A break in the usual madness around here to address the current madness. Thanks to COVID-19, everyone is – or should be – in self-isolation to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Trips out of the home are for necessities, and distancing from other people is not just a good idea, but in some places rigorously enforced. There’s only so many hours of television to watch, no matter the source.
There is a bright side. Creativity is getting a real work out. People are taking the extra time and putting it to good use. In Italy, balcony serenades and arias are overcoming the social distancing and keeping people together despite being apart. An American man has done the same thing in California.
For those without balconies or the ability to project like an opera singer, the other option is video cameras and the Internet. After COVID-19 broke, there has been a deluge of parodies. The Internet and the World Wide Web has given people a way to discover new things, some that are wonderful, some that require a butt ton of brain bleach. During this pandemic, the Internet has become the main way for people to maintain contact with each other. Parodies bring in humour during a time that really needs some. A simple search on YouTube alone brings up a long list to listen to.
Naturally, The Knack’s “My Sharona” is getting the lion’s share of parodies, having a title that rhymes with “corona“. COVID-19, however, works well with Dexy’s Midnight Runners’ “Come On Eileen“. “Everything is Awesome”, from The LEGO Movie, leads easily to “Everything is Cancelled“. The Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” is also popular, either with the original title or going with “Stayin’ Inside“. Even Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” has had a number of parodies. “Sweet Caroline” gets a special callout, with parodies such as “Sweet Quarantine” and with Neil Diamond himself rewriting the lyrics.
That’s just scratching the surface. The Bare-Naked Ladies’ “One Week“, The Proclaimers’ “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)“, AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds (Done Dirt Cheap)“, the Beach Boys’ “Kokomo“, and MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This” all have had parodies. And there’s room for more.
That’s just music. Because restaurants are closing their dining rooms, people are eating in more, leading to experimentation in cooking. Flour is disappearing off the shelves and people are trying to figure out what to do with it. Art of all sorts is getting created. And people don’t have to be good to get started.
Everyone, even the masters, had to start somewhere. Now is a good time to be creative. You don’t have to show your work, but take the spare time you have and get creative. Get involved in a creative community. We’re all in this together, even if we have to stay apart.
