Rockin’ Thursday XLV

I hope you had a wonderful day yesterday, spending time with those close to you. As we prepare for the New Year, it’s hard to believe there are only five days left of 2024. I thought it would be great to find a New Year’s song to help us reflect on the past year and look ahead to the next. For today’s Rockin’ Thursday, I’m featuring “New Year’s Day,” a song by the Irish rock band U2, released in 1983. The song has an interesting background: It started as a love song for Bono’s wife but then transformed to support the Polish Solidarity movement in Poland.

According to an article I read, “In 1980, the Solidarity movement in Poland, under the leadership of future Nobel Peace Prize winner and president Lech Walesa, challenged the oppressive rule of the Polish government. In December 1981, the Solidarity movement was outlawed, and Walesa, together with other leaders of the movement, was arrested and jailed.”1 Bono, in the same article, said, “I must have been thinking about Lech Walesa being interned. Then, when we recorded the song, they announced that martial law would be lifted in Poland on New Year’s Day. Incredible.”

As you reflect on the past year and begin to look toward 2025, remember that even when it seems the world is falling apart, there is always hope. Keep doing good deeds and always expect the best.

I hope you enjoy the video and have a wonderful Rockin’ Thursday!

New Year’s Day – U2

You can access the lyrics here.

  1. https://www.irishcentral.com/culture/entertainment/u2-new-years-day ↩︎

37 thoughts on “Rockin’ Thursday XLV”

  3. Hope you have a great weekend Edward! Love this song choice as usual! 🤘 🎸 ☕️ ☕️ and super interesting backstory as well! Love the message about hope 🙏 we all need some of that! 😊

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  6. For some reason the YouTube links never work for me in WordPress. It must be something in the app settings that I need to address. I do go to my YouTube app to check out the songs. I have to honestly say this is the first U2 song I’ve ever listened to. The official music video was very well done, although I can’t imagine how cold they must have been while recording it. Thanks for the informative post and the music share, Edward!

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    1. You’re very welcome, Terry. The same thing happens to me when I try to watch YouTube videos posted by others. I think it’s the WordPress reader. I agree—the original video was well done. I always try to find videos from actual concerts just to see how they sound. U2 is a great band with a lot of amazing songs.

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  7. Great song by one of the greatest bands ever. And always involved in great causes. Thank you for this video and for your words, Edward. I totally agree with “you—”there is always hope.” Benevolent change is around the corner… Lots of light and blessings to you, my friend, today and always*

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  9. Great choice for Rockin’ Thursday, I’ve always loved this song, it’s timeless. I didn’t know about its connection to the Polish Solidarity movement, but it’s fascinating how Bono’s love song evolved into something so meaningful. It’s a great reminder that hope can shine through even in dark times. This song brings back so many high school memories.

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      1. No kidding. it’s hard to believe we’re less than five days away from the end of 2024. This year really flew by. It’s a reminder of how important it is to truly cherish and make the most of each day.

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    1. Thank you, Michael. It was interesting to read about the back story of the song. I agree that it was a significant moment, and the liberation of the people is something to celebrate. The country is doing well.

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