Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Bright Eyes and Phoebe Bridgers collaborate on abortion rights anthem ‘Miracle of Life’

All profits from track will be donated to Planned Parenthood

Isobel Lewis
Friday 23 October 2020 17:04 BST
Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst and Bridgers teamed up on the track
Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst and Bridgers teamed up on the track (Getty Images)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Bright Eyes have collaborated with Phoebe Bridgers to release a pro-choice anthem encouraging people to vote.

On Friday (23 October), Bright Eyes released the new track “Miracle of Life” on Bandcamp, with all profits from the song going to reproductive health organisation Planned Parenthood.

The track, which features vocals from lead singer Conor Oberst and Bridgers, tells the story of a woman who attempts to travel out of state to terminate her pregnancy, but has to get an illegal abortion after her car breaks down.

“We could be done with it tonight/ The neighbourhood doctor says it’s sanitised,” Oberst sings on the chorus. “Lay down on the hard cold ground/ Crying’s such a soothing sound/ Get cured with a coat hanger/ Girl you’re in America now.”

Speaking about the track, which he referred to as a “protest song”, Oberst wrote: “This song should not exist in 2020 America.”

He described the “Miracle of Life” as “a little story about what was, what still is in many parts of the world and what could be again here in this country if the GOP is successful in reshaping the Supreme Court and rolling back all of the hard-fought progress made for reproductive rights in the last 50 years.

“Hopefully, if we all work together and vote, it will make this song sound as irrelevant and outdated as it should,” Oberst concluded.

Oberst and Bridgers have previously performed together as Better Oblivion Community Center, releasing an album of the same name in January 2019.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in