Brit Music Scene

Radiohead Release New Single As Tribute To Harry Patch

Posted: 06 Aug 2009 04:38 PM PDT

Every new Radiohead release, be it single or album, is treated with respect, purely because they are a band that deserves it. However, their latest release, a new single called Harry Patch (In Memory Of) deserves even more respect than usual. Not only is the song a tribute to the last British soldier from World War I to die, but the proceeds from its sale are all going to charity.

Harry Patch was the last British survivor to have fought in the trenches of World War I. He died on July 25 at the age of 111 after being the oldest man in Europe for a while. His death brought the end to every British person who fought on the ground in The Great War, although there is still one seaman left, Claude Choules, who at 108 is now the last British veteran of the 1914-1918 war.

Radiohead’s front man, Thom Yorke, has spent the last few months working on a song inspired by Harry Patch, and Radiohead have now released the track as a download on their official online store, Download.waste.uk.com. You can listen to the song on the Web site, albeit in 30-second slices, and buy the mp3 of it for just £1.00 ($1.70). All proceeds from sales of the track will go to the Royal British Legion.

On Radiohead’s official Web site, Yorke spoke about how Patch inspired him to write the track, which while supporting the troops and their courage, can only be described as anti-war. Yorke said:

“I had heard a very emotional interview with him a few years ago on the Today program on BBC Radio 4. The way he talked about war had a profound effect on me. It became the inspiration for a song that we happened to record a few weeks before his death.”

“It was done live in an abbey. The strings were arranged by Jonny [Greenwood]. I very much hope the song does justice to his memory as the last survivor.”

“It would be very easy for our generation to forget the true horror of war, without the likes of Harry to remind us. I hope we do not forget. As Harry himself said ‘Irrespective of the uniforms we wore, we were all victims’”.

I applaud this move by Radiohead because it’s rare for a modern band to be inspired by such a cause and moved to write a track about it. Sure, bands write political songs all the time but one listen of Harry Patch (In Memory Of) reveals how heartfelt this song is. And to give all the money raised from sales of the track to a charitable organization committed to the wellbeing of veterans reinforces the fact that this was done for all the right reasons.

Listen to it, buy it, and take the meaning on board. That way you’ll be paying tribute to not only Harry Patch but all the veterans of World War I who gave their lives to save us all from tyranny. Harry Patch was buried today (Aug 6) in Wells, south west England.

[Photo Source: Newscom]

Post from: Brit Music Scene