Bono's lyrics are almost always artistic and complex, but I think I hear in this song a message to young people. It is a message that I fully embrace and would like to pass along to my daughters. Here are the lyrics found at http://www.u2.com/music/lyrics_pop.php?mode=view&scope=snid&snid=184&album_id=68&type=lp:
Baby slow downThe origin of the species goes back to Adam and Eve in the Genesis account. In that passage, God offered the whole of the Garden to His children, except the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The result when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit was shame, particularly shame of nakedness.
The end is not as fun as the start
Please stay a child somewhere in your heart
I’ll give you everything you want
Except the thing that you want
You are the first one of your kind
And you feel like no-one before
You steal right under my door
And I kneel ‘cos I want you some more
I want the lot of what you got
And I want nothing that you’re not
Everywhere you go you shout it
You don’t have to be shy about it
Some things you shouldn’t get too good at
Like smiling, crying and celebrity
Some people got way too much confidence baby
I’ll give you everything you want
Except the thing that you want
You are the first one of your kind
And you feel like no-one before
You steal right under my door
I kneel ‘cos I want you some more
I want the lot of what you got
And I want nothing that you’re not
Everywhere you go you shout it
You don’t have to be shy about it, no
And you’ll never be alone
Come on now show your soul
You’ve been keeping your love under control
Everywhere you go you shout it
You don’t have to be shy about it
Everywhere you go you shout it
Oh my my
And you feel like no-one before
You steal right under my door
I kneel ‘cos I want you some more
I want you some more, I want you some more…
To be naked is to be vulnerable so Adam and Eve clothed themselves.
Youth is a difficult time of moving from one vulnerability to the next. To hide insecurities, many youth weave a clothing of another sort. That is they create a disingenuous or false personality. Bono is warning his children of this trap.
Everywhere you go you shout it
You don’t have to be shy about it, no
And you’ll never be alone
Come on now show your soul
You’ve been keeping your love under control
Rather than hiding who you are because you don't think it is good enough, be confident in who God made you to be. Don't be shy about that. God will not leave you alone to deal with it.
When you know and trust who you are; When you are confident in the personality God gave you; When you allow your soul to be alive and free; then you can demonstrate real love. I think God wants us to be free in that way.
Teen years are the most difficult. Don't use them to learn to be false. Use them to learn to be the best you that God intended you to be. Each of you is an original of the species.
The video for this song is wacky, but cool...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa8mFeWbLX8.
