Providence, Rhode Island group Downtown Boys have shared a new song called “L’Internationale.” The track—which is a cover of the traditional communist worker song—appears in Susanna Nicchiarelli’s new film Miss Marx, which chronicles the life of Karl Marx’s youngest daughter Eleanor. Listen to “L’Internationale” below.
Along with their new song, Downtown Boys shared the following statement in a press release:
2020 brought a new wave that none of us have ridden. From the necessary uprising in the names of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor to confront police brutality and the grieving and fight to survive a pandemic, what can keep us going is the reminder that so much of the pain of capitalism can only be confronted by the desire and urgency of collective power.
We are very honored to be a part of Miss Marx, a film by Susanna Nicchiarelli that is a biopic about Karl Marx’s daughter who was an important but often overlooked organizer and writer. She led many women to take up their/our rightful power in socialism. We recorded this version of “L’Internationale,” a communist worker song, an ode to the global struggle and passion for a freedom bigger than ourselves.
We also have other songs on the soundtrack including “Wave of History,” “A Wall,” and “I’m Enough (I Want More).” In the midst of this year, we are excited that we could be a part of this and may the future be on our side. We drove through Appalachia in a blizzard for 13 hours with a leaky tire to record this single in time. Wouldn’t take it any other way.”
The soundtrack for Miss Marx won the 2020 Soundtrack Stars Award. Downtown Boys shared the accolade with the Italian composer Gatto Ciliegia Contro il Grande Freddo.
Downtown Boys released their most recent studio album Cost of Living back in 2017. That same year the group featured on a benefit compilation album called ¡Viva Puerto Rico!
Read about Downtown Boys’ 2015 album Full Communism in Pitchfork’s “The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s.”
