A Rolling Stone gathers no moss, even in a coronavirus lockdown situation. On Thursday, the Rolling Stones released Living in a Ghost Town, their first new song in eight years. And while the tune's lyrics and video have a fitting theme for the pandemic, that wasn't the band's original intention.
"The Stones were in the studio recording some new material before the lockdown and there was one song we thought would resonate through the times that we're living in right now," lead singer Mick Jagger said in a statement. "We've worked on it in isolation. And here it is -- It's called Living In A Ghost Town -- I hope you like it."
Parts of the song were recorded in London and Los Angeles in 2019, but the band members finished the song working in isolation. The title and lyrics seems to fit a world full of cities emptied by stay-at-home orders.
"Life was so beautiful, then we all got locked down," the lyrics run in part. "Feel a like ghost living in a ghost town ... so much time to lose just staring at my phone."
The video earned more than 100,000 views in two hours on the band's official YouTube channel, and was also available on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal and other services.
"Looks like the lockdown just got a banging theme song," one Twitter user wrote. Said another, "Wow ... can't wait to see it live when we're no longer living in Ghost Towns."
Looks like the lockdown just got a banging theme song @RollingStones
— Nemo (@NemoNihil1664) April 23, 2020
Wow...can’t wait to see it live when we’re no longer living in Ghost Towns @RollingStones @ronniewood @officialKeef @MickJagger @linsbvi
— Rich (@GoFastLocations) April 23, 2020
On March 17, the band announced their 2020 No Filter North American tour would be postponed due to the pandemic. The 15-show tour had been set to kick off in San Diego on May 8.
