A song for Megxit: Harry and Meghan inspire star’s biting ode to royalty . . .
BRYAN ADAMS was so inspired by his friend the Princess of Wales that he wrote a song about her, called diana. Now, one of his fellow rock stars, Joe Bonamassa, has been moved to compose a tune about the duke and duchess of sussex — but he seems distinctly less impressed with their role in the Royal Family.
U.s. blues rock giant Bonamassa came up with the title track of his new album on the very day that the duke and duchess dropped a bombshell by declaring they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America. ‘I wrote the song Royal Tea on the same morning that Prince Harry and meghan markle announced their resignation from the Royal Family,’ confirms Grammynominated Bonamassa, who started his career aged 12 when he opened for blues legend B.B. King.
The lyrics appear to be a comment on Harry’s take-it-or-leave-it attitude towards life as a working royal: ‘Bring me back, keep me gone, reel me in and waste my life all the time.’ Other lines are even more damning and seem to take a swipe at Harry and meghan’s attitude towards the Queen: ‘Had to bow to kiss her / I done give you life / All first class . . . And check out your future/ Royal Tea / Gettin’ away with murder.’
It’s not clear if Bonamassa has met Harry or meghan, but he’s a close friend and musical collaborator of Prince Charles’s friend, the ivory tinkler Jools Holland. BBC presenter Holland — who is one of Charles’s favourite musicians and a regular guest at his country home, Highgrove — plays on a different track on the album, which was recorded in London’s Abbey Road studios, synonymous with The Beatles.
Bonamassa explains why he was inspired to compose the song: ‘There was this whole thing about them leaving the Royal Family. I didn’t realise you could do that — like, could I say to my mum: “Hey, I decided to leave the Bonamassas. my new name is Homer Thompson.” ’