Heart Songs: U2’s “Original of the Species” (For My Daughter)

Three years ago today, my daughter Suzy Lee entered the world in spectacular fashion. It's been three years and I can't even put into words the joy that comes with raising her. I wrote pretty extensively about it last year. The song that was playing when she arrived was U2's "Original of the Species". The song always meant something profound to me, but at that moment it took onto a wholly deeper meaning.

I wrote about the song, my life, my struggles and above all else, Suzy last year. Go HERE for the post.

There is no formula for a song to be great. The biggest key is for it to be an authentic, heartfelt and an indisputable effort on the artist’s part. That’s not without saying that a song like “Party in the USA” isn’t great because it doesn’t have the emotional weight of Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young”, but both songs find the respective artistry at their finest. Like painting, writing or even performing, when it’s done as a form of expression and not for mere commerce, you can not only hear it, butfeel it as well. U2’s 2004 record, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is a beguiling record. Lacking a consistent sound or theme, it’s a hodge-podge of styles and songs that sometimes hits its mark dead on (“City of Blinding Lights”),and at other times misses said mark completely (“Man and Woman”). When I initially listened to Bomb I dismissed most of its second side aside from “Yahweh”. However, over a period of time, “Original of the Species” has crept into my soul in a variety of ways I never could have foreseen or imagined.  


Read the rest HERE