Phoebe Bridgers has shared her rendition of Simon & Garfunkel’s “7 O’Clock News/Silent Night,” featuring Fiona Apple and The National frontman Matt Berninger.
Like the original 1966 folk track, Bridgers combines the classic Christmas song “Silent Night” with a reading from a typical nightly newscast — only this time, the headlines are pulled straight from 2019, with mentions of the abortion debate, sexting and the Trump White House. Apple harmonizes with Bridgers on the “Silent Night” portions, while Berninger plays the role of “the newscaster.”
“Happy Holidays to everyone whose family has been literally or figuratively torn apart by Donald Trump,” Bridgers said in a statement. “And to my racist, xenophobic, misogynistic, hypocritical family members, fuck you. Thanks Fiona, Matt, Simon and Garfunkel.”
“7 O’Clock News/Silent Night” is Bridgers’ third annual holiday release, following “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” in 2017 and “Christmas Song” in 2018. It’s also her second collaboration with Berninger, after featuring on his first solo single, “Walking on a String,” this past October.
Over the past year and a half, Bridgers has toured with her indie group supergroup Boygenius (with Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus) and with Conor Oberst as part of their Better Oblivion Community Center project. She’ll be opening for The National in Japan and Australia in spring 2020.