A Cloverdale musician has just released his third “pandemic song.”
Dana Vande calls his new track “a response to Van Morrison’s and Eric Clapton’s anti-lockdown song.”
Vande’s “Stand Strong Together” answers “Stand and Deliver,” released before Christmas by Morrison and Clapton.
The Morrison-written, Clapton-sung track, ask questions like: Is this a sovereign nation / Or just a police state?; Do you wanna be a free man / Or do you wanna be a slave? (See full lyrics below.)
Morrison set up a foundation to benefit struggling performers and all proceeds from “Stand and Deliver” go to the foundation.
Vande told the Cloverdale Reporter via email, “I am pro-stay-at-home and disagree (with) what their song … is saying.”
In his track, Vande sings: I’m staying safe at home / That’s what I choose to do / I’m staying safe at home / Don’t care about your views.
Vande wrote on Facebook that he’s all-in on a cancel-culture response to the two musicians for releasing the song. “I am no longer a fan of either of them. I wrote my song ‘Stand Strong Together’ in response to theirs … I’m hoping they will hear it.”
Eric Clapton and Van Morrison recently released an Anti-Lockdown song. I am no longer a fan of either of them. I...
Posted by Dana Vande Music on Sunday, 3 January 2021
The lyrics in the fifth stanza of Vande’s “Stand Strong Together” reinforce that view. You stick your head in the sand / And not believe the news / Well you lost me as a fan / But you’re welcome to your views.
Vande wrote two other “pandemic songs” over the past several months. One, “ISOLATION BLUES (Lockdown’s Comin’ Back Around)” can be found on YouTube and the video features footage from a seemingly deserted downtown Cloverdale. The other track, “Stand Strong” is an ode to front-line workers.
Here is Vande’s answer song. (Morrison’s and Clapton’s track is after the Vande video.)
Here is Morrison’s and Clapton’s track. (Full lyrics for both songs are found after the video.)
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Stand Strong Together
— Dana Vande © 2020 Cloverdale
Stand Strong Together, That’s what we’ve got to do
Stand Strong Together, That’s what we’ve got to do
Stand Strong Together, Now more than ever
We’ve got to see it through
Well you think I live in fear, You think that I’m a slave
Well you think I live in fear, Wearing chains to my grave
Well maybe you’re the one, Be a slave until you’re done
Wearing chains of disdain
I’m staying safe at home, That’s what I choose to do
I’m staying safe at home, Don’t care about your views
I’m going to Stand Where I am, I’m going to stick to the plan
I’m going to Stand and play my blues
You can say it’s all untrue
It’s all part of their plan
To grind us ‘til it hurts
You can blame it on the Man
You stick your head in the sand
And not believe the news
Well you lost me as a fan
But you’re welcome to your views
I’m going to stand where I am, I know this cannot last
I’m going to stand and be counted, I’m going to do what I’m asked
Well you can go and play, But I’m stayin’ far away
Until this storm has passed
We’ve got to Stand Strong Together, That’s what we’ve got to do
We’ve got to Stand Strong Together, That’s what we’ve got to do
It’s a storm that we can weather, Now more than ever
We’ve got to see it through
Stand Strong Together, Keep Calm and Carry On
Stand and Be Counted, We’re not in this alone
Stand Strong Together, Now more than ever
Keep Calm and Carry On
Stand Strong Together, Now more than ever
Keep Calm and Carry On
Stand Strong Together, Now more than ever
Keep Calm and Carry On
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Stand and Deliver
— Van Morrison © 2020
Stand and deliver
You let them put the fear on you
Stand and deliver
But not a word you heard was true
But if there’s nothing you can say
There may be nothing you can do
Do you wanna be a free man
Or do you wanna be a slave?
Do you wanna be a free man
Or do you wanna be a slave?
Do you wanna wear these chains
Until you’re lying in the grave?
I don’t wanna be a pauper
And I don’t wanna be a prince
I don’t wanna be a pauper
And I don’t wanna be a prince
I just wanna do my job
Playing the blues for friends
Magna Carta, Bill of Rights
The constitution, what’s it worth?
You know they’re gonna grind us down, ah
Until it really hurts
Is this a sovereign nation
Or just a police state?
You better look out, people
Before it gets too late
You wanna be your own driver
Or keep on flogging a dead horse?
You wanna be your own driver
Or keep on flogging a dead horse?
Do you wanna make it better
Or do you wanna make it worse?
Stand and deliver
You let them put the fear on you
Slow down the river
But not a word of it was true
If there’s nothing you can say
There may be nothing you can do
Stand and deliver
Stand and deliver
Dick Turpin wore a mask too
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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