Downtown Boys share cover of “L’Internationale” from ‘Miss Marx’ soundtrack

Gina Alexander

Downtown Boys have shared a cover of traditional communist worker anthem "L'Internationale" to which they apply their rousing, punky spirit. The song is from the soundtrack of Susanna Nicchiarelli's new film Miss Marx, a biopic about Karl Marx's daughter, writer and activist Eleanor Marx. "She led many women to take up their/our rightful power in socialism," write Downtown Boys, who refer to "L'Internationale" as "an ode to the global struggle and passion for a freedom bigger than ourselves."

The Miss Marx soundtrack also includes Downtown Boys songs “Wave of History,” “A Wall,” and “I'm Enough (I Want More).” The band say, "In the midst of this year, we are excited that we could be a part of this and may the future be on our side. We drove through Appalachia in a blizzard for 13 hours with a leaky tire to record this single in time. Wouldn't take it any other way."

Speaking this crazy year, they write, "2020 brought a new wave that none of us have ridden. From the necessary uprising in the names of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor to confront police brutality and the grieving and fight to survive a pandemic, what can keep us going is the reminder that so much of the pain of capitalism can only be confronted by the desire and urgency of collective power."

Miss Marx is out now in Italy -- no word on a U.S. release date, but you can watch the trailer below. Pitchfork points out that the soundtrack for Miss Marx won the 2020 Soundtrack Stars Award, which Downtown Boys shared with the film's composer, Gatto Ciliegia Contro il Grande Freddo.

--