My dear pal Hungarian-born German producer, songwriter and bandleader Leslie Mandoki sent an email to me two days ago with the request to play a few lines of flute and sing along here and there on a new non-profit song he had just written. This is in the context of his own complete isolation in Germany where his doctor wife, Eva, is a first contact physician in their region of Bavaria.

We have worked together for more than 20 years on various collaborations with his band Soulmates featuring the good and great of classic rock and jazz. My first reaction was - hopefully not another sanctimonious, self-serving and smug pop star utterance we can really do without. But - when I actually heard the master tracks and loaded them up in my audio recording software I was very touched by the simple and direct sentiments of the lyrics. So the usually-cynical and grumpy Mr A decided to give it a go.

Of course, we all thank the brave, hardworking front-line medics and care workers around the world. But he managed to put into the lyrics references to the police, grocery clerks, supermarket workers too. Even the dark reference to the speculators making a killing from the current crisis. They know who they are.

I would like to add to the list those essential worker folks who it was impossible to squeeze into a three minute song: the farmers and all those in food production, distribution and retail; the fishermen out there on the high seas; the refuse collectors; our military who continue to keep us safe; the delivery men and women who try to ensure our supplies with essentials; journalists and news-gatherers who keep us informed with often depressing but sometimes uplifting stories from around the world; the medical and economic advisors to governments who have to carry the can, if and when they get it wrong, as unfortunately they sometimes will in this ever-evolving and complex world situation.

And, of course, all the other workers who continue to toil in the background to keep this world turning, if a little more slowly, for the the months to come.

To all, we say, thank you.

Ian Anderson & Leslie Mandoki