Iggy Pop once sang, in the moment, that 1969, one of the most convulsive cultural years of the past century, was “another year for me and you, another year with nothing to do.” But he’s not feeling so cavalier about 2020. Today, the rock legend — who recently sang lead on a French-language version of Elvis Costello’s “No Flag” — has come out with a new song about the COVID-19 pandemic, the virus that he says is 2020’s Man Of The Year.

In a video introducing his new song “Dirty Little Virus,” Iggy Pop explains that he wrote the song to be less emotive and “more like journalism: Who, what, when, where.” In his leathery baritone, Pop sings that COVID-19 is “on the scene.” He’s not wrong!

Pop co-wrote “Dirty Little Virus” with the jazz trumpeter Leron Thomas, who also did the track’s editing and arrangement. The song is a squalid rocker with an intense free-jazz solo from Thomas. Below, listen to the track and check out Pop’s short video about it.

“Dirty Little Virus” is out now, and you can get it at Bandcamp.