“All is quiet on New Year’s Day/A world in white gets underway,” sings Bono on U2’s first hit song. The lyrics set the scene in a peaceful, snow-covered city, but the image also works as a metaphor for a fresh calendar that’s unsoiled by mistakes and unmarked by regrets. In those two lines, with their quiet, snowy city streets, Bono captures the scene, as well as the spirit of the first day of January.
The single went #10 in the UK, and helped establish U2 as fledgling stars. The video for this song was their first to see heavy rotation on MTV, but they play with the fire of a group that’s still a couple of albums away from selling out arenas. The song supposedly refers to Lech Walesa’s solidarity movement in Poland, but the lyrics sound every bit like a pledge of solidarity to a separated lover. Even though the calendar is changing, Bono still wants to be with you (you lucky unspecified person you).
“Nothing changes on New Year’s Day,” he concludes. With 2008 firmly in the rearview mirror, I’m hoping he’s wrong about that…
Listen: New Year’s Day
Tags: Bono, New Year's Day, U2
