Music has a rich history as a tool of protest, from the anti-war rock of the ’60s to the politically charged early hip-hop of the ’80s. Just don’t you include Van Morrison in it for this. The Northern Irish singer-songwriter is set to release three new songs protesting the lockdowns enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning with one called “Born Free†on September 25. That one sounds like a real original, with lyrics including “The new normal is not normal/ We were born to be free,†according to the BBC. Another is called “No More Lockdown,†like a 5-year-old titled it, and goes something like this:
No more lockdown
No more government overreach
No more fascist bullies
Disturbing our peace
No more taking of our freedom
And our God-given rights
Pretending it’s for our safety
When it’s really to enslave
Some of those lines don’t even rhyme! The third song is based off a Facebook post, in case you weren’t sure how much of a mess this stuff would be. If you’re in the U.K., you’ve already had a chance to listen to this drivel at Morrison’s socially distanced shows, including a few at the country’s nice-looking new socially distanced venue. Morrison has criticized the government’s stay-at-home measures and referred to coronavirus-related “pseudoscience.†The 75-year-old is also pushing for concert venues to open at full capacity, without a vaccine or anything close. His new music has even merited a response from Northern Ireland’s health minister. “I don’t know where he gets his facts,†said Robin Swann. “I know where the emotions are on this, but I will say that sort of messaging is dangerous.†Forget flowing into the mystic — you should be staying at home in a pandemic.