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Don't Go Back To Sleep: The Lockdown Album

by RashDash

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1.
Alvin: For the most part I've written off 2020. I don't expect to see anyone again until at least January 2021. Yeah. Lisa: Yeah. I guess it's hard for everyone, like you make a decision at the time on what you know, or what you think is going to happen and it's only afterwards that you can say, oh that definitely wasn't the right thing to do or it was the right thing to do... I'm glad we did it the way we did. Meropi: I think it like became abundantly clear how like borders mean absolutely nothing when it comes to like things like this. Juan: I would never expect U.S. to have a crazy president like us and they do. Then I don't know, everything is going a little crazy around the world. Hanif: The first day of the um lockdown which was lifted and the people are lining up in Mumbai and there are unbelievable videos of like people getting on the buses… like a like a stampede to get on the buses and people falling down to get on the buses and the queues are like more than 1 or 2 kilometers long … So there is no social distancing and the people don't care now anymore… I spoke to a few people and they say either we die outside while working or we die at home without getting paid like starve and all that. So I would rather prefer to go out, er work and you know take our chances and I think, everybody is now mentally prepared to live with the virus because honestly, I don't see this thing going away for a very long time. Lief: I was thinking about parents fleeing with their children from a war. Comparing Corona to that is just like er it becomes, it becomes silly sort of. Er. I know it’s it’s it’s, a lot of people are dying. But, comparing this to how many people are dying constantly er every every day erm in conditions that we we can’t even fathom erm. I wouldn’t say that Corona warrants more compassion than the ongoing crises of the world.
2.
But New York is a mass gathering like it just is you're interacting with a hundred people by the time you get on the train So I’m scared of I’m scared of it coming back I’m scared of it coming back and coming back strong And then having to do it all again I've been hyper aware of like little pains or breathing Like I'm not a kinda hypochondriac bit of a tickle in the back of your throat and it kind of puts you in touch with your senses Are you sick? Are you gonna get sick? Are you sick? Are you gonna get sick? Are you gonna get sick? Are you sick? Are you gonna get sick? Are you gonna get gonna get gonna get gonna get gonna get- This is like a Global Health Crisis this is not an ankle strain changing is inevitable maybe just like go with it go go go go with it Hopefully we'll still be there when it’s over Hopefully we’ll still be there and that's fine and that’s fine we’re fine Bit unnerving because you know I don't know when I'm going to go back home Apparently nobody knows when this is gonna end It's like a three hour effort to silence what seems to be even audible racing anxiety racing anxiety audible audible racing anxiety I think being aware of your… some time you’re gonna leave your body and yeah you know no longer exist I think being aware of your… some time you’re gonna leave your body and yeah you know no longer exist It puts you in touch with your senses in touch with your senses in touch with your touch with your senses it puts you in touch with your senses In touch with your senses it puts you in touch with your senses in touch with your senses in touch with your touch with your senses your senses This is like a Global Health Crisis this is not an ankle strain and changing is inevitable maybe just like go with it go go go go with it Hopefully we'll still be there when it’s over Hopefully we’ll still be there and that's fine and that’s fine we’re fine I know what it’s like to not be able to breathe It’s left my lungs weak so I’m nervous you know really nervous you know I don't think I’ll feel safe until we get a - I won’t I won’t feel safe until we get a- I’m on the downward spiral now so anything I want to do I need to do now need to do now need to do now This is like a Global Health Crisis this is not an ankle strain and changing is inevitable maybe just like go with it go go go go with it Hopefully we'll still be there when it’s over Hopefully we’ll still be there and that's fine and that’s fine we’re fine
3.
Seki: I’m in lockdown with my mum and dad up in Leeds Meropi: I’m in lockdown with my parents um and my sister so there's four of us. Kiggy: So I I live with my mom and sister. Um we recently just fetched my grandmother so she's with us, too. Lisa: I was actually over here at mum’s for lockdown and this is the um the dining room table which was my office during lockdown. I don't know if she was super thrilled about me taking over the dining table for six weeks of my office, but there you go. Kiggy: Having to be with my family has kind of made me want to change that dynamic a lot... Christina: I’m hoping I reflect on the magnitude of luxury it is to spend this much time with your family later in life. Kiggy: … so I've stopped looking at my mom as my mom. Like I look at her as a human being and then I go okay, you know, she has her triggers and she has, you know, her her little things that irritate her. How can I make that better?
4.
