Waller Reviews:
Written by UnhitchedWildhorsey for U2 Graffiti Wall: Favorite Songs = Miracle Drug, SYCMIOYO, COBL, Crumbs.
"How do you dismantle an atomic bomb? With love." (Bono in interviews '04,05)
This is U2's most religious album. In my opinion even more clearly so than the Christian themed October. It is an exploration and declaration of their faith. Faith being tested in every way possible by the world. In the world Governments were shifting and bending. Terrorism was alive and expanding--forever looming. Things like divorce, addiction, pornography and greed grabbed headlines. Gone was the nuclear family. Violence increased against women and children. People's rights were being abused unchecked. Untreatable disease claimed millions of victims. Everything pointed to a need for change.
Change is what was needed and with HTDAAB U2 cried out for it. They looked to God for it, and they encouraged the listener to help affect it. The theme of great crisis in our world and religion; U2's religion--intersect and intertwine in a way that tells a complete story on HTDAAB. It is a story of sin, temptations, the promise of forgiveness, salvation, doing works, and heaven. Finally it is the story of their belief that ultimate change will be brought about in the world by Jesus Christ.
Being a Christian I could never listen to HTDAAB and hear it another way. The lyrics say it all on this album and they are lyrics full of biblical reference.
1) Vertigo: Modern take on the temptation of Jesus Christ in the Bible. Luke 4:1-13, Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1: 12&13.
2) MD: A cry for us to have compassion for those dying for lack of medicine. A need for mercy. Contains part of the Bible verse Matthew 25:35
3) SYCMIOYO: Theme of forgiveness, acceptance and grief.
4) LAPOE: Mentions the themes of prayer, being born again, the relationship between God and Israel and mentions Zion and Abraham. Isaiah 42:1
5) COBL Has themes of heaven and the Christian Rapture.
6) ABOY:References Exodus chapter 3, specifically verses 14&15. Lyrics also hint at being born of grace, returning to God in death and being made whole or perfect again through God/salvation.
7) AMAAW: Blessing of marriage and trials of depression.
8) CFYT:Uses the story of faith from Matthew chapter 15 in the bible. Bono is saying that the dying in Africa are waiting on their crumbs from the master's table; or healing from Jesus.
9) OSC: A dying person one step closer to knowing/seeing God.
10) OOTS: Love for children, and our own wish to be like a child in our hearts.
11) Yahweh: The Biblical correct name of God. This song asks God to use them in his service. It also references the birth of Christ, the 2nd coming and the new Jerusalem. Exodus 6:3, Luke 2:1-7, 1st Corinthians 15:23, 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-9, Revelations 21:1-6
12) FC: Choices in life good vs. bad. The detox of sin. How we can become out of control.
HTDAAB is U2 once again using all their musical expertise and lyrical skill to showcase their religion and its partner politics. Something uniquely U2. U2 are again unashamed, and unmatched in making Chritianity and God mainstream; and the quest to live the right way something we should all be constantly working at.
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