WATCH: Michael Stipe Returns To The PSA Life For Coronavirus Warning

The former R.E.M. singer parlays the revival of an old hit single to raise awareness on the dire importance of social distancing

March 18, 2020March 18, 2020 Ron Hart 0 Comments Coronavirus, COVID-19, Michael Stipe, R.E.M.

Message from Michael… Longer version on https://t.co/UXmfpJhgaJ pic.twitter.com/0LSWqTU6Eq

— R.E.M. HQ (@remhq) March 18, 2020

This week, the members of R.E.M. saw their 1987 hit single “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” re-enter the Billboard Hot 100 at no. 64.

Of all the songs aforementioned in Jim Sullivan’s excellent story on the soundtrack to Corona Time from earlier today, it’s that anthemic second single from Document which seems to be the one music fans are hanging their hats on as a means to cope with the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.

And if you are a fan of R.E.M., you know Michael Stipe walks unafraid when it comes to raising awareness of important sociopolitical issues of the time. So it should come as no surprise to see him parlay the newly hatched hoopla over this song he wrote 33 years ago into an opportunity to be that beacon of insight and levity he’s been to us kids since whatever grade you were in back in ’87 in the form of a new PSA you can download here: Michael Stipe’s St. Patrick’s Day Coronavirus message.

Give him four minutes of your time, and then spend a couple of your quarantined minutes checking out some of his old PSAs from across the span of days.