Theme Song Thursday

Introducing what may well become another regular category.

I've always been into lyrics. Before I had the Bible in my life, I used to pour over song lyrics like I believed they held the key to the universe. Suzanne can back me up on this. She was totally my partner in crime. Remember how we obsessed over "Until the End of the World" off Achtung Baby?

This was probably a pretty normal teenage thing, to mine through music looking for meaning. It made me a better thinker, a better reader. I remember the feeling that something about certain lyrics fed me. It never satisfied, I see now. But it always felt like a real treat.

The inheritance from that habit is that music still has a very powerful role in how I mark each season of life. I'm among those who experience music biographically, and I'd like to keep track of which songs are part of this season. I want Gemma and Joshua to know what kind of things helped me smile each day, and what reminded me of the hope I have.

The inaugral theme song is "Crazy Tonight" by U2. They are an Irish band of magnificent fame. Yet, despite their 22 Grammie wins (not just nominations) and their world-wide concert tours that sell out, they are, as far as rock n' roll bands go, easy to admire.

But their music! Album after album of mysteriously and wonderfully searching songs.

Here's the chorus from "Crazy Tonight" that strikes me as for this season. I know it had nothing to do with me as Bono wrote it, but it feels every time like it's just for me in this moment:

It's not a hill it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
Do you believe me or are you doubtin?
We're gonna make it all the way to the light

Here's their performance on Letterman's show: