Mesa County Libraries' Coronavirus Playlist + New Definitions

Are you in need of a little entertainment while social distancing at home? The Mesa County Libraries have created a playlist, and some of the tracks feature local artists.

You've probably already seen a whimsical playlist or two including songs describing the recent pandemic. The unique thing about the MCPL list is it includes tracks from local artists and a few items not music-related.

What prompted this? Well, it just so happens the Merriam-Webster dictionary has already added new words related to the coronavirus. Wow, that was fast. Back in my day, the dictionary was only updated once a year or so, and even at that, it might be fifteen or twenty years before you purchased a new dictionary.

What exactly are the new words? Two new definitions added by Merriam-Webster are:

COVID-19 - noun - A mild to severe respiratory illness that is caused by a coronavirus (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 of the genus Betacoronavirus), is transmitted chiefly by contact with infectious material (such as respiratory droplets), and is characterized especially by fever, cough, and shortness of breath and may progress to pneumonia and respiratory failure

Socially Distance - transitive verb - To cause (oneself) to avoid social interaction with an individual or individuals perceived as different from oneself or belonging to a social group other than one's own

Getting back to the MCPL playlist, there are a handful of tracks you'll recognize instantly. Like most similar playlists, the Police hit "Don't Stand So Close To Me" is featured prominently. A unique track featured would be Western Colorado's own Tim + Richard and a track they recorded at the MCPL's 970West Studio, "Slow Down." Another locally produced track would be "Welcome Home" by Sworn Us Under.

Would you like to contribute to this playlist? If so, the library invites you to do so. They do request suggestions be limited to social distancing, and not involve the virus itself. Like the MCPL says in their post, "that’s a whole other can of worms and myriad of musical possibilities."