
Thanks so much !
Thanks for this. Fantastically appropriate video to accompany the music, Brilliant.
Another of my favourites from Sufjan.
Honest, soulful, and tender.
love the second half from 2:05 when the sustain is used on the piano.
beautiful.
Thanks! I found the kind of "white noise" at the end of the song would match it well..
Awesome work! I always heard this track a different way (different to how it was written) but I love the way you've captured the true essence of the song with these images.
tear worthy.
Very effective, well done.
Love what you've done with this. I thought this was the "official" video!
Thank you
Excellent video.
Please do more!
Great video for the times...
Very nice video, goes well with the song. Good job!
I tried various formats and finally landed on this one a bit at random (teehee), but I'll try to, yes.
I love your video so much, and I hope you don't mind me attaching my cover to this wonderful vid.
Oh yes, it's true they used the song in a scene...
Oneohtrix Point Never's song 'Replica' sounds a bit like the opening tune
Yeah Flint is making some progress. It bottomed out years ago and has been diversifying. Like Jess alluded to, its got decent opportunities for higher learning. Kettering is still going strong as a top notch engineering school. Having UM Flint students living in Flint will help. In various studies Flint shows up among the worst cities in the US, but if that's the worst, the US really is a great place to live. France is nice too, I've visited :)
Wow it tells the sad sad lives of americans working as slaves loosing their homes to government, leaving their countries to find a better life but all they receive is hell.
Nice song
thanks ! :)
this is a really sad song
no don't give up please.
i cried at 1:07
Did you cry alone?
Same here :)
Are we here alone together? Once the hornes hit perhaps? Im tired brothers
great vid. i wish i could make one. been loking for work for seven months now in portland oregon ex military no criminal record. fast food wouldn't even take me. i'll be homless by the end of this month i am 24 years old. I'll see if i can make it if not i think i will be killing myself.
You said that 15 years ago, I hope you made it through brother.