Clapton & Morrison team for anti-lockdown song

Music Legends Eric Clapton, Van Morrison Team for Anti-Lockdown Single ‘Stand and Deliver’ | Variety - Naman Ramachandran:

November 27, 2020 - "Music legends Van Morrison and Eric Clapton have announced a new single, 'Stand and Deliver,' in support of Morrison’s Save Live Music campaign. The blues track was written by Morrison and is performed by Clapton. Morrison, best known for songs like 'Brown Eyed Girl,' 'Domino' and 'Wild Night,' as well as seminal albums Moondance and Astral Weeks,released three songs protesting the U.K. lockdown over September and October, titled 'Born To Be Free,' 'As I Walked Out' and 'No More Lockdown.'

"Proceeds from 'Stand and Deliver' will go to the Morrison’s Lockdown Financial Hardship Fund, which helps musicians facing difficulties as a result of the coronavirus and resulting lockdown measures.

"Clapton — the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — called the dearth of live events due to lockdown restrictions 'deeply upsetting.' 'There are many of us who support Van and his endeavors to save live music; he is an inspiration,' Clapton said. 'We must stand up and be counted because we need to find a way out of this mess. The alternative is not worth thinking about. Live music might never recover.'

"'Eric’s recording is fantastic and will clearly resonate with the many who share our frustrations,' said Morrison. 'It is heart-breaking to see so many talented musicians lack any meaningful support from the government, but we want to reassure them that we are working hard every day to lobby for the return of live music, and to save our industry'....

"'Stand and Deliver' will be available for download and streaming from iTunes, Amazon Music, Deezer and all other outlets from Dec. 4."

Read more: https://variety.com/2020/music/global/eric-clapton-van-morrison-lockdown-single-1234841031/

Van Morrison's new single, "No More Lockdown"

Van Morrison’s “Dangerous” Songs | Median West - Christian Watson:

October 13, 2020 - "What does it mean to be virtuous in the era of the Coronavirus (COVID-19)? There is a unique character to this question, since the pandemic underscores a series of events: crippling economic downturn, overbearing government impositions on individual rights, and divisive racial upheaval. From these developments arise questions of clear ethical importance. 

"The intelligentsia at-large does not care about virtue or ethics, however. They would rather risk disrespecting personal freedom by solely considering charts and figures to conjure policy advisories about a sickness whose path has so far waded into questions of ethical import.... Ask London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who is now groveling before Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ban all household visits in the city, ahead of a projected spike in COVID-19 cases. Or ask the Danish government, who orders that bars in Copenhagen close around 10 p.m., as if the virus emerges only in the late night hours like the vampires of Stoker’s Dracula. The list of rights abuse is endless. 

"Safety, however, is the bureaucrat’s chief argument for these excesses. And to challenge authority when it is attempting to achieve so-called safety is tantamount to 'tin-foil hat' conspiracism, says Northern Ireland’s Health Minister, Robin Swann. Swann was referring to Grammy-winning musician Van Morrison’s statements against the COVID-19 lockdowns, during a Rolling Stone interview. Morrison’s offense? He denounced COVID-19 lockdowns and then penned a slew of songs against the practice. And for daring to question the established order, Swann called Morrison 'dangerous,' 'bizarre,' and 'irresponsible.' 

"If I were Morrison, I would wear these labels proudly — especially the 'dangerous' bit. He is in good company, after all. Some of the greatest change agents ever to walk the earth were considered 'dangerous' to their respective governments. But, furthermore, there is virtue in urging society to introspection over blind obedience to narratives. And to do so in an industry dominated by a certain political mindset is even more extraordinary. Morrison’s statements are a plea to the thinking person, asking him to continue to question the actions of his government, even when those actions are done in the name of the public good."

Read more: https://merionwest.com/2020/10/13/van-morrisons-dangerous-songs/

New lockdown benefit single from Van Morrison

Listen to ‘As I Walked Out,’ the Second Anti-Lockdown Song from Van Morrison | Rock Cellar Magazine - Staff: 
October 12, 2020 - "Earlier this month, Van Morrison made his perspective known: He's very opposed to government-imposed lockdowns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, so much so that he planned a series of 'anti-lockdown protest songs' after penning a 'Save Live Music” essay urging a return to full-capacity live concert performances. He’s now premiered two of the planned three songs in this mini-series, with 'As I Walked Out' showing up late last week.... The track joins 'Born to Be Free,' the first song shared from his trio of protest anthems... The third song, 'No More Lockdown,' will premiere on Oct. 23....

"'I’m not telling people what to do or think, the government is doing a great job of that already. It’s about freedom of choice, I believe people should have the right to think for themselves,' said Van Morrison of these three songs."
Read more: https://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/van-morrison-as-i-walked-out-anti-lockdown-protest-song-listen/

Van Morrison donating COVID-19 protest song proceeds to charity | Calgary Herald -  World Entertainment News Network:
September 23, 2020 - "Van Morrison will donate all the profits from his three new tracks protesting lockdowns amid the COVID-19 pandemic to musicians who are struggling during the crisis.... [H]e will distribute any money made from the tracks via the Van Morrison Rhythm and Blues Foundation – which helps musicians in need. 'Lockdown is taking away people's jobs and freedoms across all sectors of society,' he said. 'I believe live music is essential, and I worry that without positive action it will not survive.'"
Read more: https://calgaryherald.com/entertainment/music/van-morrison-donating-covid-19-protest-song-proceeds-to-charity

Van Morrison releases first anti-lockdown single

Listen to Van Morrison’s new anti-lockdown song, 'Born to Be Free' | Ultimate Classic Rock - Corey Irwin:

September 25, 2020 - "Van Morrison has released the first of his anti-lockdown-themed songs. The single, titled 'Born to Be Free,' features lyrics criticizing government response to the coronavirus pandemic.

"'Don’t need the government cramping my style / Give them an inch, they take a mile / Take you in with a phony smile / Wouldn’t you agree,' Morrison sings in an early verse, before launching into the song’s chorus: 'The new normal is not normal / It’s no kind of normal at all / Everyone seemed to have amnesia just trying to remember the Berlin Wall.'

"Despite its contentious subject matter, the tune is lively and upbeat, with organ and soulful backing vocals adding highlights to the rollicking guitar, bass and drums structure. You can listen to “Born to Be Free” below.

"Morrison has been a vocal critic of COVID-19 response, referring to social distancing as 'pseudo-science' and calling on fellow musicians to 'speak up' against rules that prohibit artists from performing traditional concerts. In early September, he announced he’d be releasing three lockdown protest songs.

"'I'm not telling people what to do or think, the government is doing a great job of that already,' Morrison remarked when the singles were announced. "It's about freedom of choice. I believe people should have the right to think for themselves.'

Read more: https://ultimateclassicrock.com/van-morrison-born-to-be-free/