Eric Church Shares Defiant Spoken Word Message, Preview of New Song ‘Through My Ray-Bans’

Eric Church has a message for fans amid the coronavirus crisis, sharing a powerful spoken word piece on April 18 titled “Who Will Answer the Call?” that praises the resilience of the human spirit. Church delivered his message in a voiceover as concert footage appeared on screen, an instrumental track softly playing underneath the North Carolina native’s compelling voice.

“Where there once were roars, now there are just echoes. The handshakes and the hugs of yore are now too dangerous,” Church began. “But I don’t believe in fear, I don’t believe in panic. I don’t believe in all this complexity. This damn virus has any idea what it’s up against: the American resolve: steeled by the world, steadied by faith, calmed by song, healed by prayer. Oh, I believe, damn right, I believe.” He continued with a vision of the future after the virus, giving fans hope for a day they’ll be able to return to concert halls and stadiums.

“I believe these halls will roar again,” Church proclaimed. “These stadiums will be deafening and the answer to this enemy. The silence of now will cower at the noise of soon. When the question of who will answer this call is asked, thousands will raise their fists and say, ‘I will, we will.’ And we damn sure will. Where fear preys, we will feed. Where pestilence stalks, we will hunt. I feel for our enemy, for it has no chance, it has no prayer. And I believe, I believe our best is yet to come.”

The 42-year-old concluded his message with a nod to his signature sunglasses that he wears during each performance. “We shall rage, we shall roar,” he said. “I cannot wait to see you again through my Ray-Bans.” The video then cut to Church recording a new song, “Through My Ray-Bans.” “Everybody’s got their arms around everybody else’s shoulders,” he sang. “Guarding against the world outside / like an army of Friday night soldiers / The battle wages tomorrow / But tonight we’ve got a drink in our hand / Wish you could stay the way I see you through my Ray Bans.”

Church was one of the featured performers during ACM Presents: Our Country on April 5 and shared a message of togetherness before singing another new song, “Never Break Heart.”

“The hardest thing about this for me as a dad, as a husband, as business leader, as a citizen, has been the unknown. I believe we fear the unknown,” he said. “But after some thought and a lot of prayer, here’s what I know. I have hope and you should have hope.”

“Since the beginning of time people have gathered,” he continued. “They’ve gathered for fellowship, they’ve gathered for worship, they’ve gathered for prayer, they’ve gathered for song. They’ve gathered for communion, they’ve gathered for grief. But they’ve gathered, and we will gather again. The important thing to remember is to not fear, to be brave, and to endure. That’s what this song is about.”