There’s an essential divide between like child and parent just to be like a functioning adult There is an element of like skewed truth like you curate certain certain responses I haven’t been at home for such a long time and it feels like I’m starting to know my parents er for real cause like people change and I changed they’re trying to learn this new aspect of me and I'm trying to learn this new aspect of my parents I was a little nervous of like we haven't all lived together in a pretty long time I was more worried like as I sort of like try to find more consciously who I am I tend to like withdraw and close up because I expect people not to get it So I think that has been a thing mostly for me trying to re-relate to them To them to them to them to them trying to re-relate to them trying to learn people change and I changed trying to learn people change and I changed I guess if you’ve got things that you’ve brushed aside then you kind of don’t, you don't dwell on them really in day-to-day life But I think being kind of locked down with them I can get stuck in bringing up things in my head It just prompts the question of like Should I be here right now? Should I be in my own space providing for myself? I feel like I'm intruding a little bit and then that goes away and like I indulge in the sense of comfort I indulge in the sense of comfort I think it has brought us closer that’s the craziest thing Honestly I know for a fact that because of this We talk a lot more and a lot more freely I want to say I'm thankful not thankful for the situation but I'm thankful for its outcome Thankful I’m thankful for its outcome not for the situation but its outcome Just being able to enjoy those like little moments because again there was a real sense that they might you know they might not be here very soon I guess that's always the case but having that put right in front of you You try you try I think to make make the effort to make make make that time count and then on the flip side of that there is I guess all this this kind of other stuff that you maybe don't want to think or feel about and yet it's also you know, it's there and it's true People are people, you know not everyone's like you
5.
Matthew: Make a list of all the things that we were told were politically impossible uh in relation to the economy. Uh we were told um it was impossible to pay people uh, more reasonable wages uh if they were in so-called unskilled work. Um what do we make of that assumption now? We were told that because they didn't have skills, these delivery drivers, these hospital porters, these cleaners, whoever it is that they are, that they didn't deserve more than the minimum wage. What do we think of that assumption now? We were told that governments can’t spend their way out of difficulties. Well that looks a rather stupid thing to say at the moment doesn’t it? We were told that it was impossible to inflate the public debt at all. Well if we don't do that now then the economy just disappears. Um so we know that that was always a sham as well. There are all these things we were told that we couldn't have, because ‘the economy’ wouldn't let it. Now it looks as though we have to have all those things because ‘the economy’ needs it.
6.
The story, the how did it come to this story How did it come to this? We need to tell one another stories About the sort of world we want to live within It’s a moment of great opportunity So many certainties have been ripped up The world as it’s narrated to us politically Has been shown not to hold at all I hope very strongly that it’s going to be different and I don’t mean just different to how it is now but different to what the now was like before we went into what is now the now Well I hope very strongly that it’s going to be different, uh and I don’t mean just different to how it is now but different to what the now was like before we went into what is now the now Never waste a crisis Never waste a crisis Everyone who’s lined up on the other side Of the political divide Also has that same view Never waste a crisis What all of us should do is to make a big list A sort of stock take / of what was normal Which aspects now feel really rather shit? We shouldn’t treat what we had before as unchangeable I hope to have a conversation about What it means to allow people to be poor Because that’s what’s happened it isn’t just that some people have become poor We’ve allowed that to continue / patterns of consent Patterns of consent / the way that we live The way that we work the way that we consume The way that we consume the way that we consume It's revealed um what that economy required people to do to themselves and to one another. Uh the amount of money that was being generated within it… came from particular human interactions, and those human interactions are the ones that the government want to get restarted as quickly as possible. This is a straightforward example of exploitation, dressed up as the freedom to work. Never waste a crisis Never waste a crisis Everyone who’s lined up on the other side Of the political divide Also has that same view Never waste a crisis I just want happiness to spread An outpouring of a desire to be kind, um that desire to try to do good / to do good extended to strangers in the future, um Someone has to fetch it Someone has to load it Someone has to send it Someone has to deliver it We press the button I’m very lucky Living your life itself is a political act So I think normal people need to want to be involved. I think normal people need to want to be involved and and need to think that they have a right to be involved in voicing their opinions as to how things will be different. And that will mean uncomfortable conversations because not everyone will think in the same way that we do, not everyone when they have the vision of the world that that they would like to fight for would be fighting on the same side. Um and so it it does mean having uncomfortable conversations with people who view the world differently to you, uh cause I don't think there's any easy route. I don't think there's any easy route. So where do those conversations actually take place? That's a difficult one isn't it? I hope very strongly that it’s going to be different and I don’t mean just different to how it is now but different to what the now was like before we went into what is now the now Someone has to fetch it Someone has to load it Someone has to send it Someone has to deliver it We press the button I’m very lucky Living your life itself is a political act Never waste a crisis Never waste a crisis Everyone who’s lined up on the other side Of the political divide Also has that same view Never waste a crisis
7.
