We should’ve been able to make it through the year without something like Van Morrison and Eric Clapton’s “Stand and Deliver” hitting the music circuit and repopularizing the two privileged, out of touch old white dudes, but here we are.
The 4.5-minute, call-and-response style diatribe is not just objectively bad (first rule of writing: limit vague pronouns, second rule: be interesting) but it’s a dangerous call to action for the anti-maskers and virus deniers of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Morrison and Clapton could’ve done something productive with their time, or at least not spent it encouraging irresponsible behavior (we’ll get to the lyrics soon). While it’s not an artist’s responsibility to make relatable content for each and every fan, at the bare minimum, we should hold those with such sizable public platforms accountable for their words and actions as it relates to the lives of millions of people.