The meaning behind anyone’s favorite song is usually relative to that person’s experiences and when or where they first heard the song. I’m not like everyone, in that many songs move me more than most people. I love good lyrics most of all and many times they inspire me to write poetry, songs, stories, and more. Some move me to tears, some to broad smiles, some to mushy, warm, fuzzy thoughts of friends, some to deep sadness, and even some to righteous anger – basically, the full spectrum of emotions. It’s like certain songs
A few months ago, I also started my own topic series in which I describe my favorite songs and why I like them. You can check them out on AC. Just do a search on Music Gugie Style.
For this article, I choose a 1987 hit song by the Irish band, U2, titled “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” is from U2’s 1987 album “The Joshua Tree.” The song is U2’s second #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine listed it as number 93 of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
As always, for a short time, you can listen to the actual song on my blog, Gugie’s World.
U2 says that it’s a song of “spiritual yearning” and Bono and Edge have often called it a gospel song.
The music video for the song was located on Fremont Street in Las Vegas and showed the band members walking around. In this scenario, among people gambling in casinos, I take it to mean that people gamble in hopes of winning money to make their lives better. They think that, if they get the money, they will be able to afford things they dream about and find what they’re looking for to complete their lives. Sadly, I don’t believe that most do.
What about all of the old people, who go to Las Vegas or Atlantic City by the busload to play the slots all day, like mindless drones? You’d think that by 75, they’d have found what they’re looking for. Of course, it can be viewed as showing us how low government benefits are for the people, who have worked hard all of their lives to fund social security and are expected to live on $500 a month.
Bono might have a big ego now but, many of his songs have great lyrics, like this song, that really make me think about life.
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” is the story of my life and many people in the world. Many people, who think they have, really have not yet. To those that truly have found what they’re looking for, feel lucky that you have because I that, if one hasn’t found it, you will feel incomplete and somewhat lost a lot of the time or, like me, the feeling waxes and wanes every day or every few days.
In my opinion, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” has three different but related meanings to me. (Yes, I over think!)
First, is the obvious I really have not found what I’m looking for in my FUBAR of a life. I mostly go on in life in hopes that one day something or someone will come into my life and smack me in the head, which will be the thing or person I’ve been waiting for – some calling or purpose. At this point, I still feel purposeless. The journey continues.
Second, is a related meaning. I still haven’t found the love of my life. I’ve felt and told many women that I love them and I still honestly do. However, there are many degrees to my love. I think I’ve one degree left, which I’ve yet to encounter. What’s holding me back? Well, many women have said they loved me but they either said they weren’t IN love with me or they said they were and I didn’t feel and/or believe them. I believe that the day someone I love tells me that they’re IN love with me and I believe they’re truly honest, is the day that my love reaches that last top level degree of love. The waiting continues.
Lastly, is the religious one. I want to believe that there is a good God in the Heavens watching over me and the world but it’s difficult to believe with all of the evil (man-made, not the devil) in the world. Organized religion, based on 2000 year old books, mistranslated hundreds of times is not the answer for me. I don’t believe anyone has seen or talked to God and he decided to guide them and not everyone. Some of them believe they have and have faith in dreams or are crazy and need help. I believe that no one will know the truth until they die and see what awaits them. I’ll change my mind, if God actually talks to me – I know, some people will tell me that God is everywhere, if we just believe. Yes, well, tells a five year old kid, who is starving or dying from leukemia or being molested, that God is with them. Nuh uh! The searching continues.
