Easter Good Friday "Bullet the Blue Sky" U2

"Bullet the Blue Sky" U2

In the howling wind comes a stinging rain

See it driving nails

Into the souls on the tree of pain

From the firefly, a red orange glow

See the face of fear

Running scared in the valley below

Bullet the blue sky

Bullet the blue sky

Bullet the blue

Bullet the blue

In the locust wind comes a rattle and hum

Jacob wrestled the angel

And the angel was overcome

You plant a demon seed

You raise a flower of fire

See them burning crosses

See the flames higher and higher

Bullet the blue sky

Bullet the blue sky

Bullet the blue

Bullet the blue

This guy comes up to me

His face red like a rose on a thorn bush

Like all the colors of a royal flush

And he's peeling off those dollar bills

Slapping them down

One hundred, two hundred

And I can see those fighter planes

And I can see those fighter planes

Across the mud huts where the children sleep

Through the alleys of a quiet city street

You take the staircase to the first floor

Turn the key and slowly unlock the door

As a man breathes into a saxophone

And through the walls you hear the city groan

Outside is America

Outside is America

Across the field you see the sky ripped open

See the rain through a gaping wound

Pounding on the women and children

Who run

Into the arms

Of America

   This is one of a number of U2 songs that ,when played live, can be and are changed lyrically or visually to reflect the key themes of that concert tour, city or current events. This has been written about more eloquently and theologically than I could..... thanks to Steve Taylor here

“Bullet the Blue Sky” is the fourth track on U2s 1987 album, The Joshua Tree. The song was originally written as a commentary on a highly particularized context, the involvement of the United States military in Central America during the 1980’s. Over time, this highly particularized political context has changed, yet the song has continued to be performed by U2.
Using commercially available concert footage, this chapter will explore the changes and development in the song’s performance, over a twenty year period, with a particular focus on concerts in Paris (1987), Slane Castle (2001) and Chicago (2005).
Following one song over an extended period allows an exploration of how a band can reframe and re-perform their music as the context and culture shifts. (Hint, hint, what churches are seeking to do every Sunday in relation to Bible and church tradition! Ed)"

MY own experience of this song was to hear it at the Sydney Ent Cent on the 'Lovetown' Tour where words about who was in the streets were changed to reflect Sydney's Kings Cross, politics and some current issues and the contrast of being inside this venue... then Bono sang "and outside is Sydney" twice and the crowd cheered wildly... I remember thinking how people just didn't get it...
   For me this song is on my Good Friday playlist because it's scenes of howling wind, a place ripped open, an absence of hope go along with the mood of the tune [it isn't always about the lyrics folks]...