Bono writes and performs song inspired by Italians caught in COVID-19 lockdown

(Image credit: Maria Tan / Getty)

U2's Bono isn't one to let St Patrick's Day go by without a song, but things took on a heavier turn yesterday (17 March) as he revealed a new track he'd penned in the wake of Coronavirus.

The lyrics to Let Your Love Be Known were inspired by the Italians who have been singing and performing music from their balconies while in lockdown due to COVID-19. Over 2,500 Italians have died so far from this virus in recent weeks and the number continues to grow.

“I walk through the streets of Dublin and no one was near,” Bono sings in Let Your Love Be Known. “Yes, I don’t know you / No I didn’t think I didn’t care / You live so very far away / Just across the square / You can’t touch, but you can sing across rooftops / Sing on the phone / Sing and promise me you won’t stop / Sing your love be known / Oh let your love be known.”

U2 have been on a hiatus since last year when the Joshua Tree 2019 tour ended with the band’s first-ever concert in India on December 15. 

Rob Laing
Guitars Editor, MusicRadar

I'm the Guitars Editor for MusicRadar, handling news, reviews, features, tuition, advice for the strings side of the site and everything in between. Before MusicRadar I worked on guitar magazines for 15 years, including Editor of Total Guitar in the UK. When I'm not rejigging pedalboards I'm usually thinking about rejigging pedalboards.