Pink Floyd’s member’s reunion – recording a song for Ukraine
Hey Hey Rise Up” is a brand new song from Pink Floyd, released by the band on Thursday in support of the people of Ukraine. The song features vocals from Andriy Khlyvnyuk of Boombox, with David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Guy Pratt, and Nitin Sawhney playing instruments.
This marks the first new original music recorded and released by Pink Floyd since 1994’s The Division Bell.
The story behind the new song
After the outbreak of the War in Donbass, many famous Ukrainian musicians decided to actively participate in the conflict. One of them was Andriy Khlyvnyuk, the frontman of the popular band Boombox.
Khlyvnyuk had been on tour in the United States when hostilities began in his home country. He immediately returned to Ukraine and joined the fight, posting a clip on Instagram of himself in military fatigues and a rifle, performing the Ukrainian protest song “The Red Viburnum In The Meadow.”
This song, written during World War I, had become popular again as a symbol of Ukrainian resistance. Andriy Khlyvnyuk and Boombox gave it a modern twist, adding their own style and lyrics to the original song.
The band’s decision to return to Ukraine and participate in the conflict was not an easy one. But as Andriy Khlyvnyuk said in an interview, “I couldn’t just sit by and watch my country being destroyed.”
Many other Ukrainian musicians have also taken up arms to defend their homeland. Some, like Svyatoslav Vakarchuk of Okean Elzy, have even formed volunteer battalions to fight against the Russian-backed separatists.
The War in Donbass has been a difficult and emotional time for Ukraine. But through the music of its people, the country has found a way to express its hope and determination to rebuild.
Why Pink Floyd reunited to record a song for Ukraine
We were inspired by the story of Khlyvnyuk, who was injured by shrapnel while singing a song for peace in Kyiv. We decided to record our own version of the song and donate the proceeds to Ukrainian humanitarian relief.
This is our way of supporting the people of Ukraine in their time of need. Gilmour former member of Pink Floyd, who has a Ukrainian daughter-in-law and grandchildren, said in a statement on the band’s website.
