Original of the Species

I got the new U2 cd today, "How to Disarm an Atomic Bomb" - which gives you a loaded title even before you take the wrapper off and pop this baby into your player. That being said, I think that they follow up their back-to-the-roots "All That you Can't Leave Behind" with a solid album that's aimed right at the heart of human conflict. Maybe when I don't have 45 comments left to write on the 45 papers that I just finished marking, I'll give my 2 cents on the entire album, but I just wanted to highlight one song that really stood out for me.

U2 is not known for writing lyrical, down-tempo ballads - when they write about love (which, granted, is pretty rare), they've got the beat behind them, with a sound that is distinctly powerful. "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" and "With or Without You", are good examples, and some have argued that "Pride (in the name of Love)" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" concern that special somebody, although understanding Bono's political affiliations, we can probably guess that there's something more going on. But I digress - I'm not here to pick apart U2s megahits, because really, I could be writing all night. The song that I'm interested in is called "Original of the Species" and one of the first U2 songs that cuts away the power guitar riffs and gets to the bottom of human emotion. The lyrics -

Baby slow down
The end is not as fun as the start
Please stay a child somewhere in your heart

I'll give you everything you want
Except the thing that you want
You are the first one of your kind

And you feel like no-one before
You steal right under my door
And I kneel 'cause I want you some more
I want the lot of what you got
And I want nothing that you're not

Everywhere you go you shout it
You don't have to be shy about it

Some things you shouldn't get too good at
Like smiling, crying and celebrity
Some people got way too much confidence baby

I'll give you everything you want
Except the thing that you want
You are the first one of your kind

And you feel like no-one before
You steal right under my door
I kneel 'cause I want you some more
I want the lot of what you got
And I want nothing that you're not

Everywhere you go you shout it
You don't have to be shy about it, no
And you'll never be alone
Come on now show your soul
You've been keeping your love under control

And you feel like no-one before
You steal right under my door
I kneel 'cause I want you some more
I want you some more, I want you some more...

If you don't have it - download it. This song speaks it all, and does a bang up job at it too.

With that - I'm out. A busy girl has a lot to do before hitting the pillow tonight!