Rock ‘n’ roll superstars Van Morrison and Eric Clapton are drawing criticism after teaming up in a new song protesting coronavirus lockdowns.
The blues track, titled “Stand and Deliver,” was written by Morrison and performed by Clapton with lyrics touching on the hardships and consequences of virus lockdowns, according to Rolling Stone.
“Eric’s recording is fantastic and will clearly resonate with the many who share our frustrations,” Morrison said of the song. “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 song will be available on Dec. 4 and proceeds will be directed toward Morrison’s Lockdown Financial Hardship Fund, which provides support for musicians negatively impacted by lockdowns.
“There are many of us who support Van and his endeavors to save live music; he is an inspiration,” Clapton said in a statement. “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.”
Morrison has written several other songs critical of lockdowns over the past few months.
“No more lockdown, no more government overreach, no more fascist bullies, disturbing our peace,” Morrison wrote in the song “No More Lockdown” earlier this year. “No more taking of our freedom and our God-given rights, pretending it’s for our safety, when it’s really to enslave.”
Morrison and Clapton have received strong criticism on social media from supporters of lockdown measures.
“What the fuck is wrong with these rich assholes,” The Twitter account for the band The Mountain Goats tweeted. “I say this is a lifelong Van Morrison fan.”
What the fuck is wrong with these rich assholes. I say this is a lifelong Van Morrison fan https://t.co/zUNQPiLopB
— The Mountain Goats (@mountain_goats) November 27, 2020
Several verified Twitter accounts took the opportunity to label Clapton as “racist” for performing the song.
“Confirms everything I’ve ever thought about Clapton, a musician who has spent his entire career appropriating black music and now records his first ‘protest’ song against meager restrictions to slow a diseases that is ravaging black communities,” CounterPunch Editor Jeffrey St. Clair tweeted.
Confirms everything I’ve ever thought about Clapton, a musician who has spent his entire career appropriating black music and now records his first “protest” song against meager restrictions to slow a diseases that is ravaging black communities…https://t.co/dAn0sA2c9t
— Jeffrey St. Clair (@JSCCounterPunch) November 27, 2020
Novelist Hari Kunzru echoed a similar sentiment calling Clapton “the worst” and Morrison “also the worst.”
Clapton is the worst. He has always been the worst. He was even the worst member of Cream
— Hari Kunzru (@harikunzru) November 27, 2020
Van Morrison is also the worst. Even when making Astral Weeks, a sublime record that still makes me cry, he was (I have reluctantly come to accept) the worst.
— Hari Kunzru (@harikunzru) November 27, 2020
