Fiona Apple has returned with a new song called “Pretrial (Let Her Go Home)” that highlights the devastating impact of the cash-bail system on women, girls, and, in particular, Black mothers.
According to a press release, “Pretrial (Let Her Go Home)” was inspired by Apple’s time serving as a court-watcher in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The song was produced Zealous and Special Operations Studios, and created in support of the Free Black Mamas DMV initiative.
As Apple explained, “I was a court watcher for over two years. In that time, I took notes on thousands of bond hearings. Time and time again, I listened as people were taken away and put in jail, for no other reason than that they couldn’t afford to buy their way free.”
Related Video
She continued, “It was particularly hard to hear mothers and caretakers get taken away from the people who depend on them. For the past five years, I have been volunteering with the Free Black Mamas DMV bailout, and I have been lucky to be able to witness the stories of women who fought for and won their freedom with the tireless and loving support of the leadership. I hope that this song, and the images shared with me, can help to show what is at stake when someone is kept in pretrial detention. I give this song in friendship and respect to all who have experienced the pain of pretrial detention and to the women of the group’s leadership who have taught me so much and whom I truly love.”
“Pretrial (Let Her Go Home)” marks Apple’s first original recording in five years. Earlier this month, she contributed a cover of Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold” to the tribute album, Heart Of Gold: The Songs Of Neil Young Volume I. She also recently appeared as a guest vocalists on The Waterboys’ new song “Letter from an Unknown Girlfriend.”
Content shared from consequence.net.