Well, I guess it's very er confusing for for us here, for people in China here to, to understand why the situation got so bad in West Europe ‘cause as a developed country, they have better like medical treatment and like better economy. They have more money to treat their people, and I guess we was just wondering why they got so bad. There is a theory here that erm people in the west are less inclined to follow what the government said and they refuse to wear face masks. They refuse to do, like stay at home, like the government said. So er … I guess it’s just different cultures.
8.
Boris Johnson: And I must level with you, level with the British public, um more families, many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time BJ: But I I am I I I’m shaking hands continually, I was at, I was at a hospital the other night where I think there were a few, there were actually a few coronavirus patients and I shook hands with everybody er you’ll be pleased to know and I continue to shake hands and er er I think it’s very important that we you know, people obviously can make up their own minds, I think that Matt has said that people must make up their own minds but I think the scientific evidence is, well I’ll hand over to the to the experts but but - Chris Whitty: Wash w wash your hands BJ: but our judgement is, our judgement is wash, er washing your hands is the crucial thing. Matt Hancock: Er rightio, well er I’ll tell you what happened, um the um Prime Minister talked to er Daniel Rashford, he er considered it, and made his decision. I think it’s terrific. I’m I’m in favour of er making sure we get as much support as possible to people who obviously you know that are in difficult circumstances especially with coronavirus BJ: Take it on the chin, take it all in one in one go and allow the disease as it were to move through the population population population population...
9.
Subjugation, subordination This taking the knee taken from the game of thrones You must stay at home, Sorry I’m late, we drove for nearly half an hour, Barnard Castle tower My eyesight, Drive to an isolated cottage, In what way was I not honest? Thunderclap of the economic consequences, if covid was a lightning flash, Together build our way back, come together to clap Social distancing Take it on the chin Change of emphasis Phased reopening You can now shop and shop with confidence Good solid British common sense Social distancing Take it on the chin Change of emphasis Phased reopening You can now shop and shop with confidence Good solid British common sense This has been a disaster We risk going backwards Black Lives matter… Daniel Rashford We will take action Build back better I don’t believe in gestures, A moment of remembrance, Modify our measures Get that infection rate down, Let’s not blow it now folks, I will not support those who flout Conversations with Dominic, and he followed the instincts Of every father Drink a yard of ale, The restrictions have been lifted, We are not out the woods Show some guts Can’t afford to stuff this up (follow the) Social distancing Take it on the chin Change of emphasis Phased reopening You can now shop and shop with confidence Good solid British common sense Social distancing Take it on the chin Change of emphasis Phased reopening You can now shop and shop with confidence Good solid British common sense
10.
Lief: I mean social distancing in Sweden in one regard is very easy because they are we are fairly social distanced people from the beginning. I mean er if you compare to Italy or or Spain I guess er with all their kisses and er and hugs and er lot of close relations in that way. I mean we do hug in Sweden, at least younger generations. But going from this to do the, like the elbow bump is er I mean it’s pretty smooth, it’s not, it doesn’t feel awkward. It feels like more more feels like the hip thing. Like er the kids do. Christina: What has surprised me most about myself? ..don’t, I, that I don't really want to talk to people. That's been really um, highlighted for me. So yeah, I guess I am in fact an introvert. Kiggy: Oh, no, that's always in the crapper. I, I also generally don't speak about my romantic life because I I I really can't say much on it but it's always a challenge. I mean, it's forced me to think about it a lot more. Um. But it's just it's it's not fun.
11.
Oh gosh I don’t even have the words all of a sudden…without them it makes your heart hurt Oh gosh the lovers, they’re lovebirds you know what lovers do Every two weeks we get together And fuck each other’s brains out Or you know we’ll do we’ll do A little visual party on the Facetime. You’re telling them to keep social distance You’re telling them to keep social distance You know, so we talk, two to three hours a day You’re telling them to keep social distance I sit at home and I wait I wait in hope I wait for it all to end I sit at home and I wait I wait in hope I wait for it all to end I wait with you and without you With you and without you I wait with you and without you For it all to end all all It’s not all been happy and fun Obviously, because I’ve never spent so much time with my- Yes testing times Maybe the idea sounds good But in reality… it doesn’t work I could go to my sister’s house Otherwise I would have gone crazy I haven’t got a romantic life Thank goodness, thank goodness I like being on my own Thank goodness, thank goodness I’ve had enough of that I’ve had enough of that I’ve always had disasters I’ve had enough of that I sit at home and I wait I wait in hope I wait for it all to end I wait with you and without you With you and without you I wait with you and without you For it all to end all all all I don’t have sex for five months! I’m becoming virgin again! The city will be a total anarchy, everyone Will go out for sex for running for everything For sex for running for everything For sex for running You can’t meet people that live like Three blocks away from you So why not um talk to people Who live like thousands of miles away from you Like it’s made distance sort of disappear Distance sort of Disappear Disappear Distance sort of Disappear I want hugs and crowds That jostle and bustle Bright smiles and hellos Like it seems so simple That’s the most I can say about it That’s the most I can say about it I miss getting hugs. That’s it. That’s the most I can say about it Like it seems so simple now When you like can’t really meet people That’s like it’s so simple To meet people I sit at home and I wait I wait with you and without you With you and without you I wait with you and without you For it all to end all all all With you and without you With you and without you I wait with you and without you For it all to end all all all Meropi: I have not reached out to any ex, um, ha- have been tempted but was like no this, I will not, go there -
