Advent B&W Photo Reflection 21st December 2017

"U2"
   Much as I'm annoyed with them the music still fuels my soul (though by all reports UK viewers just wanted Bono to shut up). I had a few moments to check this track yesterday and I agree with Steve Stockman about it's hopeful reframing. For me the song "Beautiful Day" (although played to death at the time) is about surviving life, living as well as possible and finding hope in the midst. Bono would describe it as like a flower finding a way to live in harsh conditions. Into the mix in this BBC version, as is often done, comes a verse from elsewhere and in this case "Starman" David Bowie. This 'star' man most likely a reference to the humanity, hope and story of God 'one of us' found in Jesus... it's not rocket science.
   Like many U2 albums there's a wrestle that took place in recording. New directions or familiar U2 guitar... the Edge won the argument with this track and the result was a wonderfully evocative song that deserves revisiting long after it was on high rotation and in every piece of concert footage... It was an oasis in an otherwise 'treading water' day yesterday... I actually got lots done, just didn't feel like I it...
   Apart from piecing it together on youtube I read this morning we can catch U2 'Live at the BBC' on free to air Oz TV on 9, 31st December at 9.20am... closest U2's been to 'live' in Oz since, is it 2010?

"...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"