I was asked to perform a song this past weekend for a graduation ceremony for people completing a very difficult program for treatment of chemical addictions. I tried to put together a “band” performance but wasn’t able to get the people and the rehearsals in enough time to make it happen so I decided to do a solo performance of an old U2 song titled “Running to Stand Still”. Funny thing was that I’d never paid ANY attention to the lyrics before. I simply liked the song, worked well solo with just a piano (something I can play) and that was that. Well I decided to research the lyrics and the meaning behind them and was simply blown away. Turns out this song was inspired by the horrible stories Bono heard about coming from his home country of Ireland where heroin was ravaging the poor. People were willing to risk life in prison (the penalty for heroin smuggling in Ireland) just to make some quick cash and get the chance to shoot up again. This insanity was remarkable to Bono (not a heavy drug user -if at all) and also to me. I still didn’t want to do the song at the graduation ceremony simply because I considered it a “downer” compared to the more celebratory tunes normally sung there but it was all I had. Turns out, it was an absolute smash! So many people came up to me afterward and said just how much that song meant to them and how each of them pulled something different from the words of the song. I was beside myself. I never would have expected that sort of reaction. Goes to show: God’s still in control!
With that inspiration to continue checking up on the meaning and stories behind U2 lyrics, I was also amazed at another song that I have always liked: “One Tree Hill”. As it turns out, this song was inspired by the death of a great friend to the band that lived in a town in Australia called One Tree Hill. The song makes strong allusions to the the rapture with phrases like “I’ll see you again, when the stars fall from the sky, and the moon turn to red, over One Tree Hill.” (Rev. 6:12-13) -just chilling! …Slowly I’m realizing just how much the Bible plays a part in U2’s lyrics.