Monday U2: Seconds

Going retro a bit, to U2’s early years: the military-themed ‘Seconds’ from War [1983].

Monday U2: A Sort of Homecoming [live]

From their golden Americana years: a live performance of the great ‘A Sort of Homecoming’ from Wide Awake in America [1985].

Monday U2: Light My Way (UItraviolet)

The dazzling ‘Light My Way (Ultraviolet)’ from Achtung Baby [1991].

Monday U2: Miss Sarajevo

Today, probably one of the best songs of all time, period: ‘Miss Sarajevo’ from experimental album Passengers [1995], including the magnificent voice of the dearly missed Luciano Pavarotti.

I so wish they’ll play this one when I go to see them live this 16^th of July.

Monday U2: In a Little While

Had this song stuck in my head for a while; time to exorcise it. Here’s a great live version of ‘In a Little While’ (from All That You Can’t Leave Behind [2000]) from their Boston leg of their Elevation Tour, circa 2004.

Monday U2: Lemon

Because I’ve had it stuck in my head for a few weeks: the hypnotic ‘Lemon’ from Zooropa [1993]. Bono actually wrote the lyrics in memory of his late mother after having seen Super 8 footage of her as a bridesmaid, in a lemon-colored dress. (Oh God.)

Monday U2: Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own

For my second installment of Monday U2, my favorite song from U2 and one of my favorite songs of all time: ‘Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own’ from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb [2004], dedicated to Bono’s father and written for him as he was dying from cancer. (Reportedly, Bono can’t sing this song live without tearing up, at times quite noticeably so.)

[Verse 1]
Tough
You think you've got the stuff
You’re telling me and anyone
You’re hard enough
You don’t have to put up a fight
You don’t have to always be right
Lemme take some of the punches
For you tonight

[Pre-Chorus 1]
Listen to me now
I need to let you know
You don’t have to go it alone …

[Chorus 1]
(And it’s you when I look in the mirror,)
(And it’s you when I don’t pick up the phone)
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own

[Verse 2]
We fight
All the time
You and I, that’s all right
We’re the same soul
I don’t need,
I don’t need to hear you say
That if we weren’t so alike
You’d like me a whole lot more

[Pre-Chorus 2]
Listen to me now
I need to let you know You don’t have to go it alone …

[Chorus 2]
(And it’s you when I look in the mirror,)
(And it’s you when I don’t pick up the phone)
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own

She says that …

[Bridge]
I know that we don’t talk
I’m just sick of it all
Can you – hear – me – when – I –

Sing!
You’re the reason I sing
You’re the reason why
The opera is in me
Well, hey now!
Still got to let you know
A house just don’t make a home
Don’t leave me here alone

[Chorus 3]
(And it’s you when I look in the mirror,)
(And it’s you that makes it hard to let go)
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own
Sometimes you can’t make
Best you can do is to fake it
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own

Monday U2: Heartland

Being a total U2 fanatic (or maybe just fan sans the lunacy), and partially to cover my ass during days of low blogging content, I’m now starting a new weekly feature in addition to my Friday Canine: Monday U2. Start the week out with some good melody-harmony-rhythm trifecta we call … music.

First up (and yeah, it’s not Monday yet … poo!), is one of their best songs, and a tragically under-appreciated one at that: the spiritual and amazing ‘Heartland’ from Rattle and Hum.

See the sun rise over her skin
Don't change it
See the sun rise over her skin
Dawn changes everything
Everything
And the delta sun
Burns bright and violet
Mississippi and the cotton wool heat
Sixty-six a highway speaks
Of deserts dry
Of cool green valleys
Gold and silver veins
Of the shining cities

In this heartland
In this heartland soil
In this heartland
Heaven knows this is a heartland
Heartland, heartland

See the sun rise over her skin
She feels like water in my hand
Freeway like a river cuts through this land
Into the side of love
Like a burning spear
And the poison rain
Brings a flood of fear Through the ghost-ranch hills
Death valley waters
In the towers of steel
Belief goes on and on

In this heartland
In this heartland soil
In this heartland
Heaven knows this is a heartland
Heartland
Heaven knows this is a heartland
Heartland, heartland
Heartland
Heaven's day here in the heartland