Bono Releases First Song in Three Years Dedicated to Quarantined Italians amid Coronavirus

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As the globe continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic, Bono is keeping spirits high with the release of a new song.

On Tuesday, the U2 frontman debuted the track “Let Your Love Be Known,” his first new song since 2017, on Instagram after he was inspired by Italians who bonded together in song during a country-wide lockdown.

“For the Italians who inspired it… for the Irish…for ANYONE who this St. Patrick’s day is in a tight spot and still singing,” the singer captioned the video. “For the doctors, nurses, carers on the front line, it’s you we’re singing to.”

Bono first opened the clip explaining that he wanted to share “a little postcard from bubbling Dublin on St Patrick’s Day,” admitting that he only made up the song “about an hour ago.”

“I think it’s called ‘Let Your Love Be Known;’ let me know what you think,” he said before singing the track.

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As the artist explained in the caption, the idea behind his new song came from watching a video of quarantined Italians singing to one another from their balconies.

In the lyrics, Bono sings, “You can’t touch but you can sing across rooftops/sing to me down the phone/sing and promise me you won’t stop/sing and you’re never alone.”

Earlier this week, footage emerged on social media of Italians across the country joining together in song or shows of support with their neighbors.

In one video, which was taken in Siena on Thursday evening, the sounds of many voices singing together can be heard, as local residents made an effort to keep everyone’s spirits high.

“People of my hometown #Siena sing a popular song from their houses along an empty street to warm their hearts during the Italian #Covid_19 #lockdown,” one social media user wrote.

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Videos captured in Milan, Rome and Naples also showed people out on their balconies as they joined together in singing Italy’s national anthem, according to Reuters.

Another heartwarming video taken in Naples showed individuals under quarantine joining together to sing “Abbracciame,” a title which translates to “hug me,” while a clip from Sicily shows a group of neighbors joining together in song, as another neighbor accompanies them on the accordion.

Stefano Guidi/Getty Images

On Saturday, many from across the country were also photographed coming out onto their balconies to applaud doctors and nurses who were working nearby, Reuters reported.

Italy, which has seen the largest outbreak outside of China, has been under lockdown since March 10. Currently, all schools and shops with the exception of pharmacies and supermarkets, have been closed.