Song of the Day 3/21: Бетон (Beton), “Kyiv Calling”

You know how musicians can avoid being sued for copyright infringement? Ask the copyright holders for permission.

That’s what Ukrainian punk band Бетон, transliterated as Beton (“concrete” in Ukrainian), did before they repurposed The Clash’s 1979 cri de coeur as an anthem of resistance against the Russian invasion of their country. It was quickly granted.

The band, formed a decade ago on a lark, has gotten more political as the unrest in Ukraine has increased. They all had day jobs prior to the war. Now guitarist and vocalist Andriy Zholob, an orthopedic doctor, is treating war victims, while drummer Bohdan Hrynko and bassist Oleg Hula are in the defense forces.

“Many Ukrainian musicians are now on battlefields or in territorial defense,” said Zholob. “They’ve changed guitars to guns. We hope this song shows Ukrainians’ spirit and our defiance to Russian aggression. We are glad it is going to be played around the world as a symbol of solidarity and hope.”

The song was recorded last Thursday and Friday near Kyiv. The war footage was shot by the band’s friends, family, colleagues and volunteers. All proceeds from the song will go to the Free Ukraine Resistance Movement (FURM) for non-violent purposes, mainly toward a civilian emergency alert system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLCiA38No3Y