Long before the BBC released it as a collaborative fundraiser for Children in Need and Comic Relief, I loved the Foo Fighters song “Times Like These”. Frontman Dave Grohl once said he wrote it during a difficult time for the band, unsure they’d be able to continue working together.
Working together, a lesson we’re all learning at the moment – fashion houses producing PPE for health workers, furloughed pilots delivering supermarket groceries, neighbours looking out for one another. And famous singers joining forces to record fundraisers.
The original lyrics were already so appropriate. “It’s times like these you learn to live again, It’s times like these you give and give again, It’s times like these you learn to love again.” Let’s hope we don’t forget those lessons when all this is over.
New lyrics were added by rapper AJ Tracey: “It’s times like these that we activate, Do something to improve not procrastinate.” And in another new addition, Sean Paul sang: “And every day so we pray … We’ll make it better together, we’ll make a better life.”
Unsurprisingly, it went straight to Number One, replacing that other wonderful fundraiser by Captain Tom and Michael Ball. Some of these collaborations would once have been unheard of. And yet they’re achieving miracles.
There’s a favourite line of mine in a prayer used at Holy Communion: “Lord of all life, help us to work together for that day when your kingdom comes and justice and mercy will be seen in all the earth.” Amen to that!
Revd Heather Cooke
Martlesham with Brightwell