Wow, Brad Paisley + Carrie Underwood’s ‘Quarantine’ Parody Sure Aged Well [WATCH]
When Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood wrote a parody song for the 2014 CMA Awards, they couldn't have imagined how appropriate its message would be six years later. The pair's "Quarantine" has turned from a joke song about a then-timely news story to ... well, a joke song about a now-timely news story, but with an important message.
"Quarantine," part of Paisley and Underwood's opening monologue as 2014 CMA Awards co-hosts, is set to the tune of Dolly Parton's "Jolene." To that song's tune, Underwood sings, "Quarantine, quarantine, quarantine, quarantine / Don't ride your bike / Please don't infect my man."
"Quarantine, quarantine, quarantine, quarantine / What part of 'Stay inside' don't you understand?" the pair continue in harmony.
Back in 2014, Paisley and Underwood were riffing on the story of Kaci Hickox, a nurse from Maine who was quarantined after arriving back in the United States from treating patients with the Ebola virus in Sierra Leone. She was, at first, held in New Jersey, then allowed to return to her home in Maine, but with orders to remain in isolation. Hickox -- who tested negative for Ebola and was not showing symptoms of the virus -- made headlines when she defied that order and went for a bike ride.
In 2020, however, "Quarantine" offers some solid advice as the United States, and the world as a whole, works to stop the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Officials are asking (and, in some cases, mandating) people to stay out of public spaces and practice "social distancing" -- remaining about six feet away from other people -- in order to combat the disease.
"OMG, I forgot about this one! Really stands the test of time ...," Underwood wrote in a tweet after a fan shared footage of "Quarantine." Added Paisley, "Right?! Every time I hear that melody ... always will."
According to the World Health Organization -- which declared the coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic on March 11 -- over 242,000 cases of the disease and 9,867 deaths because of it have been reported globally as of March 19. In the United States, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 10,442 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 150 deaths as of March 19.
Within country music, artists are doing their part by either postponing or canceling both concerts and entire tours, while festival organizers are both rescheduling and canceling springtime events. Some artists are performing virtual shows while fans are stuck at home and events are canceled or postponed.
Coronavirus Pandemic: What Country Music Events Are Postponed or Canceled (or Not)?