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Here Comes the Sun

Posted on by Dr. Francis Collins


On April 8, I sent a coronavirus update to NIH staff titled “Gratitude for All You Do.” The update included a link to this video, and these words:

No one will deny that this last year has been a struggle for all of us. But now, because of your contributions, we have real reason for hope. As I’ve been known to do, I’ve turned to music to share my gratitude for all you do. This song is a different take on George Harrison’s “Here Comes the Sun” made famous by the Beatles. As with all things, I had the help of many talented people in the creation of this music video: Carrie Wolinetz, who “COVIDized” the song lyrics; my wife Diane, who I heavily rely on for her videography skills (and most other things in life); Wole Akinso, who produced and mixed the video so that I could play both guitar and piano; and my cat Zoe, who in typical cat fashion, made a cameo appearance. I never thought I’d sing a song that has the words “herd immunity” in it, but here we are. I hope this version of the song puts a smile on your faces.

I wish the same for all who watch this video. It’s been a long, dark COVID winter.

9 Comments

  • Judith McNamara Tripp says:

    Lovely and inspirational!

  • Elizabeth F Newberry says:

    I absolutely love it! Thank you to all you NIHers – you have saved the world. We are so grateful for all the hard work of all your scientists, so that we can get beyond this pandemic.

  • renee touriel says:

    Dr. Collins has many talents ^.^

  • Steve White says:

    I enjoyed the song but I still have to ask – does this mean we are sure all the vaccines work against all the variants?

  • Dr. Dino TintinGomez says:

    Excellent tunes and lyrics! Thank you Dr. Collins. We keep you all in our prayers.

  • Louis Korman MD says:

    Thanks for reminding us that music inspires us in many ways and that science and art one and the same.

  • Reeti says:

    Love that DNA structure on his guitar 💕

  • Julie Allickson says:

    Thank you Dr. Collins it was lovely!! Thanks for allowing the light to shine 😀

  • George Nicolae says:

    I am very impressed by the presentation of Dr. Francis Collins . . . I am a chemist as background and looking at coronavirus, based on my chemical background I see a long chain with many points of attack (poly-amidic type -CO-NH-) from peptidic protein groups of the virus….. Dexamethazone, I see a structure derivative from cyclopentano perhydro phenantrenic, cholesteriol type. My approach is to attack the virus with smaller molecules and release amino-acids to be used by the immune system…THANK YOU!

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