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Van Morrison Is Whining About Free Speech Because No One Likes His Anti-Lockdown Songs

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Shaka Zulu

Commodore
Commodore
It's very, very sad to see a legend like Van Morrison (as well as Eric Clapton, who's in cahoots with Morrison) be doing this (and no, what they are doing isn't commentary/criticism like these two articles about the pandemic.)

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Van Morrison has spent the better part of the pandemic writing and recording truly awful protest songs best described as COVID-truther anthems. Now, the 75-year-old is complaining about the public's reaction to his new tunes, suggesting the reception is an attack on free speech.

Speaking with The Times newspaper's Saturday Review [via Page Six], Morrison compared widespread criticism of his latest work to a religious cult, saying, "If I can write about it, I do. Poetic licence, freedom of speech... These used to be OK. Why not now? I don't understand it."
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In addition to blaming the press for infringing on his free speech, Morrison also accused World Economic Forum executive chairman Klaus Schwab of controlling whether government officials will greenlight the return to live music.

"I heard that some music promoters met with the people at Imperial College who are running the whole thing," he said. "Well, really, Klaus is running the whole thing… Your guess is as good as mine because freedom is not a given anymore. You have to fight for it. That's where the blues come in."
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Van Morrison Is Whining About Free Speech Because No One Likes His Anti-Lockdown Songs
 
He’s an old bollocks. Most people in Belfast have an unpleasant story about him, be it him being rude to waiting staff, an audience at a gig or just out in public.

Van Morrison was famous all through the civil rights era, the troubles in Northern Ireland, the turmoil of the last 20 years etc. And what finally, after nearly 50 years in music, inspired him to write his first protest/political song? The fact that he was being asked to wear a mask in public for the greater good.

I think that says it all, frankly.
 
I was under the impression the song was intended to raise money for venue workers affected by the COVID lockdowns rather than an anti-lockdown song, per se. The reporting around it has been weird. No, I haven't heard it.
 
Allyn Gibson said:
I was under the impression the song was intended to raise money for venue workers affected by the COVID lockdowns rather than an anti-lockdown song, per se. The reporting around it has been weird. No, I haven't heard it.
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In fairness, yes, the money did go to a fund aimed towards struggling musicians. But with the lyrics, he firmly put himself in the tinfoil hat camp:

“No more lockdown, No more government overreach / No more fascist police / Disturbing our peace / No more taking our freedom / And our God-given rights / Pretending it’s for our safety / When it’s really to enslave.”
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https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www....-van-morrison-lockdown-protest-song?_amp=true
 
JirinPanthosa said:
Yeah, if he was making a more nuanced point about a nanny state and the balance of freedom and safety, I'd say we should cut him slack. But nope, no subtlety in his message, he's all out saying COVID is a conspiracy to enslave the population.
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An associate of mine believes that the disease's release in the US was a planned event by China. Not saying I totally agree, but consider the following: the Covid lockdown destroyed the economy (which was stronger than ever before), drove Trump (who wouldn't play nice with China) out of power, and ushered in a far more socialist and internationalist government ("America First" means "other nations second or not at all"). You can't say China hasn't benefited from this.
 
Oddish said:
An associate of mine believes that the disease's release in the US was a planned event by China. Not saying I totally agree, but consider the following: the Covid lockdown destroyed the economy (which was stronger than ever before), drove Trump (who wouldn't play nice with China) out of power, and ushered in a far more socialist and internationalist government ("America First" means "other nations second or not at all"). You can't say China hasn't benefited from this.
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If you think the virus hasn't devastated China just as bad because of the numbers they reported, doesn't that conflict with thinking they're that good at conspiracies? And, do you *really* think China is better off with the US under a competent leader who supports human rights around the world than the guy who was withdrawing US from world influence just because Trump raised a few tariffs that only ended up hurting American farmers, and because he's to the left of Trump, but still well right of most European countries?! So no, I don't think China benefited from this at all.

