Another week of the global pandemic and another week of our Coronavirus Playlist. What’s cued up this time? These seven little ditties:
Don’t You Forget About Me: Made famous by its inclusion in The Breakfast Club, this Simple Minds hit is still relevant 25 years later. Many of us have the urge to stand outside a department store, hold a stereo over our heads, and blare this tune. Don’t you forget about us, Target! Ever!
Bohemian Rhapsody: Whether you need to sing your heart out or you want to get in a good headbanging sesh, this Queen ballad has the fix. Plus, Freddy Mercury asks the question we’re all thinking: Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality.
Hotel California: The Eagles have tons of songs; “Hotel California” is one of their best known. A haunting, catchy tune, it tells the story of a hotel where visitors enter only to be told they can never leave. Yep, it’s like the musical version of a shelter-in-place.
What’s Going On: A great tune by Marvin Gaye, the hook could serve as the theme for coronavirus news coverage. What exactly is going on? We’re told to stay in but we can go out if we have to. We’re told to wear masks and told that masks won’t stop the spread of the virus. We’re told that it’s safe to get back to work and told doing so will cause a second wave of infection. So, what’s going on? No one has a clue.
Bridge Over Troubled Water: This folk classic was made for times of trouble. Tell Alexa to put it on (volume 10, Alexa) and have a good cry from your living room sofa. It’s what Simon and Garfunkel would want.
Imagine: John Lennon’s song about unity feels especially poignant when the world is united against a common, contagious enemy. Imagine there’s no TP. It isn’t hard to do. No Lysol or Clorox. And no hand wash too.
Three Little Birds: This Bob Marley and the Wailers song makes the list because of the lyrics for which it’s most well-known: Don’t worry about a thing, ’cause every little thing gonna be all right. While it’s human to worry about some things – or one big thing – the lyrics are hopeful. And we can certainly use that right now.
