U2, Wisdom and The Bible

"There's cathedrals and the alleyways in our music. I think the alleyway is usually on the way to the cathedral, where you can hear your own footsteps and you're slightly nervous and looking over your shoulder and wondering if there's somebody following you. An then you get there and you realize there was somebody following you: It's God." --Bono

There is no doubt in my mind what-so-ever, that U2 is the greatest Rock and Roll band in the history of music. They always seem current and relevant with each passing year with an ever changing sound. The one thing that always seems to stay true, however, is the wisdom in their lyrics and quotes. Most can be directly traced back to scripture from The Bible, that is either their interpretation of that scripture (see the entire song 40 which is Psalm 40 and Psalm 6) or a fairly direct quote of scripture (Vertigo- "All of this can be yours" Luke 4:7).

The faith of Bono and U2 has been highly documented.

"We've found different ways of expressing it, and recognized the power of the media to manipulate such signs. Maybe we just have to sort of draw our fish in the sand. It's there for people who are interested. It shouldn't be there for people who aren't"
---Bono on Faith, U2 At The End Of The World.

Bono even spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast a couple of years ago. Here is part of his speech:
"God may well be with us, and our mansions on the hill...I hope so. He may well be with us in all manner of controversial stuff--maybe, maybe not. But the one thing we can all agree-all faith, all ideologies, is that God is with the vulnerable and the poor. God is in the slums and the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her baby with a virus that will end both their lives. God is in the cries heard under the ruble of war. God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives. And God is with us, if we are with them."

Of course, we all know the obvious "Christian Themed" songs that they have, but I thought I would write down a few of the songs along with lyric that can be directly related to a Bible verse:

Beautiful Day "See the bird with the leaf in her mouth, after the flood all the colors came out" -Genesis 8:10-11 and 9:12-13

The Wanderer "Who would sit at his Fathers right hand"-Matthew 26:64

Lemon "And when you're dry, she draws her water from the stone" -Numbers 20:8

Running To Stand Still "Sweet the sin, bitter the taste in my mouth" Rev 10:10

The First Time "He said I have many mansions and there are many rooms to see" John 14:2

Walk On "A place that has to be believed to be seen" John 11:40 and "home, I can't say where it is, but I know I'm going" John 14:4-6

In A Little While "In a little while, I won't be blown by every breeze" Eph 4:14

City Of Blinding Lights "Blessings are not just for the ones who kneel, luckily" Matthew 5:44-45

All Because Of You "All because of you, I Am" Exodus 3:13-14

There are many many more, but I think that shows a pretty good example in their songs. There is also the artwork for "All That You Can't Leave Behind." If you look at it, on a sign above the band is a reference to Jeremiah 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." The band calls this God's phone number.

And last but not least, there is the concerts. On one of the recent tours, during the intro to "Where The Streets Have No Name" Bono recited parts of Psalm 116

What can I give back to God
For the blessings you pour out on me?
What can I give back to God
For the blessings you pour out of me?
I lift high the cup of salvation
it is a toast to our Father
I'll follow through on the promise I made to you
Hear my Heart.

I am not really sure what the point of all of this was, other then to state some of the reasons why I truly love listening to this bands music. It really does help me spiritually. I hope you find value in it as well.

**research credits go to "One Step Closer" by Christian Scharen, Angela Pancella of www.atu2.com and www.biblegateway.com

You Found Me

I just love well written songs! They inspire me and make me think. One of the things I love about music is that it is up to the interpretation from the person listening to it. What I may or may not get out of a song, might not be the same message you may or may not get out of it. Anyway, for the past month or two I can't get out of my mind the newest song by The Fray called You Found Me. I find this to be an incredibly well written song and thought I would share with you my interpretation of it. After looking on the internet, there seems to be a fair amount of opinion as to what this song actually means. So, here is my take/vision of this song.

I feel that this is a song about a man who has lost the love of his life and is in a lot of pain. Then, one day, he finds God and he lets out his anger, frustration and hurt. He lays out his baggage to God, which is what God wants us to do. "Where were you when everything was falling apart?" "Losing her, the only one who's ever known who I am, who I'm not, and who I want to be" are a couple of the lines that I feel illustrate his venting towards God. The rest of this song, I feel, is a conversation going back and forth between this man and God. The way the singer demonstrates this to me, is by the changing of his tone and voice on different lines of the song. Some, to me, sound like it would be coming from this hurt person, while others sound like they are responses back from God. The lines "Lost and Insecure" "Lying on the Floor" are in a different, more somber tone by this hurt man. Then God saying "You Found Me, You Found Me" "Surrounded, Surrounded" in a more upbeat way. I picture those lines coming from God with a big smile on his face! Happy that this man finally found him and letting him know that he was surrounded by Gods love. The man then asks God "Why'd you have to wait?" God responds with a question of his own back to the man "Where were you, where were you?" in a way saying that he had been there all along, you just were not looking. The man replies very sadly "Just a little late" acknowledging that he had not been looking for God when God then responds again with "You found me, You found me" in a more rejoiceful tone.

Later in the song, I think, God says "I've been calling for years and years and years and years" when he is cut off by the man who says "And you never left me no messages, You never sent me no letters, You got some kind of nerve taking all I want." It then breaks back into the chorus and at the end of the song a somber God asks the man the same question the man had asked God earlier "Why'd you have to wait, To find me, to find me?" I feel that speaking to God is kind of like that. Not answering you directly, but giving you the answer by making you think, throwing it right back in your face where you have to confront the truth.

Below is the link to the video that The Fray released for this song. It doesn't indicate that my interpretation is right, at all. But I'm sticking to my interpretation, because that is what the song is saying to me. What's your interpretation?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obhdTlImFBo

Cool Video

Sometimes you just have to dance!

If Today Was Your Last Day

I had a little extra time over the weekend to listen to some music for a change so there may be a couple of posts coming up about music and lyrics which of course includes this post. One of the songs I really listened to was a great new song by Nickelback called "If Today Was Your Last Day". I love songs with a message, songs that make you think about what you are doing and where you are going. Anyway, here are the lyrics. If you get a chance I highly suggest listening to it on i-tunes or where ever you listen to music.

My best friend gave me the best advice

He said each day is a gift and not a given right

Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind

And try to take the path less traveled by

That first step you take is the longest stride

If today was your last day

and tomorrow was too late

could you say goodbye to yesterday?

Would you live each moment like you last?

Leave old pictures in the past

Donate every dime you have?

If today was your last day

Against the grain should be a way of life

What's worth the prize is always worth the fight

Every second counts because there's no second try

So live like you'll never live it twice

Don't take the free ride in your own life

If today was your last day

and tomorrow was too late

could you say goodbye to yesterday?

Would you live each moment like your last?

Leave old pictures in the past

Donate every dime you have?

Would you call old friends you never see?

Reminisce of memories

Would you forgive your enemies?

Would you find that one your dreaming of?

Swear up and down to God above

That you finally fall in love

If today was your last day

If today was your last day

Would you make your mark by mending a broken heart?

You know it's never too late to shoot for the stars

Regardless of who you are

So do whatever it takes

'Cause you can't rewind a moment in this life

Let nothing stand in your way

'Cause the hands of time are never on your side

If today was your last day

and tomorrow was too late

Could you say goodbye to yesterday?

Would you live each moment like your last?

Leave old pictures in the past

Donate every dime you have?

Would you call old friends you never see?

Reminisce of memories

Would you forgive your enemies?

Would you find that one you're dreaming of?

Swear up and down to God above

That you finally fall in love

If today was your last day