Putting aside that question though of whether China intentionally let the virus out, the line in the song suggests the *American* government is only using masks to enslave people. Even if that ridiculous theory about China was correct, masks would still be the rational response by the American government.

China is much better off with the US withdrawing from the world and becoming authoritarian and at each other's throats than they are if the tariffs are eased.

I'm dumbfounded at the mind that could simultaneously believe that China is conspiratorial enough to release a virus throughout the entire world but not conspiratorial enough to underreport their body count.
 
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JirinPanthosa said:
Don't confuse the stock market with the economy. That just means it's stronger than ever before for rich people.
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I was going by the unemployment rate, actually.

I don't like Trump. I don't respect him. I don't think that the leader of the free world should be calling his opponents names like a 9-year-old kid on a playground. And his actions during the Capitol insurrection were criminal. But, there are some things he was good at.
 
Oddish said:
I was going by the unemployment rate, actually.

I don't like Trump. I don't respect him. I don't think that the leader of the free world should be calling his opponents names like a 9-year-old kid on a playground. And his actions during the Capitol insurrection were criminal. But, there are some things he was good at.
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For what it’s worth, according to the US Dept of Labor Stats, the unemployment rate in Jan of 2017 was 4.8%. It stayed pretty low until Trump completely screwed up the COVID response. So, what is it he was “good” at?

On topic, I think it’s hilarious and sad that Van is pressed about the response to idiotic songs that equate wearing masks in order to control the spread of a deadly virus, with “slavery.” I used to be a huge fan and I still love his older songs, but the guy has gone around the bend.
 
Oddish said:
An associate of mine believes that the disease's release in the US was a planned event by China. Not saying I totally agree, but consider the following: the Covid lockdown destroyed the economy (which was stronger than ever before), drove Trump (who wouldn't play nice with China) out of power, and ushered in a far more socialist and internationalist government ("America First" means "other nations second or not at all"). You can't say China hasn't benefited from this.
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Your associate needs to adjust their tinfoil hat. And while I'll agree that Biden is far more internationalist than Trump (or at least he's getting us back to working with our traditional allies instead of sucking up to autocratic strongmen), calling him a "socialist" just shows how distorted the American political spectrum has become.
 
Biden is a Trojan horse: he's rapidly losing gray matter, and I seriously doubt he'll make it to 2024. The true presidential election in 2020 was Donald Trump vs. Kamala Harris. I might not buy into the "planned release" theory, but that I do believe.
 
Allyn Gibson said:
I was under the impression the song was intended to raise money for venue workers affected by the COVID lockdowns rather than an anti-lockdown song, per se. The reporting around it has been weird. No, I haven't heard it.
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It is for that exact purpose.

Captaindemotion said:
He’s an old bollocks. Most people in Belfast have an unpleasant story about him, be it him being rude to waiting staff, an audience at a gig or just out in public.
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That's very said to hear, especially coming from an accomplished singer/songwriter like him. And I loved his 1999 album Back on Top, and the title song from it:

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Van Morrison was famous all through the civil rights era, the troubles in Northern Ireland, the turmoil of the last 20 years etc. And what finally, after nearly 50 years in music, inspired him to write his first protest/political song? The fact that he was being asked to wear a mask in public for the greater good.

I think that says it all, frankly.
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Again, that's sad to hear about, especially also coming from Eric Clapton.

cardinal biggles said:
Your associate needs to adjust their tinfoil hat. And while I'll agree that Biden is far more internationalist than Trump (or at least he's getting us back to working with our traditional allies instead of sucking up to autocratic strongmen), calling him a "socialist" just shows how distorted the American political spectrum has become.
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Said distortion's not just an American thing, it's (sadly) also a Canadian one too, especially with the kind of premiers (governors) running some provinces, like this guy.

Oddish said:
Biden is a Trojan horse: he's rapidly losing gray matter, and I seriously doubt he'll make it to 2024. The true presidential election in 2020 was Donald Trump vs. Kamala Harris. I might not buy into the "planned release" theory, but that I do believe.
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Evidence with links, please.
 
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