Indie rock standouts The National have again surprised audiences with another impressive cover song, performing a rousing rendition of the Ramones staple “The KKK Took My Baby Away” at the Forest Hills Stadium in Queens last Friday, as reported by Spin.
Lead singer Matt Berninger introduced the song by recounting a rumor he had once heard of Ramones frontman Joey Ramone losing a love interest to none other than Donald Trump, making sure to clarify that the cover was “for Joey, not for that dick.” It’s a fitting venue to pay tribute to that neighborhood’s most famous group of punk rockers, and it follows a string of interesting cover songs The National have been rolling out on this tour.
Earlier this month the band released a touching cover of the Tom Petty song “Damaged by Love” as tribute to the legendary musician who tragically passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest. Before that The National had rolled out an inspired version of the Talking Heads classic “Heaven” as well as a scorching version of the New Order song “Love Vigilantes,” proving that the band can channel a multitude of different sounding artists into their sound.
The band is currently on a world tour in support of their newest release, Sleep Well Beast, which has been massive hit with indie audiences, continuing the group’s sonic exploration and politically minded lyrics. Since their formation at the turn of the century, The National have been captivating audiences around the world, growing in influence and power with every successive tour and album release. Sleep Well Beast has continued that trend, with the group simultaneously expanding their dynamic and thematic range.
You can watch fan filmed footage of “The KKK Took My Baby Away” in the player below.
Photo credit Sharon Alagna
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