Listen: Arcade Fire’s Will Butler pens ‘Waving Flag’ song, based on news headlines

Arcade Fire’s Will Butler is penning a new song every day this week, based around breaking news on The Guardian.

On Monday he debuted ‘Clean Monday’, a song inspired by the Greek debt crisis. Tuesday’s effort is even more complex, this time taking on the subject of Ukranian separatists celebrating a Soviet holiday in Donetsk, coupled with the story of Moses Kotane, whose remains will be returned to South Africa, from Russia.

Speaking about the new track, Butler said: “My initial reaction to reading about the repatriation of Moses Kotane’s body to South Africa from Russia was influenced by my distrust of communism. Was he really a great man? The answer: yes. And then I thought, how horrifying that my initial reaction to reading about a hero of the anti-apartheid movement was vague suspicion. For all their failings, the Communists were the only political entity in South Africa for years that talked about racial equality. They were the only integrated party for years and years. They worked for democracy and to help the poor. So, yes, I am an asshole.”

Will Butler’s ‘Policy’ album is released on 16th March via Merge.