Coronavirus: Bono releases emotional song dedicated to Italy

U2 frontman Bono has released a new song dedicated to Italians quarantined during the coronavirus outbreak as Europe becomes the epi-centre of the pandemic. Photo / Getty Images

U2 frontman Bono has released a new song dedicated to Italians quarantined during the coronavirus outbreak as Europe becomes the epi-centre of the pandemic.

The 52-year-old singer, real name Paul Hewson, shared a video of himself singing and playing the new track, Let Your Love Be Known, on Instagram.

"For the Italians who inspired it… for the Irish," he captioned the post, "for ANYONE who this St Patrick's day is in a tight spot and still singing. For the doctors, nurses, carers on the front line, it's you we're singing to. Bono."

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for ANYONE who this St. Patrick’s day is in a tight spot and still singing. For the doctors, nurses, carers on the front line, it's you we’re singing to. Bono

A post shared by U2 Official (@u2) on Mar 17, 2020 at 2:28pm PDT

The singer revealed he wrote the song an hour before sharing it on social media.

While playing on a piano, Bono's lyrics describe walking through the deserted streets of Dublin and speak of isolation and fear amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Inspired by the footage of quarantined Italians singing to each other from their balconies, he sings: "You can't touch but you can sing across rooftops / sing to me down the phone / sing and promise me you won't stop / sing and you're never alone."

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The new song, which was released on St Patrick's Day, is the first music Bono has made since U2's 2017 album, Songs of Experience.

Lyrics to Let Your Love Be Known

Yes there was silence
yes there was no people here
yes I walked through the streets of Dublin and no one was near
Yes I don't know you
No I didn't think I didn't care
You live so very far away from just across the square

And I can't reach but I can rain
You can't touch but you can sing
Across rooftops
Sing down the phone
Sing and promise me you won't stop
Sing your love, be known, let your love be known.

Yes there is isolation
You and me we're still here
Yes when we open our eyes we will stare down the fear
And maybe I've said the wrong thing
Yes I made you smile
I guess the longest distance is always the last mile.

And I can't reach but I can rain
You can't touch but you can sing
Across rooftops
Sing to me down the phone
Sing and promise me you won't stop
Sing and you're never alone.

Sing as an act of resistance
Sing though your heart is overthrown
When you sing there is no distance
So let your love be known, oh let your love be known
Though your heart is overthrown.
Let your love be known.