Portishead turns “SOS” into a song of mourning for slain politician Jo Cox

England is still mourning the shocking, violent death of Labour Party politician Jo Cox, a Member Of Parliament who was fatally shot and stabbed on June 16 by a man who seems to be a mentally disturbed right-wing extremist. Over the course of the last week, Cox’s death has cast a pall over the ongoing so-called “Brexit” debate, which has been fueled by anti-immigration sentiments. As the country processes this disturbing and discouraging tragedy, the veteran art rockers in Portishead have released an appropriately somber video in tribute to Cox. At first, however, the band’s choice of song might seem to be highly unusual for such an occasion. It’s a cover version of the classic 1975 hit “SOS” by ABBA. Upon closer inspection, however, there is a dramatic disconnect between that song’s message and its original upbeat arrangement. In isolation, the lyrics of “SOS” are about desperation and grief: “When you’re gone, how can I even try to go on?” The Portishead version, which also appeared in the 2015 film version of High-Rise, retains the lyrics and melody, but the spare, haunting arrangement is markedly different from the ABBA version.