The Killers have shared a new, stripped-down version of their 2019 protest song “Land of the Free” to address the murder of George Floyd.

“How many killings must one man watch in his home?” sings Brandon Flowers. “Eight measured minutes and 46 seconds, another boy in the bag/Another stain on the flag.”

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The band released “Land of the Free” in 2019 in response to gun violence and Donald Trump’s border wall. In a statement, Flowers said that the lyrics date back to the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting. “As a father I’ll never fully comprehend what that community and those parents went through,” he wrote. “But my church upbringing taught me to mourn with those that mourn and I did it the best way that I knew how. I cried for those kids and teachers. I got on my knees and I prayed for those families.”

The Killers were set to release their new album Imploding the Mirage in May, but it was postponed due to the pandemic. It will be their first to feature no contributions from original guitarist Dave Keuning, but it will include coontributions from k.d. Lang, Lindsay Buckingham and Weyes Blood.

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