Twitter Users Not Impressed With Van Morrison's Anti-Lockdown Anthems
Van Morrison is a certified rock legend, but Twitter users aren’t exactly singing the praises of his newest compositions.
The 75-year-old singer is about to release three new songs protesting coronavirus lockdowns and accusing the British government of “making up crooked facts” to “enslave” its citizens, according to the BBC.
Morrison’s pandemic pop songs don’t pull any punches, especially “No More Lockdown.”
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
You can see the full lyrics to the new songs in the tweet below.
Inbox: "Van Morrison to release three new anti-lockdown protest songs". The lyrics are... 😟 pic.twitter.com/uLQhYTH2na
— Stuart Dredge (@stuartdredge) September 18, 2020
The songs are attracting a lot of attention, but it may not be the kind that usually helps records fly up the sales charts.
Northern Ireland’s minister of health, Robin Swann, told the BBC that the new songs were “dangerous.”
“I don’t know where he gets his facts,” Swann said. “I know where the emotions are on this, but I will say that sort of messaging is dangerous.”
Other Twitter users had their doubts as well.
I love scientists and I love Van Morrison so now I don't know who to trust when it comes to science. https://t.co/oSz8oahwP2
— Jemaine Clement (@AJemaineClement) September 18, 2020
Van Morrison writing anti-lockdown protest songs based on dubious viral Facebook posts is absolute peak boomer. https://t.co/U498KfmINh pic.twitter.com/Y0NIaXR7gG
— Jim Waterson (@jimwaterson) September 18, 2020
I want to hear Van Morrison’s crackpot views about Covid to precisely the same extent that I wish to hear Anthony Fauci try to sing “Tupelo Honey.” https://t.co/ZhSPGkz12c
— Timothy Noah (@TimothyNoah1) September 18, 2020
I’ll continue to trust Van Morrison when it comes to thoughts about going Into The Mystic, and maybe about an individual brown-eyed girl, but when it comes to the genetics of brown-eyed women, the scientists still win. https://t.co/9uhaQrzvFX
— Aaron Sagers #BlackLivesMatter (@aaronsagers) September 18, 2020
Others imagined how Morrison might update his more well-known songs such as “Brown Eyed Girl.”
Possible Van Morrison lyrics...
“Hey, where did masks go?
Days when the plagues came
No social distancing
Playin' a daft game
Coughin and a wheezin hey, hey
Spreading and infecting
On a hospital ventilator with
Our hearts a stoppin' and you, my... 5G girl” https://t.co/DGhrAOuaPZ— Sarah O'Connell (@SarahO_Connell) September 18, 2020
Another person pointed out the many prominent musicians who have died from the coronavirus.
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These are among the musicians who have died of #COVID19:
John Prine
Toots Hibbert
Ellis Marsalis Jr.
Adam Schlesinger
Bruce Williamson
Nick Cordero
Trini Lopez
Lee Konitz
Wallace Roney
Waddup, Van Morrison?https://t.co/EExlo80rRJ— David Beard (@dabeard) September 18, 2020
One man said that Morrison has written songs about diseases before so the new ditties aren’t totally unprecedented.
Counterpoint: @vanmorrison was correct in raising awareness of Ring Worm and Tuberculosis so maybe we hear the new songs with that in mind. https://t.co/UAS3DjmMOe
— Lance Bangs (@lancebangs) September 18, 2020
But one tweeter managed to put the proper perspective on Morrison’s new songs.
So sad that 200,000 Americans aren’t alive to hear Van Morrison’s new material - via @JahHills & @sterlewine https://t.co/1esa6bR2KX
— Damon K (@dada_drummer) September 18, 2020
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
