"New Year's Day" by U2, Saturday January 1, 2022

U2's third album, War, brought the band a number 1 album in the UK, dethroning the King of Pop, Michael Jackson's Thriller. Previously the band wrote songs about growing up and spirituality, but, according to lead singer Bono, "War seemed the be the motif in 1982." Hence, the band released  War on February 28, 1983. Many of the tracks on the album were inspired by the socio-political issues in the band's home country of Ireland, namely The Troubles, the conflict between Catholics and Protestants dividing the island. However, the album delves into other political subjects in a time when the world seemed divided during the Cold War. And this '80s zeitgeist album seems all the more relevant today.

I WILL BE WITH YOU AGAIN.  Prior to the album's release, U2 issued their first single on January 1, 1983, what would be the third track on their breakthrough album. The Post-Punk, New Wave keyboards meeting the now signature delayed, clicky guitars of David Howell Evans, better known by his stage name, The Edge, set a backdrop for Paul David Hewson, a.k.a. Bono, to lay his the visceral imagery of something  happening. A newly wed, Bono started writing a love song for his wife; however, the song took a political turn when he was inspired by the news of Polish Solidarity Movement, the organization of a labor union that helped lead to the end of Communism in Poland. Even among their vast discography, "New Year's Day" was, as of 2019, the band's seventh most performed live track. "New Year's Day" was the band's first international hit, paving the way for "Sunday, Bloody Sunday," a song about The Troubles that would be the album's third single, and an even bigger hit, as well as the band's biggest album, Joshua Tree in 1987. Though the band would go on and refine their sound with the legendary producer Brian Eno, it's the raw War album that is my favorite portrait of a band as young revolutionaries. 

NOTHING CHANGES ON NEW YEAR'S DAY. New Year's Day is a quiet day. When I was growing up, January 1st was the most anti-climactic day of the year. The holiday season starts as fall turns to winter, Halloween and Thanksgiving build up to the magic of Christmas. But by December 26th the toys have lost their novelty and all we're left with is dirty snowbanks and being sent to bed early because "There's nothing to see on New Year's Eve!" As an adult, New Year's Eve is much more fun every year that's not a pandemic. Gathering with friends, eating from a chartreuse platter, maybe playing bored games or listening to music, or just talking--it's fun and it helps you recap the highlights of the year. But then there's New Year's Day. It's not fun because of the resolutions. It's all about actually doing the work to make you that awesome person at the cocktail party next New Year's Eve. New Year's Day is all about the work. A few years ago, I decided that I would start making my New Year's resolutions on New Year's Day and implement them on Lunar New Year's Day. This year that's February 1st. Some of those resolutions will be about improving my blog, so expect some changes between now and February! 

Let's have a great 2022 together!

Read “New Year's Day” by U2 on Genius.