Van Morrison rails against virus restrictions in new songs

Music legend Van Morrison said on Friday he has recorded three "protest songs" against the UK government's coronavirus lockdown measures, in which he reportedly accuses scientists of "making up crooked facts".

The Northern Irish singer-songwriter will release the new tracks -- named "Born To Be Free", "As I Walked Out", and "No More Lockdown" -- at two-week intervals from September 25.

"Morrison makes it clear in his new songs how unhappy he is with the way the government has taken away personal freedoms," a statement said on his website announcing the releases.

In another, he sings: "No more taking of our freedom / And our God given rights / Pretending it's for our safety / When it's really to enslave."

Morrison also claims scientists are "making up crooked facts" to justify the restrictions, the BBC reported.

Morrison said in a statement that he was "not telling people what to do or think".

"The government is doing a great job of that already.

"It's about freedom of choice, I believe people should have the right to think for themselves."

The "Brown Eyed Girl" singer had already stirred controversy last month when reportedly urging people to "fight the pseudoscience" around Covid-19, before he staged several socially distanced performances in England.

"It's not economically viable to do socially distanced gigs," he said, urging the music industry "to fight with me on this".

Britain has been the worst-hit country in Europe by the coronavirus pandemic, and is currently seeing a resurgence in cases after a months-long lockdown earlier this year.

Morrison said he will debut his new songs later this month in shows at the London Palladium theatre, and make them available for download and streaming.

© 2020 AFP