As long as there’s war, there’ll be protest songs. Flogging Molly is the latest example of that theory, as the Celtic punks have returned today with the new single “A Song of Liberty.” Not only is the song raising funds for refugee aid in Ukraine, but it also spotlights the work of Ukrainian animators/filmmakers The Mad Twins in its accompanying music video.
“A Song of Liberty” isn’t just about the occupation of Ukraine, however. Its inspiration traces all the way back to the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland and through both World Wars. Ultimately, it represents humanity’s constant fight against oppression: “It’s a song of freedom, which I wrote as a recounting of a dark period in Irish history,” the band’s Dave King says in a press release. “But suddenly the injustice, and the fight against it, became current events. And so our Ukrainian friends, who’ve had their freedom taken away from them, created something with it that seeks to inspire hope in everyone.”
The music video for “A Song of Liberty” is an animated account of political strifes throughout history across the world up until modern day: “We were working on this video for three months under air alerts and constant shelling of our country,” The Mad Twins — aka twin sisters Olya and Vira Ischuk — add in a statement. “This very special song [is] meant to tell the Easter Rising story and highlight the universal message of nations who fought for their independence and identity. These are idealists who will fight and die for their ideas. We connected the story with the reality we are experiencing in Ukraine.
The Mad Twins went on: “We’ve been going through this for over six months now: life plans stopped, our friends were drafted, some of them have already been killed, friends’ homes have been destroyed or looted, the lucky ones have been evacuated to a safer region or abroad. Generations of Ukrainians have been traumatized for a lifetime.”
Flogging Molly have added a donation button to New York-based charity Razom for Ukraine on the song’s YouTube page, but you can also head to the organization’s website to contribute. Listen and watch the video for “A Song of Liberty” below.
Flogging Molly’s seventh studio album Anthem arrives this Friday, September 9th. They have a handful of dates left on their co-headlining US tour with The Interrupters; grab your tickets over at Ticketmaster.
