I listen to U2 when I feel great. With my headphones on while skiing, when I hear just the first few chords of one of their great anthems, I start to get into a groove. I start to push it a bit. I start to go fast. I’m like Ricky Bobby. I want to go fast.
It’s been a few weeks since I last posted a U2 inspired blog. And while I listen to U2 when I feel great, today I feel melancholy and I am again listening to U2. I was drawn to U2 as these lyrics played in my mind:
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
You think I’m no good, well I know I’ve been bad
Took you to a place, now you can’t get back
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
If you don’t know the song you’ve got to listen to it — it was written by Bono for Frank Sinatra’s 80th birthday. In 1994 when Bono presented Frank Sinatra a Grammy for his lifework he said, “To sing like that you have to have lost a couple of fights.”
I’ve lost a couple of fights. I’m melancholy today because I feel like I’m losing one now.
Walk together down a dead end street
We were mixing the bitter with the sweet
Don’t try to figure out what we might have had
Just two shots of happy, one shot of sad
I’m okay with mixing the bitter with the sweet. That’s life. During the most difficult times in my life I’ve often reminded myself that I’ve never read the story of any great man or woman — whether true or fictional — whose life was one great upward trajectory. The School of Hard Knocks is a great institution. The times I’m in now though aren’t really difficult times. I’m just restless.
I’m just a singer, some say a sinner
Rollin’ the dice, not always a winner
You say I’ve been lucky, well hell, I made my own
Not part of the crowd but not feeling alone
Under pressure but not bent out of shape
Surrounded, we always found an escape
Drove me to drink but hey, thats not all bad
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
Rollin’ the dice, not always a winner. I’m okay with that too. At moments like this I’m reminded of that Teddy Roosevelt quote that I love so much — that I will never be among those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
Whenever I see someone roll the dice and lose I feel this connection to them. The first time it happens it’s shocking because the type of person who can summon the gumption to lay it all on the line isn’t usually the type of person who’d even consider it’d not turn out right. I admire the person who’s lost and then picks up the dice to roll them again.
Guess I’ve been greedy all of my life
Greedy with my children, my lovers, my wife
Greedy for the good things as well as the bad
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
I am greedy. I’m greedy for life. I want it all. And it’s the greedy people who’ll pick up the dice and keep rolling them because rolling them and losing isn’t as bad as playing it safe. In life, I’m rolling the dice hoping to win big, but I’d rather roll the dice, lose, and end up destitute than be average. 9 to 5. 401K. Picket Fence. It’s just not me. Like Austin Powers, I like to live dangerously.
Maybe it’s just talk, saloon singing
The chairs are all stacked, the swingers stopped swinging
You say I hurt you, you put the finger on yourself
Then after you did it you came crying for my help
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
I’m not complaining, baby, I’m glad
You call it compromise, well, what’s that
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
I’d say this is in many ways the way Frank Sinatra lived his life. Bad Ass. The Chairman of the Board. I don’t know… maybe it’s just talk, saloon singing. Maybe I’m full of shit. That’s something we should all consider from time to time.
(I’m stopping to consider that now….)
Nah…
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
I’m not complaining, baby, I’m glad
This post is the eighth in a 52 week series through 2012 on meditations drawn from U2 lyrics. To find out more read this intro to the series.
Don’t miss a beat.
To follow-along on the journey you can subscribe to my RSS feed.
I’d also love to connect with you on Facebook.
You can follow me on Twitter. Send me a message and let me know if you started following me after reading this post.
Leave a comment on this blog or on my Facebook page if there are U2 lyrics that have resonated with you.