As businesses reopen around the world, many have added precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. For bars and restaurants, that has meant limiting capacity, making sure everyone remains at a distance, and frequent cleanings. However, for one Irish pub, they decided to take things a step further, banning ‘Sweet Caroline’ form being played, believing sing-alongs could increase the spread of COVID-19.
Murphy's Irish Bar in Corralejo, Spain took the unusual step of banning the beloved Neil Diamond song, knowing drunk patrons couldn’t resist singing ‘Sweet Caroline out loud together. According to experts, the coronavirus is spread through droplets that are expelled through sneezing, coughing, talking and breathing. Of course, singing loudly, and in close proximity, could cause even more droplets to be spread rapidly to one another.
With lyrics like “touching you, touching me” the pub felt it was safer to avoid playing the song and enticing customers to join together in song. Of course, they may run into problems when other songs, like Don McLean’s ‘American Pie,’ or Billy Joel’s ‘Piano Man.’ They may soon have to ban sing-alongs altogether.