Monday, September 18, 2006

The Saints Are Coming!

Back in March I went a bit crazy and bought season tickets for the Saints. Today I'm pretty proud of that decision. That's especially true because I'll get to see their first home game since 2004 on Monday night, one week from today. The reopening of the Superdome will be a real milestone in the history of this city. Furthermore, U2 and Greenday will be teaming up to cover one of my favorite punk bands, The Skids, for their classic song "The Saints Are Coming." The lyrics to the song are eerily appropriate:
I cried to my daddy on the telephone--How long now?
Until the clouds unroll and you come home"--the line went
But the shadows still remain since your descent--your descent

The saints are coming, the saints are coming
No matter how I try, I realise there's no reply
The saints are coming, the saints are coming

A drowning sorrow floods the deepest grief--How long now?
Until a weather change condemns belief--The stone says
This paternal guide once had his day--Once had his day

The saints are coming, the saints are coming
No matter how I try, I realise there's no reply
The saints are coming, the saints are coming

You can hear the song at Youtube.
I've always known that music can tap into our emotions like nothing else. Seeing Bruce Springsteen at Jazzfest is something that I'll never forget. I think hearing U2 and Green Day on Monday night has the potential to be just as powerful. I'm going with my best friend Howie, who understands the meaning of the lyrics "drowning sorrow floods the deepest grief" and "Until a weather change condemns belief." And one final thing that ties all of this together for me: my Skids LP with this song on it was one of the many that I lost to Katrina.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Mike,

I too was in the crowd when Bruce sang our song.

I will be "in that number" on Monday night, and I think it will be as powerful
as you forsee...

GO SAINTS!

jason in the red stick

Caroline said...

Was searching around the internet for a video clip of "The Saints are Coming" by Green Day and U2. I fell in love with the song as soon as I heard it and Green Day is one of my faves. Now I must find the original version.

Interesting blog btw.

Anonymous said...

From a far, it looks like the decision to get season tickets was genius, if only to be at the game and see U2 and Green Day do the Skids "The Saints are Coming."

An unforgetable song, awesome lyrics and a powerful and emotional performance.

You deserved a free ticket by owning the Skids LP. Quite ironic.

Keep up the blogging and hope for New Orleans.

Anonymous said...

Yay!You are so right!
Love this song of the Skids too.
I was so surprised to listen that song in the radio..

Love and peace to all Skids-fans
and god bless Stuart Adamson

Sabine from Germany

Anonymous said...

When I heard that song, or rather saw U2 and Green Day perform it at the Dome that night, I said, "The Falcons are as good as COOKED!" you KNOW the New Orleans Saints were probably jumping up and down in the tunnel, just WAITING to kick some ass!!! I get pumped whenever I hear it! And now the playoffs await-the winner of Philly/New York better get ready to come to a ROCKIN' Superdome, the BADDEST DOME in the NFL!

THE SAINTS....ARE COMIN'...
THE SAINTS....ARE COMIN'...

Anonymous said...

A very apocalyptic song!
"Lo-cha-hey" is a reference to the war cry of the Lakota Sioux, 'Loka-hey', "today is a good day to die"