12.
Iranian Interviewee: So I haven’t er exercised for two months. P.S. I’m lazy. Lynn: Well, I think it’s.. it’s.. I'm not, I wouldn’t say I'm eating more, I’m just eating wrong things because I’m eating things that I like, like Battenburg cake, and lemon drizzle cake. And normally I don’t buy cakes, you know but because you just feel a bit fed up you want something... it’s comforting isn’t it? It’s comfort food eating yeah. Kiggy: I've learned that I'm a better cook than anyone I live with which is fun. Yeah. Everyone was super confident, but I kicked their ass throughout this whole thing. Chinese Interviewee: I remember this one night when we ran out rice. That's like the main course here, you can’t eat without rice. So we just went to our grandparents, scraped up all the food that we, we have in our place and we just cooked together and had a very nice meal. It's kind of like the highlight of our quarantine time.
13.
26 Days 05:52
For me I’m a very - I’m into lists a lot So I like to tick things off a list Go for a walk Take some vitamins Try and read because I’m really bad at reading But the best thing I did the only one that I consistently did I would say every day I phoned a friend which was awesome That was my favourite thing That reconnecting My daughter I have missed all her birthdays, till now This is the first time I celebrated her birthday She's 26 now And in my entire life I have never spent 26 days with her When she was growing up I was travelling and I'm still travelling First time I actually like, you know, got a chance to meet her Be with her These are like things which never happened before All this never happened before For the first time in a really long time it didn't feel like I was really missing anything It didn’t feel like the world is in a catastrophe It just felt like wow, you know, it's possible to be happy If you just look for the joy If you just look for the joy For the first time on Sunday I went on a picnic and I saw a waterfall I went on a picnic with someone I really love and we made stupid jokes and we just hung out Drank non-alcoholic wine and then I came home and slept I think I got drunk either way We had seafood and Nandos I think got drunk either way All of our neighbours were on their balconies People we hadn’t like seen or talked to in years Wishing everyone like a Happy Easter and you could tell that people meant it We're yelling to for other people to hear us they're yelling like to for us to hear them I remember sitting thinking that this is life This is just magic, this is just magic Everyone was very close together that night When the lockdown start my my sister was pregnant now he's already born and we talk every day I did something I genuinely enjoy I really erm I went on a picnic with someone I really love Erm start to enjoy every single moment with my family Just the other day it was my cats’ birthday, we had a little bit of a celebration there for the two of them Er my sister gave birth on Saturday Yeah It’s amazing It’s the first kid so In my entire life I have never spent 26 days with her so this was a very good opportunity That was my favourite thing like that reconnecting with people Oh we had a birthday party on Zoom he had a cake, he cut it, he blew out his candles I remember sitting thinking that this is, this is life, this is just magic There was a very communal feeling um in that night And er a great feeling of like solidarity and like, not feeling alone Everyone was very close together that night For the first time in a really long time it didn't feel like I was really missing anything It didn’t feel like the world is in a catastrophe It just felt like wow, you know, it's possible to be happy If you just look for the joy If you just look for the joy If you just look for the joy If you just look for the joy
14.
There was this night I couldn’t sleep I’ve always kind of always kind of Struggled with early mornings and I I dunno maybe like half five quarter to six I couldn’t sleep ‘Cause I was like I think just kind of Yeah worrying and anxious And not feeling so good And not, not feeling so good And I got up and went to the park I’ve always kind of always kind of Struggled with early mornings and I Probably got there at like 6am And it was absolutely quiet Like there was no one in the park And the sun was coming up and er And I just kind of sat at the top of this hill and um at the top of this hill and um ‘The breezes at dawn have secrets to tell you Don’t go back to sleep You must ask for what you really want Don’t go back to sleep’ Just said the poem out loud Looking into the sun And just felt really peaceful Just said the poem out loud ‘There are people passing back and forth across the doorsill Where the two worlds touch The door is round and open Don’t go back to sleep’ I think I think being inside is probably the biggest challenge The other day I decided to look out of my window for like thirty minutes I’ll probably lose it soon if I don’t get some sunlight The sun kind of rises by my window and sometimes when there’s a full moon I’ll probably lose it soon if I don’t get some sunlight, sunlight Looking at the moon looking at the moon looking at the moon looking at the Like it could be anything we could just walk through the park Don’t go back to- Walk through Don’t go back to- Walk through Feel the sun on the skin and on the skin and the sun on the skin