Today marks the digital release of a huge project benefitting Planned Parenthood. The concept is simple: dozens of artists offer up 33 original 7-inch records of previously unreleased material, with proceeds going towards the perpetually resilient health organization. The songs range from a rare new track from legendary Seattle outfit Sleater-Kinney, a live collaboration between John Legend and St. Vincent, a comedy bit from Jenny Slate, and a new cut from Sharon Van Etten.
But what might be the crown jewel of the set is a brand new track from one of the biggest bands in the world, Foo Fighters. Fresh off the release of last month’s Concrete And Gold, “Soldier” is an outtake from those sessions, though the mid-tempo rocker hardly sounds like a castoff. Thematically, when Grohl sings about being “the soldier that you want me to be” and being “under attack,” it’s hard not to draw a parallel to the constant fire that Planned Parenthood receives from conservative critics, though they hardly “run from their enemies” as the speaker of the song does.
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The track ultimately feels empowering, with the idea of soldiering on in the face of adversity relatable not only to the supporters of the organization but also to anyone who has ever benefitted from the health services that Planned Parenthood provides.
Listen to Foo Fighters’ “Soldier” above, and look for the physical edition of 7-inches For Planned Parenthood when the boxset is released on November 17th.
