The greatest song

Maybe not the greatest ever, the greatest ever is a separate debate and probably an unresolvable one. To many, it will be Bohemian Rhapsody. Stairway to Heaven, Gimme Shelter, and Comfortably Numb will feature highly in the all-time greatest list. I love all of these masterpieces.

However, there is one song to which I keep coming back. It’s great musically, but it’s also the lyrics that draw me again and again.

One by U2.

Love and hurt side by side, a plea for unity amidst differences, almost of an irreconcilable kind. The responsibility and perhaps inevitability of supporting each other, despite disagreements and sometimes outright animosity. This dichotomy is profound and reflective of what occurs in life, particularly between close family members.

I’ve been with my partner for almost twenty-five years. We’ve experienced true love, but we’ve also hurt each other during our lives’ storms.

When storms pass, you remember the past love, and you are capable of rediscovering your love for each other. But the storms are real. There is hurt and uncertainty that threaten your identity — how you view the past, present, and future. You realize again and again: We’re one, but we’re not the same

It’s all in the song:

Is it getting better?
Or do you feel the same?
Will it make it easier on you now?
You got someone to blame