and the sun on the skin Don’t go back to sleep ‘Cause this window here This piece of sky I can rest my eye but Don’t go back to sleep This new piece of sky is like new life to me This new piece of sky is like new life to me It would be nice to spend more time It would be nice to spend more time out in the middle of nowhere Um where that nowhere is On the top of the hill on the top of the hill on the top of the hill Or a beach or wherever Just being able to stand and look Just being able to stand and look I’ll probably lose it soon if I don’t Lose it soon if I don’t If I don’t If I don’t get some sunlight I’ll probably lose it soon if I don’t Lose it soon if I don’t If I don’t If I don’t get some sunlight ‘Cause this window here This piece of sky I can rest my eye but Don’t go back to sleep This new piece of sky is like new life to me This new piece of sky is like new life to me Don’t go back to sleep Don’t got back to sleep Don’t go back to sleep Don’t go back to sleep Then I sit and I look Don’t go back to sleep That’s like ten fifteen minutes Don’t go back to sleep Looking at the moon Don’t go back to sleep I have good lighting in my room because Don’t go back to sleep The sun kind of rises by my window Some blackbirds and robins and a little jenny wren Some blackbirds and robins and a little jenny wren Some blackbirds and robins and a little jenny wren Don’t go back to sleep And it’s so beautiful and I And it’s so beautiful and I And it’s so beautiful and I (The smell of the spring, the smell of the spring) And it’s so beautiful and I (The smell of the spring, the smell of the spring) This piece of sky (Some blackbirds and robins and a little jenny wren) I can rest my eye And it’s so beautiful and I Don’t go back to sleep I went out and saw like this new piece of sky ‘cause my window here, this piece of sky, that piece of sky that was out of our gate, was like the two, was the two things that I can see, that I can rest my eye with, and the day that I can see this new piece of sky out of our community was like this new life for me. It was so refreshing. I live in a, in a flat but we have a small place outside and I really remember his smile all the time that I just open the door and he could go out and breathe the, the air, the, feel the sun on the skin, on the skin this was really the, yes, the best memories. Just open the door. The smell of the spring, the smell of the spring, the smell of the spring Hear the birds singing Feel the sun on the skin and on the skin and the sun on the skin and on the skin Hear the birds singing The smell of the spring, the smell of the spring, the smell of the spring Hear the birds singing Even if, you know, um even if people die and and things go wrong or I die or anything else it’s it’s it’s all okay.
15.
Elsie: They need to work, they need to work, pandemic or not they need to work. Iranian interviewee: With the sanctions that the US have put on Iran it means that the government don’t have money and the people themselves financially are weak as well. So there’s not- we haven’t had a lot of ways to cope because the government doesn’t have enough money to continue the lockdown and the people themselves don’t have enough money to carry on being on lockdown. So our people because of political problems are suffering. Because to foreign governments their own profit is the only thing that’s important to them. Hanif: I mean we can sit here and complain, you know, like in our houses you know like and watching Netflix and all that. But actually we don't deserve to complain. Elsie: My mind goes on to Kenya; the people who live in slums. Oh my goodness. I, I could not imagine what they're going through. For starters slums are packed completely packed together - large acres of land completely packed together so they can't isolate even if they wanted to. These are people who work every single day, who need to work every single day to survive. I truly wonder how they're surviving and it scares me to think about, and er the most I can do is just carry my prayers with them. Awiti: I’m from Kenya, and I live in Nairobi, in Mathare slum. People in the slum here they live from hand to mouth and er, almost 300,000 people lost their jobs, you understand? So the lockdown in Mathare slum has actually affected a lot of families. People don’t have food. You understand? You understand? You understand? You understand?
16.
People in the slum here live a kind of hand to mouth kind of life They go work, buy food, then pay rent Tomorrow they’re on the road again 300,000 people lost their jobs, you understand? Rents are not paid Kids are not going to school Then what happens? The conflict and chaos The conflict and chaos The conflict and chaos The conflict and chaos I’m used to doing a morning run Like hit the road every day But currently I’m very much unable to wake up early Now the curfew time ends around 5.30 and that is also the time gang members around this place operate I cannot go outside unless I lose my life unless I lose my life unless I lose my life unless I lose my life so I can’t run here so I can’t run here so I can’t run here We have to take care of each other to survive I have dreams to achieve I don’t want to go outside The conflict and chaos The conflict and chaos The conflict and chaos We have to take care of each other to survive I have dreams to achieve I don’t want to go outside
17.
Bicycle 01:43
The worst affected people are the migrants you know I don't know if you’ve read in the papers or news or whatever? From all over the country they come to Bombay to work They were like starving over here Hand to mouth existence And they lost everything They couldn't afford their rents They thought it's better to go back home You know to North India, South India Thousands of kilometres away They had to walk in the heat You know husband, wife, pregnant women Children, small children, 3 years, 5 years old Lot of people died along the way, people died Lot of people died along the way Lot of people died along the way, people died Lot of people died along the way One girl hardly 14, 15 years old Her father was stuck somewhere She took a bicycle and she rode a bicycle And brought her father back on the same bicycle A girl She rode that bicycle for over 1200 kilometres She rode that bicycle (a girl) for over 1200 kilometres she rode that bicycle (in the heat) for over 1200 kilometres she rode that bicycle (a girl) for over 1200 kilometres
