I don’t think Mindie knows this, but this song is part of the reason I decided to make Ball of Wax 38 a collection of protest songs. It was one of those particularly awful weeks this summer, when the violence in Palestine and in Ferguson was shocking the world and it seemed like everything was going to get a lot worse before it gets much better (OK, it still mostly seems like that). Mindie Lind (of Inly), feeling as sad and helpless as the rest of us, reached into her soul, pulled forth this mournful meditation, and shared it on Bandcamp. A week or so later I decided on this theme for Volume 38 and hoped she would let me put this song on it. Lo and behold, hers was one of the first submissions I received! I don’t know what good this song – or any of the songs on this collection – will do, but sometimes you just have to do something, and when the result is as beautiful as “For Palestine,” you know that you’ve done a hell of a lot better than throwing more bombs or guns at the problem.
I’m very much looking forward to hearing Mindie play this tune and more on Conor Byrne’s trusty old upright piano on Friday the 17th at the Ball of Wax 38 release show.