Eric Clapton “Stand and Deliver” Covid Song Ended Friendship With Robert Cray

Not Really Surprising

Eric Clapton shocked thousands of people during the pandemic when he sided with Van Morrison and agreed with his anti-lockdown stance. The guitar legend even collaborated with Morrison on a song titled “Stand and Deliver”. Morrison had always been vocal about disagreeing with how the government dealt with Covid-19.

In a new interview with Washington Post, bluesman Robert Cray revealed that he ended his 35-year friendship with Clapton because he was disappointed with Clapton’s statements on lockdown restrictions and vaccinations.

After the release of “Stand and Deliver” where the lyrics compared public health protection to slavery, Cray sent an email to Clapton.

“His reaction back to me was that he was referring to slaves from, you know, England from way back,” Cray said.

He then went on to pull out of an upcoming tour with Clapton as the latter’s supporting act. Then in September, Texas governor Gregg Abbott posted a photo of him backstage with Clapton and guitarist Jimmie Vaughan. Abbott lifted the lockdown restrictions in the state, which only caused a surge in Covid-19 cases. He was also opposed to gay marriage, and he was heavily criticized for the introduction of the most restrictive abortion laws.

“I’ve told myself, I don’t need to have a conversation,” Cray shared. “I’d just rather not associate with somebody who’s on the extreme and being so selfish.”

“We started playing a music that wasn’t particularly popular to start off with at the time we started playing,” he continued. “We’ve gained some notoriety, and I’m fine with that, but I surely don’t need to hang out with Eric Clapton for that to continue.”

As it turned out, Cray wasn’t the only one not on speaking terms with Clapton nowadays.