Mike Love and John Stamos Drop COVID-19-Themed Track ‘This Too Shall Pass’
Mike Love has a message for everyone hunkering down in quarantine: “This too shall pass.”
And since he’s a Beach Boy and thus some mention of the sun is decreed, he adds: “The best is yet to come/So let’s get back to having fun, fun, fun in the sun.”
Love and sometimes-Beach Boy John Stamos teamed up while in self-isolation to write and record “This Too Shall Pass,” a peppy COVID-19-themed track and Love’s first since his 2019’s 12 Sides of Summer.
“We all remember when ‘school is out’ was a cause for celebrations,” Love sings — accompanied by a bevy of musicians (including Stamos on drums) on Zoom. “Nobody ever even thought about closing down entire nations.” The jazzy track then tackles washing hands, wearing masks and, of course, those halcyon days when we can finally go outside and make like a Beach Boy on a particularly pleasant summer day.
The video was produced by Stamos and the song boasts production by Scott Totten, who is part of the latest iteration of Love’s Beach Boys.
“I’m really proud of Mike for writing this song,” Stamos said. “About three weeks into the pandemic, Mike, his wife Jacquelyne and I discussed out how to contribute to the crisis. I suggested he do a parody of one of his songs like Neil Diamond did with ‘Sweet Caroline.’ He insisted on doing something original and then he started singing ‘This Too Shall Pass.’ I thought it was really special. At 79 years old, he could be on a boat counting his royalty checks on the way to Kokomo, but not Mike.”
“A lifetime of performing to millions of people all over the world and suddenly everything came to a halt,” Love added. “I’ve lived through enough good times and bad to know that eventually, this too shall pass, and better days are yet to come. With today being May Day, new beginnings are around the corner and as the lyrics of this song say, ‘we’ll get back to havin’ fun, fun, fun in the sun.’”
All proceeds from the song will go to Feeding America’s COVID-19 Response Fund.
Like many bands and artists, Love was forced to cancel shows in light of the spread of COVID-19, so he’s spending this time in isolation meditating and spending time with his family. Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson also just dropped new music: a cover of “What a Wonderful World” in partnership with Van Dyke Parks.