18.
Noreen (interpreted by her daughter Lisa): They’ve been saying things on telly ‘if you find out you have this illness or you’ve got symptoms ring 111’... But er I don’t even know what 111 is! And what about deaf people, how’re they gonna be able to phone? There was nothing available to give you information like that. I had a mask I took a mask with me and I went to the bank, this was last week…. and I wanted to say something so I wrote it down. And the lady had a mask on and just started talking And she wouldn’t pull her mask down to be able to, to allow me to lip read her. So I said to her, write it, write it down please. And er, oh it was so difficult to er you know to have that conversation. So my daughter had just been to the other shop and come in and it’s a good job she had because then she spoke on my behalf er and I said to my daughter, why, why wouldn’t she pull the mask down when we were talking so that I could lip read her. You know we had some social distancing, I was certainly wasn’t near her... But I felt like giving up you know. Giving up with the world. And just staying at home. I really don’t know how other deaf people are managing I I genuinely don’t. I I I I mean for me, I I don’t know it’s just a good job I’ve got family here really.
19.
When we first had the lockdown, lockdown at home The government did the briefing around, half past four, half past four, four thirty, four thirty My daughter Lisa finished work She used to immediately get onto FaceTime - hi! hi! - and interpret the news She watched the news, and interpreted And I understood I’d ask her, you know, what things meant It was all well and good reading the subtitles, trying to understand, but I couldn’t understand what those English words actually meant those long, long English words, what did they mean? And there was one word, a new word to me was: Pandemic, pan-dem-ic Pandemic was a new word for me Pandemic I used to watch the Scottish news I used to watch because they provided a BSL interpreter A signing interpreter, at the back the speaker was at the front and the interpreter was at the back, signing and I could understand it so clearly, the information was clear and there was clear access The interpreter at the back Signed a little bit different, but I could follow it, I could follow it easily, I knew what she was signing, and I could understand I watched the interpreter at the back, signing the information, and it was so clear My friends used to text me My friends, my deaf friends They’d say “I’m going out here, I’m going to do this and that” And I’d say no no no no, my daughter’s told me! You can’t! You can’t! You can’t! It was really hard but I wanted to help them I wanted to help I wanted to help all of them It was really hard But I have to keep going don’t I? I have to keep going For the first time in my life, I’m depressed It’s not been as bad as some other people but For the first time, I’m depressed I took a mask and went to the bank And I wanted to say something, to sign, but I wrote it down I wrote it down and I had a mask and the woman had a mask and I wanted to sign but I wrote it down and showed her And the woman in the mask, she spoke to me, but she had a mask on I couldn’t see her mouth, she had a mask on I said no I’m deaf, deaf She wouldn’t pull her mask down To allow me to lip read I certainly wasn’t near her, but She wouldn’t pull her mask down And I feel like, you know, giving up with the world Top of the list, I miss my family You know the kids Maybe they’re thinking Does grandma not love me?! I really miss the kids Their cuddles, having them close, holding them, their kisses My granddaughter got married We were in the countryside…we stayed in a wee cottage, so cosy We had to be careful but it was so lovely But I’ve come back home and I just- I’ve come back home and I just- But I have to keep going don’t I? I have to keep going For the first time in my life, I’m depressed For the first time in my life, I’m depressed It’s not been as bad as some people but for the first time, I’ve been depressed
20.
Juan: I was surprised about UK, you know, er the president not doing any any quarantine at all, and then he was positive on covid so that was a little unexpected. You know, you expect er England to be a little more responsible than South America. But, it's crazy or and you know when they say okay, I believe in herd immunity, but come on, you know, yes herd immunity exists, but take years or centuries to get herd immunity. You're saying ‘Okay. So all the old people will die by by that time.’ ... I mean if you don't care about old people that's okay but, that was the risk... and you know, you expect people like the Brazil president er to actually want that because he's that kind of person. They say, okay all the poor and old people if they die we are better, but well from a a Europe country I wasn’t expecting something like that. Well, you're not Europe anymore anyways! Meropi: I have not been proud to be a Greek person from this version of Greece, or like the current world version of Greece in a long time and I think I've been feeling pride um, in how this country has handled it and I think, I think other countries are recognizing it. Like I saw a Guardian article and a New York Times article and some other respectable newspaper article that were like praising Greece about how well it's done, which hasn't happened, like people have not praised Greece in maybe millennia, maybe since like everything started here or like whatever.
21.
