Van Morrison's New Songs Dubbed 'Dangerous'

He blasts lockdown, scientists
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 18, 2020 7:19 AM CDT
Van Morrison's New Music Blasts Lockdown, Scientists
In this June 18, 2015 file photo, Van Morrison performs at the 46th annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala in New York.   (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

Van Morrison is no fan of lockdown measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as is obvious in three new tracks. The songs, recorded recently in Northern Ireland and England, are a condemnation of the UK government and scientists, per the Guardian. "No more lockdown / No more government overreach / No more fascist bullies / Disturbing our peace," the 75-year-old artist sings on "No More Lockdown." He continues: "No more taking of our freedom / And our God given rights / Pretending it's for our safety / When it's really to enslave." The lyrics also blast "scientists making up crooked facts" and "celebrities telling us what we're supposed to feel," though Morrison excuses himself from the latter group. "I'm not telling people what to do or think," he says in a statement. "The government is doing a great job of that already."

Another track, "As I Walked Out," references a March statement on the UK government's website, stating "Covid-19 is no longer considered to be a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) in the UK." As the BBC reports, COVID-19 doesn't meet the criteria of an HCID, "which typically has a high fatality rate (as much as 50% in the case of Ebola)" but is still highly infectious. "I don't know where he gets his facts … but I will say that sort of messaging is dangerous," Northern Ireland's health minister Robin Swann says of the new music, per the BBC. The songs will be released every two weeks, beginning with "Born To Be Free" on Sept. 25. (More Van Morrison stories.)

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