(Photo of the backside of No Line on the Horizon CD, Susanne Barrett)I'm still finding fresh nuances as I listen to U2's 2009 album No Line on the Horizon. Several of the songs have a hymn-feel to them, and "Magnificent" is based on "The Magnificat," Mary's song of praise in St. Luke's Gospel.
But quite often U2 mixes love, humor, and truth into a rockin' song, and that's precisely what they've done with "Stand Up Comedy." And I love the line: "Stop helping God across the road like a little old lady." Isn't that what we Christians so often try to do? Defend God? Defend the faith? Does He really need us defending Him, the King of kings and Lord of lords? I think we muddy His love and His Gospel when we try to fight God's battles for Him, especially if He hasn't asked us to do so. And the self-deprecating line "Josephine, be careful of small men with big ideas" makes me smile every time -- Bono is obviously referring to himself, a short rock star/wanna-be dictator. Cracks me up.
Truly, this song rocks. Once it's in one's head, it isn't leaving; it stays for days. It in order to receive the full impact, the song really needs to be heard, but because it hasn't been released yet as a single, it simply isn't available (despite all my desperate research). So, here are the lyrics at least:
"Stand Up Comedy"
Love love love love love...
Love love love love love...
I got to stand up and take a step
You and I have been asleep for hours
I got to stand up
The wire is stretched in between our two towers
Stand up in this dizzy world
Where a lovesick eye can steal the view
I'm gonna fall down if I can't stand up
For your love
Love love love love love...
Stand up, this is comedy
The DNA lottery may have left you smart
But can you stand up to beauty, dictator of the heart
I can stand up for hope, faith, love
But while I'm getting over certainty
Stop helping God across the road like a little old lady
Out from under your beds
C'mon ye people
Stand up for your love
Love love love love love...
I gotta stand up to ego but my ego's not really the enemy
It's like a small child crossing an eight lane highway
On a voyage of discovery
Stand up to rock stars, Napolean is in high heels
Josephine, be careful of small men with big ideas
Out from under your beds
C'mon ye people
Stand up for your love
Love love love love love...
God is love
And love is evolution's very best day
Soul rockin' people moving on
Soul rockin' people on and on
C'mon ye people
We're made of stars
C'mon ye people
Stand up then sit down for your love
Love love love love love...
Love love love love love...
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