🎵 I discovered U2 during my sophomore year of college. With or Without You
was trending on the radio and while on a phone call with my brother, he mentioned I should check out the album by the band U2 which, at the time, I had never heard off.
I quickly fell in love with this album to the annoyance of my floormates who had to listen to this album on what must have seemed like an endless loop. I bought The Joshua Tree album on cassette tape, then compact disc and the album was among the first I purchased on iTunes. I even have bootlegged concert cassette tape recordings of various U2 concerts from around Europe with varying interpretations of songs from the album. I think U2 is the greatest rock band in history.
I love each and every song on the Joshua Tree album but if I had to pick favourites, the songs that I connect with on a deep emotional level, they would have to be I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
, With or Without You
and Where the Streets Have No Name
. I would lie in bed, close my eyes, and take a mental trip, a sort of spiritual journey.
I should note that just before the album was released in 1987, I met Bhavna in and instantly fell in love. But my affection was unrequited.
Sleight of hand and twist of fate
On a bed of nails she makes me wait
And I wait, without you
She is an Indian, who despite growing up in New Jersey, had a traditional Brahmin Hindu upbringing. Many friends warned me, "A Hindu won't be interested in dark-skinned Caribbean person". It took nearly 9 more years before she would fall in love with me, see past all that bullshit, and agree to be my wife. In 1996 we were married at a Hindu temple in Bridgewater, Somerset County, New Jersey.
The city's a flood
And our love turns to rust
We're beaten and blown by the windTrampled into dust
I'll show you a place
High on the desert plain
Where the streets have no name, oh oh
1987 was also the year I took a philosophy course which caused me to think about and question my Roman Catholic upbringing. I was christened at birth (Francis), had a godmother, studied catechism, and was confirmed into the church in 1981. But after taking this course, which left with a feeling that life wan empty and meaningless, I suffered a crisis of faith, gave up Christianity, and went on a search for something else.
I have run I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city walls
Only to be with youBut I still haven't found
What I'm looking for
But I still haven't found
What I'm looking for
I'm still looking.
This is also one of my favourites from my teen years!