Been on the road again – twice (the second trip is not quite halfway done). And as longtime readers know, I listen to a lot of music while driving.<\/p>\n
So yeah: that means you’re about to be subjected to some off-topic musical musings – a auditory walkabout, if you like.<\/p>\n
Consider yourself forewarned. (smile)<\/p>\n
. . . <\/b><\/p>\n
The Iriish band U2 is a favorite of mine. And during recent travel, I had the chance to listen to one of their albums I hadn’t listened to recently: their 2000 release “All That You Can’t Leave Behind.” <\/p>\n
While I don’t regard it as the band’s best, it’s still highly regarded. It received a Grammy Award for Best Album (plus several others for songs\/performances) and is on several “best of all time” listings regarding popular music.<\/p>\n
Like most albums, I find it a mixed bag. Some of the tunes IMO qualify as simply time filler; I don’t bother to listen to them much. But several of the cuts from the album are as good as anything the band has ever done.<\/p>\n
The album’s first four tracks IMO stand out in particular. That’s not solely my opinion; they also happen to be the 4 singles from the album. Moreover, each of these tunes received an indiviaual Grammy Award as well. <\/p>\n
And IMO each deals with a common – and very human – condition.<\/p>\n
The first, “Beautiful Day”<\/i><\/a>, deals with boredom, disillusionment, and the opportunity for change. The second – “Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of”<\/i><\/a> – deals with depression and suicide. The third – “Elevation”<\/i><\/a> – deals with seeking out comfort, whether from another person or something else. And the fourth – “Walk On”<\/i><\/a> deals with perserverance during adversity. <\/p>\n Three of these themes should be quite familiar to most veterans. Unfortunatley, for many all four will be painfully familiar. <\/p>\n I’ve linked each tune to it’s title above. If you feel inclined, have a listen; they’re IMO excellent tunes, and I think it would be worth your time. Sorry about any ads; YouTube seems more infested with then each day, even in “privacy protected” mode. <\/p>\n But its a fifth tune on the album that I think might actually be one of the band’s best. IMO it captures the “vibe” of a certain place absolutely perfectly; it’s better in that respect than all but a handful of other tunes I’ve ever run across. If you’ve ever been there, I think you’ll agree.<\/p>\n It also deals with an unfortunately common human theme many vets have experienced as well, often after leaving Acitive Duty: the proverbial “mid-life crisis”. And I also believe a certain Navy vet and former frequent commenter to TAH who seems to only comment rarely these days will doubtless enjoy the tune, too. (smile)<\/p>\n