Juan: I think it should be up to everyone to take care, you know, er but people are so irresponsible that in the end you need the government to push for it. Lief: Most people I meet are really erm yeah, they’re they’re, they’ve taken it to heart taken it to heart to to social distance, not to shake hands, to keep the distance to not meet too many people so Lisa: I think overall people were pretty compliant with the rules... Like there was a hotline that you could call and dob people in for um breaking the rules behaviour. So I think that was quite busy apparently, that phone line! Um Lynn: But I think on the whole they’ve been very good. But I would say that quite a few young ones aren’t taking much notice, but then again, young ones don’t do they? You know we’ve always had, you go through a rebellious phase, and also when you’re young you think nothing’s gonna ever happen to you. Leif: But then of course there’s always some shitheads not not caring about others but Seki: You know we've seen some amazing things from people and some some not very amazing things from people and I guess that's, that's kind of always the case.
22.
Good People 03:20
Other people Good people Old people, vulnerable people People around me People can be really vicious I always thought I had Good People around me but People are very scared of each other It's not easy, but Alright people are old but, you know, They’ve a right to be safe Prioritising the other person is just So rare I think in modern times We’re all kind of focussed on ourselves right now, ourselves right now We’re all kind of focussed on ourselves right now, ourselves There’s like underlying kindness There’s like underlying kindness We’re all kind of focussed on ourselves right now, ourselves right now It’s actually not about you It’s about other people We were doing this lockdown To help each other in the end It’s tiny things you know You might want to scream and run around You just have to calm and compose yourself That’s been really hard for the people around me We’re all kind of focussed on ourselves right now, ourselves right now We’re all kind of focussed on ourselves right now, ourselves We’re going to have a lot of comforting to do Because people lost their loved ones It's not easy, but People did come together I could see it There was a sense of solidarity Like we’re all in this together It’s brought people closer together More caring, more caring Perhaps these things are sent for a reason We were getting to distant I think Perhaps these things are sent for a reason I was more optimistic in the beginning There’s like underlying kindness There’s like underlying kindness We were getting to distant I think Perhaps these things are sent for a reason I was more optimistic in the beginning Other people Good people Old people, vulnerable people People around me People can be really vicious I’m hoping that that sense That sense of solidarity Is going to stick around But
23.
Alvin: Americans, they're very stubborn. We tend to think that we’re untouchable and if it's never happened to us or we don't see it in our face then we kind of er just ignore it and be like, ‘oh that's over there’ and then, I was actually mentioning this to one of my friends the other day. I was watching this horror movie and in the beginning of the movie this one girl was telling everyone ‘Oh my God, don't do this. This is how you save yourselves,’ and everyone was calling that girl the crazy girl, but then when it starts happening, they run back to her and they're crying and begging her to save their life and it's already too late and I was like ‘you guys are so dumb. Haven't you ever seen any horror movie ever? You always listen to the person telling’- and then I was like, wait a second that's like us with coronavirus and that was like my moment where I was just like, every single horror movie that I ever laughed at where people don't listen, that's happening right now! Hanif: This is a completely life changing event, you know like moment, and um, now we appreciate all, the one thing we will do is we will appreciate the smaller things in life after the lockdown because we took a lot of things for granted. Iranian interviewee: I’ll probably explain.. that we went to shit...
24.
You suck as much as I do Your country’s as shit as mine You suck as much as I do We’re all very boring You suck as much as I do Your country’s as shit as mine You suck as much as I do We’re all very boring When this is over I will go out When this is over Go back to school When this is over See my friends and my nan When this over Breathe again b breathe again When this is over Go to McDonalds When this is over Hug everyone When this is over Bounce on the trampoline When this is over Feed the neighbours cat Don’t wanna touch you Don’t wanna touch you Don’t wanna touch you Don’t wanna touch you We just want our lives back We just want our lives back DANCE! See my friends and my nan You show me how you are surviving, I’ll show you how I’m surviving kind of thing You show me how you are surviving, I’ll show you how I’m surviving kind of thing I also realised that I need to adapt quickly, adapt quickly and be ready, you know for whatever happens. ‘Cause like I still think that after you know, whatever, we’re probably still going to have interesting shit to say. So might as well just get ready to say it when the time comes. When this is over Coming out of prison When this is over Trusting science When this is over Buying insurance When this is over The world at large pffffff When this is over Made it through 2020 When this is over Not much happens When this is over Like, gratitude When this is over DANCE! So many strange decisions So many strange decisions So many strange decisions So many strange decisions We just want our lives back We just want our lives back DANCE! See my friends and my nan You show me how you are surviving, I’ll show you how I’m surviving kind of thing You show me how you are surviving, I’ll show you how I’m surviving kind of thing Adapt quickly Adapt quickly Adapt quickly Adapt quickly You suck as much as I do Your country’s as shit as mine You suck as much as I do We’re all very boring You suck as much as I do Your country’s as shit as mine You suck as much as I do We’re all very boring yeah Jävla skitvirus Fuckingshit virus

