Quarantunes

Cooper Woest, Staff Writer
June 22, 2020

On April 18, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert hosted “One World:
Together at Home”, a live benefit concert where the best musicians from today and yesterday
performed at home to raise money for coronavirus relief. Spearheaded by Lady Gaga, the event
attracted nearly 21 million viewers and raised almost $130 million. On display were
performances from award winning artists and bands such as John Legend, Elton John, Billie
Eilish and The Rolling Stones. While the event showed only hits from before the pandemic,
artists have scrambled to write songs focusing specifically on the quarantine.
In his new hit single, “Six Feet Apart”, country superstar Luke Combs touches on a
bigger issue than the title suggests. “I miss my mom, I miss my dad, miss the road, I miss my
bad, giving hugs and shaking hands,” Combs sings. Combs’ is a proven lyrical genius but the
words “Someday when we aren’t six feet apart” have a deeper meaning than most of Combs’
songs because they are able to turn a negative event into a song with a positive message. The
song’s meaning is likely to strike a chord with listeners due to its ability to share feelings and
relate with audiences. Combs’ knows the struggle faced by those who have lost a loved one due
to the virus, as his good friend and country legend Joe Diffie died at age 61 as a result of
complications from COVID-19.
Besides creating a guaranteed chart-topper, Combs was one of the first artists to perform
online through a series of Instagram Live videos, in which his purpose was to “take your mind
off things a little bit and have a little fun for myself.”

In addition to Combs’ and his new single, fellow country star Brad Paisley
debuted his new single “No I In Beer”, in which Paisley sings, “To the farmers and the first
responders. To the truck drivers shiftin’ gears. Every nurse that needs a break, let me buy you a
drink.” While the song seems like a typical “bro-country” song, it uses a theme that is shared
across the genre to create a thank you message to all those fighting COVID-19. Paisley, like
most celebrities, has done his part in aiding those in need during the quarantine. Paisley, and his
wife Kimberly, have opened a free grocery store in Nashville TN to provide food for the needy
and deliver to the elderly, all cost free.
It is due to the efforts by musicians like Combs, Paisley, and those who participated at
One World, that help keep audiences entertained until there comes the day when all canceled
concerts and festivals return and music can come back to its former state prior to COVID-19.