Watch Michael Stipe Sing "It’s The End Of The World As We Know It" In Coronavirus PSA

Watch Michael Stipe Sing "It’s The End Of The World As We Know It" In Coronavirus PSA

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Michael Stipe. Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images.

It’s true that there’s a song for every situation, but surely not even its creators could have predicted how wildly relevant R.E.M.’s 1987 hit “It’s the End of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” would suddenly become, thirty-three years on. Singer, Michael Stipe has noted the songs recent run on the charts by covering the song in part for a coronavirus PSA, reminding us all to stay home, wash our hands and be good to each other.

In the video shared from Stipe’s website and social media channels, the R.E.M frontman performs a few lines of the seminal track before offering four essential tips for navigating the current situation.

“I do feel fine. I feel okay,” he says. “The important part of that lyric, that song title, is ‘As We Know It.’ We’re about to go through – we are going through something that none of us have ever encountered before and that is, of course, the coronavirus. And it’s real and it’s serious and it’s here.”

In the longer version of the video on his website, Stipe also encourages viewers to stay inside and to find reliable sources of information. As for handwashing, he suggests finding an upbeat, feel-good song to accompany your scrubbing. “Don’t sing ‘Happy Birthday’ twice, it’s already depressing and sad. Find another song, a good, happy, calming song – your, like, blue skies song and do that.”

Listen to R.E.M. on Spotify:

Listen to R.E.M. on Apple Music:

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