Tom Leeb was due to represent France at Eurovision 2020 with his song “The Best In Me”, available in both orchestral and folk versions. But he’s now branched out into a new genre. Tom has released a homemade song “Be Responsible”, sharing the importance of self-isolation during the coronavirus pandemic. And he’s used the medium of 1990s R&B/rap to share his message.
Tom uploaded the short English-language rap song to his Instagram account. He described it being a result of the “experience of containment: going from folk to rap.” He also urged his followers to “Think of the nurses who are going through hell!! Stay home!!”
In the song, Tom raps over some smooth R&B beats, reminiscent of seductive slow jams from the 1990s. With the song lyrics, Tom uses humour and empathy to cover the importance of self-isolation and staying at home. Though his rap, he advises, “Stay inside and shake no hands / So don’t go outside and keep your hands in your pants / You gotta cough? Cough in your elbow / It ain’t that tough, you just have to follow”.
He also looks at the positive side of staying in — spending time with family, watching movies in bed and how “Being locked in made me forget / The traffic jam and daily stress”.
Tom’s previously hidden talent as a rapper can perhaps be explained by his experience as an actor and a comedian and through living in New York City and having excellent spoken English. And of course, his talents as a singer and musician also play a big part!
Tom Leeb – “Be Responsible” lyrics
Funny or not, if you want it to stop, get your ass off the block
It’s really happening, the world is fighting
Against the spreading of a killing thing
Is it me? Is it you? You heard it on the news
It’s not what you can do, but what you cannot do
I just wanted to mention, you can have some action
Forget all depression, think about creation
You love somebody, don’t touch their body
Nor anybody, postpone the party
Take time for yourself, tell your momma you’re safe
Sleep a little late, watch a movie in bed
Read, write, work on a text
Run a few miles or have a little bit of sex
This is not forever but until it ends
Please do remember, stay away from your friends
Be responsible for your life
Or someone else’s, yeah, or someone else’s
Be responsible for your life
Yeah, someone else’s, yeah yeah, or someone else’s
We can never be too precautious
But we can easily be so unconscious
So do what you’re told, it’s just a moment on hold
Do you wanna get old? I bet you wanna get old
Stay inside and shake no hands
So don’t go outside and keep your hands in your pants
You gotta cough? Cough in your elbow
It ain’t that tough, you just have to follow
Being locked in made me forget
The traffic jam and daily stress
And speaking of jam, it’s kinda hard to believe
But staying at home made a rapper out of me
Be responsible for your life
Or someone else’s, yeah, or someone else’s
Be responsible for your life
Yeah, or someone else’s, someone else’s
We’d all love to go back to the way things were
Like go on a date with a perfect stranger
But until then, it’s family first
Yeah, family love – it could be worse
Things are changing, the banks are crashing
The firms are closing, Wall Street is crying
The good part is no plane is flying
No tree is burning and the world is breathing
The world is breathing
The world is breathing
The world is breathing
Yeah yeah
What do you think of Tom Leeb’s rap? Should he represent France at Eurovision 2021 with a rap jam? Tell us your thoughts below!
For more information about the coronavirus and Covid-19, please visit the World Health Organization web site.
Among their top tips is to regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Why? Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands.
I hope France keep him but just give him a good song written by FRENCH writers not a Swedish cast off! Plus he’s a hunty :p
So this just makes me wonder why they gave him such a song like “the best in me” when he’s clearly very talented. Send him back next year with a GOOD song.
I’ll keep my hands in my pants for you
Honestly I was doing the same thing when I was 10 with my parents’ computer…
tom leeb:
wiwibloggs: wow seductive
As a french, I’m worried that he won’t be back next year with all the critcisms that he took this year.
I would love to see him on an uptempo with some guitar à la “J’ai cherché”. He sings folk but hey, Chingiz sang folk too and nailed it on pop, Aisel sang jazz and “succeeded” on pop as well (not talking about her result, lol). An artist doesn’t have to sing the same genre for all his career.
Tom Leeb 2021 with an uptempo 100% in french.
Actually he could do folk I’d be glad (after all Calm after the storm almost won). But not a cheesy dated balad.
Also, the Sunstroke project did one: https://youtu.be/KDs4drN8M_8
Maybe Wiwibloggs could do an article about Eurovision artists singing about Coronavirus! ?
Saw it yesterday on Instagram and found it brilliant. Well written and composed. Maybe let the guy come back in 2021 with one of his own songs!
“Don’t go outside and keep your hands in your pants”
That’s what I’ve been doing this whole time!
Lovely tune really. I’m not all sure about his experiences, but his English is great
This would have scored a lot higher than ‘The worst in me’. He is clearly creative, so I just cannot comprehend why he would ever accept such non-lyrics by Lundvik. France really dogged one of the worst bullets this year. Be responsible and write your own own lyrics, Tom. Anything is better than Lundvik’s s***.
* dodged
This guy is the best in me. So 1991!