Reflecting the times, acts pen songs about quarantine life

Artistes inject a little positivity with their music

With masks over their mouths and gloves on their hands, country superstar Luke Combs and his band went to a music studio — in separate rooms — and recorded a new song reflecting the mood of a world dramatically altered by the spreading coronavirus.

Singing lyrics like “I miss my mom, I miss my dad,” Combs performed “Six Feet Apart,” a song he wrote on April 14 during a Zoom writing session with songwriters Brent Cobb and Rob Snyder.

In an interview last week with The Associated Press, Combs described the recording session as “very weird.”

“There was hardly anybody there. There were two guitar players, a bass player and a drummer and they were never even in the same room as I was,” he said. “Just very surreal that we couldn’t even say hello to each other.”

“You don’t think about how cool that stuff is to do until you don’t get to do it anymore,” Combs said.

Luke Combs performs “6 Feet Apart,” a song he wrote on April 14 about missing the simple things in life while in quarantine.

The song was released Friday and more than 40 other tracks like it have been released in the time since the COVID-19 hit the United States in a big way in March. Most of the tracks are originals, like Combs’ tune, though some artists have re-worked older songs to make them relevant. Others have joined forces for all-star covers of songs to raise money for charities benefiting virus victims and first responders.

Bono, Bon Jovi, twenty one pilots, Pitbull, Randy Newman,

One Republic, Lil TJay, Michael Bublé, Mike Campbell and Tye Tribbett are some of the acts who dropped original songs reflecting the current times. Country singer Adam Hambrick wrote a song about his wife, a physician’s assistant working to test people for COVID-19 and caring for patients who may have been affected.

Mike Love of the Beach Boys, who had to postpone 60-plus shows due to the virus, said he thought to himself while sitting at home: “What could I do musically to inject a little positivity in a situation which is primarily pretty restrictive and negative?”

Messages

Then he wrote “This Too Shall Pass,” an upbeat, Beach Boys-flavored gem brimmed with positive messages that also gives a shout-out to doctors and nurses working on the front lines. All artist and label royalties from the song will go to Feeding America’s COVID-19 Response Fund.

Queen and Adam Lambert re-recorded the classic “We Are the Champions” and released “You Are the Champions” in support of health care workers. Gloria Estefan re-worked her upbeat 1989 single “Get On Your Feet,” calling the new version “Put Your Mask On!” And Todrick Hall transformed his dance anthem “Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels” into “Mask, Gloves, Soap, Scrubs,” which features lyrics like “TikTok, GrubHub ... Zoom is the new club.”

Avril Lavigne’s music video for “We Are Warriors,” a re-working of her 2019 track “Warrior.” The new version is dedicated to health care workers on the front lines. Avril Lavigne originally wrote last year’s “Warrior” about her battle with Lyme disease. She changed its lyrics and re-recorded the song to honor front line workers and titled it “We Are Warriors.” All proceeds will go to Project HOPE’s coronavirus relief efforts.

Other acts, including the Rolling Stones and Norah Jones, have released previously written songs they felt resonated right now. Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins — the Grammy-winning hitmaker who has worked with Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and Brandy — even re-worked an unfinished 17-year-old song to create an all-star gospel anthem about the world coming together. “Come Together” features Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, Lecrae, Marvin Sapp, Fred Hammond, Karen Clark Sheard and others. Jerkins even held Face Time sessions with artists to finish the song, which is raising funds for the Musi Cares COVID-19 Relief Fund and child sponsorship organization Compassion International.

Jon Bon Jovi penned “Do What You Can” after volunteering at his community restaurant during the pandemic.

Jon Bon Jovi wrote “Do What You Can” after volunteering at his own community restaurant during the pandemic. He plans on including the track on his band’s new album, “Bon Jovi: 2020,” and said music continues to heal and unite the world in times of tragedy.

“Music knows no borders and it knows no political affiliation. Music brings people together,” he said.

“Music has always been that friend to me,” he added. “It’s proving to be a friend to so many in these trying times.” (AP)