U2 countdown day 4: walk on

philip hates this song so much.  but as my dad and i will tell you, it's easily one of U2's best.  to me, this song is about loss -- whether it's death, a break up, or something different all together -- and the strength to get through it.  the part that speaks to me the most is, "i know it aches and your heart it breaks, and you can only take so much, walk on, leave it behind, you've got to leave it behind."  it reminds me of some other great songs i know... mostly florence and the machine's dog days are over ("leave all your love and your lonely behind you can't carry it with you if you want to survive, but the dog days are over, the dog days are gone.") that are really about moving on.  and moving on despite not know where you are moving to, and not quite being ready to move away from the things you can't leave.


this is walk on, from 2001's all that you can't leave behind. (a lyric from this song actually.)


and love is not the easy thing
the only baggage you can bring...
and love is not the easy thing....
the only baggage you can bring
is all that you can't leave behind

and if the darkness is to keep us apart
and if the daylight feels like it's a long way off
and if your glass heart should crack
and for a second you turn back
oh no, be strong

walk on, walk on
what you got they can't steal it
no they can't even feel it
walk on, walk on...
stay safe tonight

you're packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been
a place that has to be believed to be seen
you could have flown away
a singing bird in an open cage
who will only fly, only fly for freedom

walk on, walk on
what you've got they can't deny it
can't sell it, can't buy it
walk on, walk on
stay safe tonight

and i know it aches
and your heart it breaks
and you can only take so much
walk on, walk on

home, hard to know what it is if you've never had one
home, i can't say where it is but i know i'm going home
that's where the hurt is

i know it aches
how your heart it breaks
and you can only take so much
walk on, walk on

leave it behind
you've got to leave it behind
all that you fashion
all that you make
all that you build
all that you break
all that you measure
all that you steal
all this you can leave behind
all that you reason
all that you sense
all that you speak
all you dress up
all that you scheme
all that you create
all that you plan.