As the winter months are upon us, the spread of COVID has led many cities across the globe to move into a second lockdown. While the new rules are put in place to save lives, veteran musician Van Morrison has expressed his outrage over the safety measures and now, Eric Clapton is joining him.
The pair announced the lockdown protest song “Stand And Deliver,” which is expected to be released in early December. The single marks Morrison’s fourth anti-lockdown song following “Born To Be Free,” “As I Walked Out” and “No More Lockdown.” On the bright side, the single seems to at least be for a good cause. Proceeds from “Stand And Deliver” will benefit Morrison’s Lockdown Financial Hardship Fund, which aims to provide funds for musicians who have lost work as a result of the pandemic and shutdown of the live music industry.
Of course, people instantly took to Twitter to share their thoughts about Morrison and Clapton’s antics following the single’s announcement.
Really enjoying Van Morrison and Eric Clapton’s new song, “Stand Back and Stand By.”
— Ali Lu (@alilucomedy) November 27, 2020
you have to understand a lot of younger people don’t like Eric Clapton bc he’s racist but also because we had to sit through a lot of dinner parties soundtracked to his mtv unplugged album
— nuanced opinion guy (@charles_kinbote) November 27, 2020
since clapton is back in the news it is once again time to share one of my favorite tabloid headlines pic.twitter.com/zT3L0GrkPI
— Hanif Abdurraqib (@NifMuhammad) November 27, 2020
I was today years old when I learned Eric Clapton is such a huge racist that in the 70s the movement Rock Against Racism was started after Clapton showed public support for a UK far-right party.
And now he and Van Morrison have put out an anti-lockdown song. Makes sense.— Ani-Mia (@AniMiaOfficial) November 27, 2020
Some even brought up Phoebe Bridgers’ previous statements about Clapton being a “famous racist” and making “extremely mediocre” music.
phoebe bridgers was ahead of the curve in cancelling eric clapton
— rob lowry (@robertlowry) November 27, 2020
(Eagerly awaiting tweet from @phoebe_bridgers following release of Eric Clapton anti-lockdown song.)
— Will Levith (@Mediawill) November 27, 2020
Phoebe already told y’all Clapton was trash in Moon song.
— B (@lifeisterrible) November 27, 2020
In a statement alongside the single, Clapton vaguely co-signed the lockdown protest movement: “There are many of us who support Van and his endeavors to save live music; he is an inspiration. 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.”
Previously speaking about his lockdown protesting in a statement, Morrison said: “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.”
Eric Clapton is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.