Neil Diamond Changed ‘Sweet Caroline’ Into a Coronavirus Hand-Washing PSA (‘Hands … Washing Hands …’)

“Sweet Caroline” is an undisputed classic. Its refrain is chanted at sporting events around the world, the Neil Diamond signature anthem having become an enduring part of the cultural experience.

All you need to hear is “Hands … touching hands … ” and the song will immediately be stuck in your head, whether you love it or hate it — but with the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent social distancing measures put in place as we all try to combat the spread of COVID-19, Neil Diamond took it into his own … hands, so to speak, transforming his signature tune into a safe hand-washing PSA.

“Hands … washing hands …” and “Don’t touch me. I won’t touch you” are just two of the key lyrical changes in this topical spin on the classic tune. Honestly, it’s perfect, and ought to bring you some comfort this weekend as you try to figure out what to do with all this new free time:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-BeNf2AFrn/

This video popped up over the weekend, and is another edition of an amusing and timely trend in which musicians alter lyrics to their classic songs to fit our confusing new reality. Here’s Oasis singer Liam Gallagher, for example, belting out “Champagne Soap-ernova” while washing his hands at the sink:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-AQ-sPFzjg/

Were the above actually real songs, they’d be a good fit for Now That’s What I Call Coronavirus — were that a real compilation album:

Earlier in the week, Shaun of the Dead co-stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost recreated a scene from the 2004 zombie/horror comedy — also with a coronavirus and social distancing spin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO6FW1aJkTw

Keep ’em coming, musicians and entertainers! We need more of this.