ATYCLB: SONGS OF LIGHT AT END OF THE DARK TUNNELS OF LIFE

[spanisheyes]

As I woke up yesterday morning...Christmas morning, the best morning. I woke up with the realization like I do everyday that everything is not alright in the world. And I'm not just talking about across the miles of land and ocean where real people live with real problems. I'm also talking about in my own life and in the lives of friends and family around me. Life has a way of hitting us hard at times like stinging rain during a thunderstorm. People struggling to make sense of what life appears to throw at them, or even admit to themselves of what they have made of this life with it's choices that we at times which we had again to make.

As I looked out the window, the day was dreary, no sun shining, and the world was once again painted grey in my view. People speak of U2 being the soundtrack of their lives. That so many of their songs speak to a particular moment in their life when nothing seemed to make sense and a particular song came from no where with a voice that seemed to already have gone through what we are going through at the time, and gives us a roadmap of understanding to the best and worst of life.

So, immediately I decided to pulled out ATYCLB and listen intently from beginning to end, and to my amazement, it sounded like I was listening to it for the very first time. I was reminded again how daring it is in its approach to the issues of life. How each song is a reminder of the gift of life, to seize each day and make the choices that will fulfill joy in our lives and in the lives of others, despite what may come, or what may already be.

Begin.

It's a Beautiful Day...sky falls, you feel like it's a beautiful day...don't let it get away.

You've got to get yourself together...you've got Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of it...don't say that later will be better...now you're stuck in a moment and you can't get out of it. And if the night runs over and if the day won't last...and if our way should falter along the stony pass. And if the night runs over and if the day won't last...and if your way should falter along this stony pass...It's just a moment, this time will pass.

I and I in the sky...You make me feel like I can fly, so high...Elevation. Love lift me up out of these blues, won't you tell me something true...I believe in You.

And if the darkness is to keep us apart, and if the daylight feels like it's a long way off...and if your glass heart should crack and for a second you turn back, oh no, be strong...Walk On...Walk on...What you got, they can't steal it, no they can't even feel it...Walk on...Walk on...Stay safe tonight.

It's summer, I can taste the salty sea. There's a Kite blowing out of control on the breeze. I wonder what's gonna happen to you, you wonder what has happened to me. I'm a man, I'm not a child...A man who sees the shadow behind your eyes.

When the night takes a deep breath, and the daylight has no air. If I crawl, if I come crawling home, will you be there. In A Little While, I won't (be) blown by every breeze...Friday night running to Sunday on my knees.

From the cruel sun, You were shelter, You were my shelter and my shade. If you go there with me Wild Honey.

Heaven on Earth, we need it now. I'm sick of all of this hanging around. Sick of sorrow,
I'm sick of the pain, I'm sick of hearing again and again...That there's gonna be Peace On Earth.

When there's all kinds of chaos, and everyone is walking lame. You don't even blink now do you, or even look away. So I try to be like you, try to feel it like you do, but without you it's no use. I can't see what you see When I Look At The World

In the stillness of the evening, when the sun has had its day. I heard your voice whispering...Come away now...New, New York.

Grace, she takes the blame, she covers the shame, removes the stain, it could be her name. What once was hurt, what once was friction, what left a mark, no longer stings. Because grace makes beauty out of ugly things. Grace finds beauty in everything. Grace finds goodness in everything.

End.

Uplifted, exhausted, but encouraged by this journey of the soul that U2 has just taken me on again. When I open my eyes, is everything better, maybe not, but maybe in a sense that I've been given a choice of disposition at how I look at my present situations, and with the closing chords and words still in mind...find beauty in everything, find goodness in everything. I also realize with the beginning chords and words still in mind as well that...I know I'm not a hopeless case...

What you don't have you don't need it now
What you don't know you can feel it somehow
What you don't have you don't need it now
Don't need it now...Was a beautiful day.

It sure was...thank you again U2 for the times your songs are a light at the end of the dark tunnels of life.

Chris


[This message has been edited by spanisheyes (edited 12-26-2001).]

[U2002revolution!]

Great post, man!

It's just a moment, this time will pass.

I'm having much touble in life right now; and i can't see past it, i just can't see a brighter time..its hard, very hard ... and everytime i hear these lyrics i think to myself "i hope so", its lyrics like these i hold onto ....indeed, thanks U2!

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--U2002revolution
(not-a-newbie)

U2: Rock's Unbreakable Heart!

[cell]

wow, this is one of those posts where spanisheyes hits the nail on the head when i hear ATYCLB. thanks for posting this

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touch me, take me to that other place, teach me, i know i'm not a hopeless case

[hippy]

I echo those sentiments.

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"A Bono approved event is a good event!"

You can dream, so dream out loud!

"The way to be optimistic is not to shut your eyes and close your ears." -Bono

Create Light, Create Unity, Create Joy, CREATE PEACE!

[Hawk269]

Great post, Chris.

You really captured the essence of the message ATYCLB was meant to convey.

Thanks for sharing.

AJ

[Gina Marie]

Just awesome.

I also found it to be eerie how ATYCLB seemed to 'fit' the events of Sept 11th and their aftermath.

[tiny dancer]

Thanks spanisheyes for posting this. Like some of you who responded to this thread I am also going through a difficult time in my life. The songs on ATYCLB seem to help me get by especially Beautiful Day, Stuck. Walk On and Kite. The lyrics that Bono writes hit right home to me. Take care everyone.
And thanks U2.
Peace

[spanisheyes]

My heart goes out to those of you going through difficult times right now. It is a good thing to also be sensitive to those around us and what they might be going through as well this holiday season. I recently gave a friend of mine the song 'Stuck', and they loved it, and said it helped them alot to move on in a present situation they had found themselves stuck in.
Life should be fragrant, rooftop to the basement...sometimes we just need to hear that others are finding their way to that rooftop.

Chris

[follower]

This is a pearl, another one of Chris´s pearls. Enough said.

[sulawesigirl4]

Thank you my brother.

[PopTart, Pamela]

There are times in life when we have to dig deep, sometimes very deep - like when my mother was sick with cancer a few years ago. i am an only time and so it was a difficult time for me, plus i doing a university course. I wish I could have said to myself

" its just a moment , this time will pass "

( my favourite lines from the album )

I think ATYCLB has effected people's lives more than any other recording. When I have to dig deep now u2 are there for me - and I can tell you it has happened a few times this year!! The power of the songs are so uplifting - giving inner strength just when you need it. I love the album so much. As U2 fans, we have so much to be thankful for.

Thank you Chris for a wonderful post and for your words of support during bush fires, which are not over yet - but at least we are safe now !!

U2002 - I will keep you in my prayers.

Pamela

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life should be fragrant, rooftop to the basement

[DebbieSG]

That's a beautiful way to describe the effect of this album.

All of the songs admit to things being wrong in the world, but they offer hope that there's a way to pull through. I never get tired of the "soulfullness" of it, so refreshing after being bombarded by the media.

[spanisheyes]

Yeah Deb...I guess that is what I appreciate about the album...there is a sense that all is not right, but that we must choose to hold on and to ride out the wave of uncertainty until we find the joy that Bono talked about finding on this album in the midst of pain and despair.

Chris