U2 Worship Songs

[rbbailey]

There are a lot of U2 songs with references to spiritual things, and such, but there are actually some songs that I think are out-right worship songs. Do you have any to add?

Still haven't found...
Magnificent
Rejoice
October
Gloria
Grace
All Because of You
Scarlet
"40"
Yahweh

(Yes, carefully placed in that order!)

As with most of Bono's writing, many of these songs have dual meanings, but I have thought my way through each of them to determine that the main point is worship.

Ready. Set. Discuss!

[Josh]

I think I'd add "Mysterious Ways" to that list.

And what is the significance of the order you placed the list in?

[michelle]

Jan 12, 2010 22:34:30 GMT -8 rbbailey said:

Magnificent

Did you see them perform this on David Letterman? They were straight up worshiping God when singing this song. And the video? WOW! All I kept thinking about when the sheets were floating all around is about how the veil was torn when Jesus' life was over.

1) Until the End of the World, although I wouldn't call it a "worship" song so much as a song that seems pretty clear to me about the night Jesus was betrayed.

"We were as close together as a bride and groom
We ate the food, we drank the wine
Everybody having a good time
Except you
You were talking about the end of the world...
...In the garden I was playing the tart
I kissed your lips and broke your heart
You...you were acting like it was
The end of the world"

2) Hawkmoon 269 is one of those ambiguous ones, but when thought of as a worship song, is pretty dang powerful.

[rbbailey]

Mysterious Ways... yes, I think so, I just get a stronger vibe from the dual meaning in that song, than I do the worship aspect.

Until the End of the World is certainly a Bible story, but not worship. I love that song, so well done.

I'll have to review Hawkmoon....

The order is simply the fluid play order. I think the set sounds pretty good played in that order (it's one of my iTunes play lists).

[Josh]

The First Time could work.

[rbbailey]

Yes, but it's more of a faith breaking; at least that's how I read it.

[Josh]

I don't see it that way....

I think it's the whole creation-fall-redemption story because it ends with "for the first time.... I feel loved"

We sing it at Aletheia sometimes. 40 and Yahweh too.

[rbbailey]

Hummmm... Outline it for me. I'll listen to it today and apply your outline to it.

[Josh]

Ok, well, the first part obviously describes the relationship we have to the Holy Spirit (the lover) and Jesus (the brother):

I have a lover
A lover like no other
She got soul, soul, soul, sweet soul
And she teach me how to sing

Shows me colours when there's none to see
Gives me hope when I can't believe
That for the first time
I feel love

I have a brother
When I'm a brother in need
I spend my whole time running
He spends his running after me

When I feel myself going down
I just call and he comes around
But for the first time
I feel love

The next part talks about a relationship with the Father that has been severed:

My father is a rich man
He wears a rich man's cloak
Gave me the keys to his kingdom coming
Gave me a cup of gold

He said I have many mansions
And there are many rooms to see
But I left by the back door
And I threw away the key
And I threw away the key
Yeah, I threw away the key
Yeah, I threw away the key

But for the first time
For the first time
For the first time

I feel love


The ending, I think, implies why he has been repeating the refrain that he feels love for the first time: even though he threw away the key, he is shown grace and it is grace which first makes him truly feel love/ loved. He's like a mix of the prodigal son and the prodigal son's brother. He doesn't feel love/ loved until he falls, even though he is born into the Father's loving household.