Without a doubt my favorite U2 album of all time remains Achtung Baby. It’s gritty layers went really well with my early teenage angst years.
A completely underrated song in the Album is Acrobat.
Here’s a snippet:
No, nothing makes sense
Nothing seems to fit
I know you’d hit out
If you only knew who to hit
And I’d join the movement
If there was one I could believe in
Yeah I’d break bread and wine
If there was a church I could receive in
‘Cause I need it nowTo take the cup
To fill it up
To drink it slow
I can’t let you go
I must be an acrobat
To talk like this
And act like that
And you can dream
So dream out loud
And don’t let the bastards grind you down
As a teenager it had everything to do with hating ‘the system’, and oscillating between not wanting to exist while wanting to belong.
These days the problem’s a bit more internal.
Now I’m part of the church, that has problems receiving people.
Worst yet, I’ve got a preaching gig. And no one talks one way and acts another way more than the preacher. Yes, preacher’s aren’t perfect, and we share our struggles. But that dreaded Book keeps making us call people to Christ-likeness.
Every day I’m confronted by my own hypocrisy. Grace just rubs it in further.
How do I dream out loud when I’m such a mess?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey I either started following you at Amdist the Powers or Bell's PPP09 but anyway, good to see you again.
1. True – Acthung is the best. My other U2 friends always tell me that Joshua Tree is the favorite of every real U2 fan but I don't let them grind me down.
2. Agreed Acrobat is an under-rated brilliant song. But I like that bc I always felt that it was a little more mine. The whole world has One, but only a few of us have the Acrobat.
3. I know you posted on the concert but have purposely avoided reading until I see the show … tonight at Giants Stadium (Meadowlands, NJ). Can't wait.
4. Solid brief reflection on being a preacher dealing with hypocrisy – I can relate.
Grace to you brother.
"Grace just rubs it in further. "
And yet it is only grace that bridges that great divide between talk and action, and only grace that manages to close that gap as our words and actions come into closer alignment.
Truth is, there is usually a pretty big gap.
Be grateful when at least your words are on the right track–your friends (and enemies) will help make sure your actions start to catch up with your words!
haha – awesome, I hear you on the joshua vs. achtung fans. Joshua's got some phenomenal singles, but Achtung's the best end to end album totally.
Enjoy the concert! would love to hear how it goes!
Grace is beautiful isn't it? sometimes it's still the hardest thing to truly believe and live out. Great point on others calling us out Al!
haha – awesome, I hear you on the joshua vs. achtung fans. Joshua's got some phenomenal singles, but Achtung's the best end to end album totally.
Grace is beautiful isn't it? sometimes it's still the hardest thing to truly believe and live out. Great point on others calling us out Al!