Classic rock stars Van Morrison and Eric Clapton are so tired of the coronavirus lockdowns that they teamed up together and wrote a song about it.
Morrison and Clapton’s song, “Stand And Deliver,” will be released Dec. 4 and proceeds will go to benefit Morrison’s Save Live Music campaign, according to Billboard. The proceeds will specifically go towards Morrison’s Lockdown Financial Hardship Fund.
???? NEW TRACK RELEASE ????
In a bid to save live venues and support musicians, @vanmorrison and @EricClapton are releasing a new single, ‘Stand and Deliver’
Download the exclusive track on December 4th to #SaveLiveMusic
Available on @AppleMusic @AmazonMusicUK @Deezer @Spotify pic.twitter.com/ehDdKGhoL0
— Save Live Music (@Save_LiveMusic) November 27, 2020
The new song comes after Morrison released three songs dedicated to the anti-lockdown sentiment. Morrison released “Born To Be Free,” “As I Walked Out” and “No More Lockdown” throughout September and October. (RELATED: Coronavirus Leaves Biggest Recording Artists With No Payday As 2020 Tours Are Postponed)
“I’m not telling people what to do or think, the government is doing a great job of that already,” Morrison said in a statement. “It’s about freedom of choice, I believe people should have the right to think for themselves.”
Morrison’s Save Live Music campaign was created to help struggling musicians and venues amid the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns.
The United Kingdom banned live music events back in March, but recently started to allow limited indoor live music events. Morrison has claimed that without live music in 2020, many venues will be forced to shut down.
“There are many of us who support Van and his endeavors to save live music; he is an inspiration,” Clapton said in a statement to Variety. “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,” Morrison also told the outlet. “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.”
The UK went back into lockdown on Nov. 5. The lockdown was set to last until Dec. 2, as previously reported. Once the lockdown lifts, the country will go back into its three-tier system.