With his home state of New Jersey taking a drastic step over the weekend to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, Jon Bon Jovi is trying to lift people's spirits by collaborating with his fans on a new song.
On Sunday, Bon Jovi unveiled part of a new song called "Do What You Can," which is about finding ways to contribute in this age of quarantines and social distancing.
In a video, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer performed the first verse and the first chorus of the song. He then asked his fans to take it from there.
"I did what I do best, which is to sit down with my guitar and try to put something into words for you, to brighten up your day," Bon Jovi said. "Here's my idea: We write this one together."
Bon Jovi's first verse provides a pretty good starting point:
Tonight they're shutting down the borders and they've boarded up the schools
Small towns are rolling up their sidewalks, one last paycheck coming through.
I know you're feeling kind of nervous
We're all a little bit confused
Nothing's the same
This ain't a game
We've gotta make it through
His chorus:
When you can't do what you
You do what you can
This ain't my prayer,
It's just a thought I'm wanting to send
'Round here we bend but don't break
Down here we all understand
When you can't do what you do
You do what you can
Fans can post their verses on social media with the hashtag #DoWhatYouCan.
"Tell me what you're going through," Bon Jovi urged. "Tell me how you're feeling. Tell me if you're hurting."
Bon Jovi has been photographed a few times over the past couple of weeks doing what he can at his JBJ Soul Kitchen community restaurant in Red Bank, NJ, helping to clean up while restaurant staff prepare meals to deliver to people in need.
As of Monday morning, there were more than 31,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States and close to 400 deaths.
In New York City, one of the epicenters of the pandemic in the U.S., Mayor Bill de Blasio warned that hospitals are already running low on medical supplies as beds begin filling up with new COVID-19 patients.
Photo: Getty Images