Where Is The Love? A Reflection on Last Night

I promise you not a moment will be lost as long as I have heart & voice to speak & we will walk again together with a thousand others & a thousand more & on & on until there is no one among us who does not know the truth: there is no future without love.
(@BrianAndreas, via this morning's Story of the Day... perfect timing)

As promised via Twitter last night, here are some quick, sore throat-, ringing ears-, lack of sleep-induced thoughts on the big night last night.

This will no doubt shock some, but I'll say very little about U2. Last night was the final gig on this leg of the tour, and what can I possibly add that hasn't already been said? I may say more later, and I may not not. (The Vancouver Sun reviews the concert here.) Suffice to say the night was everything I hoped for, and more. It was a slice of Heaven. (I kept thinking about parties... this was definitely a whosoever party. If Jesus was around today he's be throwing parties, and the three Indian brothers two rows ahead of us smoking weed all night long and dancing like it was Woodstock would probably be there.)

The part of the evening that surprised me was the Black Eyed Peas. This wasn't some wannabe opening act with a couple of guitars, a snare drum and an amp... this crew came tricked out and ready to bring it. They have a ton of talent, something that is in short supply in the music biz these days. Nevertheless I can't say that I've been a big fan, but I Gotta Feeling has become a favorite. Don't laugh, but it's the best praise song I have heard in a long, long time. (The link takes you to the video, which doesn't do a lot for me, but listen to the lyrics.) BEP finished their set with this one, and it was indeed a good night. The joint was jumping, and I'm sure folks could feel the vibrations all the way to Chilliwack. Four years ago the Peas were in town only a few blocks away, as they opened the Cambie Street Best Buy Store, and here they were, back in town playing to 50,000 at BC Place.

I've already said I think I Gotta Feeling is a praise song. The one that really blew me away though was Where Is The Love? Old Testament meets hip hop meets rap. A modern-day lamentation with a prophetic beat. What a question. Are we listening? They've made believers out of me.

(Click on the link above to open the video in another window, then follow the lyrics below.)

Where Is The Love?
Black Eyed Peas

What's wrong with the world, mama
People living like they ain't got no mamas
I think the whole world addicted to the drama
Only attracted to things that'll bring you trauma
Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here living
In the USA, the big CIA
The Bloods and The Crips and the KKK
But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And when you hate then you're bound to get irate
Madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love, y'all

People killing, people dying
Children hurt and you hear them crying
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek
Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questioning
Where is the love

Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love
The love, the love

It just ain't the same, all ways have changed
New days are strange, is the world insane
If love and peace is so strong
Why are there pieces of love that don't belong
Nations dropping bombs
Chemical gasses filling lungs of little ones
With ongoing suffering as the youth die young
So ask yourself is the loving really gone
So I could ask myself really what is going wrong
In this world that we living in people keep on giving in
Making wrong decisions, only visions of them dividends
Not respecting each other, denying thy brother
A war is going on but the reason's undercover
The truth is kept secret, it's swept under the rug
If you never know truth then you never know love
Where's the love, y'all, come on (I don't know)
Where's the truth, y'all, come on (I don't know)
Where's the love, y'all

People killing, people dying
Children hurt and you hear them crying
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek
Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questioning
Where is the love

Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love, the love, the love?

I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder
As I'm getting older, y'all, people gets colder
Most of us only care about money making
Selfishness got us following the wrong direction
Wrong information always shown by the media
Negative images is the main criteria
Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria
Kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema
Whatever happened to the values of humanity
Whatever happened to the fairness in equality
Instead of spreading love we're spreading animosity
Lack of understanding, leading us away from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feeling under
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feeling down
There's no wonder why sometimes I'm feeling under
Gotta keep my faith alive till love is found
Now ask yourself

Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questioning
Where is the love?

Sing with me y'all:
One world, one world (We only got)
One world, one world (That's all we got)
One world, one world
And something's wrong with it (Yeah)
Something's wrong with it (Yeah)
Something's wrong with the world, yeah
We only got
One world, one world
That's all we got
One world, one world

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
(Jesus Christ)

Comments

[Mike]

Mike, thanks for posting this! I enjoyed BEP last night also, but didn't catch the lyrics much. Our location had really bad sound - we were right in front of the guitar amps that were aimed out to the side (and mic'd up to go to house sound), so we got a wall of guitar but not much else.

That band had energy and fire and a great vibe though. I got a photo or two out of it, will post them later after a nap :-)

[idelette]

"A modern-day lamentation with a prophetic beat." Excellent stuff, friend. I'm a believer.

[Jacynta]

I love BEP. I just missed a concert they were doing in Melbourne just after I left for WC. This has been by far one of my favorite songs by them, my brothers community house use to play this when there was tension..it would break it up and put smiles on peoples faces. Last night was amazing!!!!

[Santosh]

Thanks for your post - I'll probably be reviewing the concert later on tonight. I am blown away by the lyrics of this BEP song!!! Wow - parts of it might even pop up in my sermon this week - or maybe I'll just play the song through.

It was a nice treat to have seen you as well, Mike!

This was the best U2 concert I have been to - I have been to quite a few. I don't know what it was - but there was just an amazing energy and spirit throughout the whole night.

[Erin Wilson]

This songs been a favourite of mine for ages.
Excuse me while I go have a listen...

[Ryan]

Fantastic night! I enjoyed BEP more than I thought I would (especially the two songs you mention—maybe I'm getting a little old, but the point of "boom boom pow" sort of eluded me). I'm already making plans for Seattle next June! I waited 15 years to see them for the first time; I'm not waiting that long for the next one!

[Phil Reilly]

Mike

glad you posted this. This song is great... at making me feel a little uncomfortable. When performed last night, it gave me goose-bumps.

I met Will.I.Am and sat with him for a drink a few years back when they played in Victoria. Very down to earth chap. I've always been struck by his name. Subversive? I think so.