about

A verbatim concept album, made using interviews from 18 people around the world talking about their experiences of lockdown in the first few months of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic.

credits

released October 5, 2020

Lyrics arranged by Abbi Greenland and Helen Goalen

Songwriting by Becky Wilkie

Produced, mixed, and arranged by Matt Randall

with Good Solid British Common Sense lyric arrangement and songwriting by Reuben Johnson

and I Have To Keep Going, a song written in BSL and English, created with and performed in BSL by Nadia Nadarajah, created with and translated from BSL by Siobhan Rocks, interview translated from BSL by Lisa Faragher, created from an interview in BSL with Noreen Clarkson

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVDOuKXhnw0

Made from interviews with: Christina Catechis – USA | Meropi Papastergiou – Greece | Kgomotso Kiggy - South Africa | Alvin Liu – USA| Elsie Bura - Kenya (but stuck in Texas)| Michael Awiti - Kenya | Hanif Sama - India | Juan Manuel Miron - Argentina | Leif Stille - Sweden | Lisa Birchall - New Zealand | Lynn Sweeting – UK| Matthew Watson – UK| Seki Lynch – UK | Simona Cretaro - Italy | Anonymous – China| Anonymous – Iran | Noreen Clarkson – UK | Members of the Newington’s Chill Club in Ramsgate: A poem written by Annelyse, Jake, Hannah, Jordan, Lacey, Demi, Chardonnay, Madison, Summer, Lilly, Jamie, Ella, Alicia + artists and support workers Nova Marshall, Sue Rumsey, Chris Divers, Symone Crouchman & Lisa Payne.

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RashDash Manchester, UK

RASHDASH is Abbi Greenland, Helen Goalen and Becky Wilkie.

We are a company of performers, musicians and makers.

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