In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
You think I'm no good, I know I've been bad
And took you to a place, now you can't get back
And two shots of happy, one shot of sad
Walked together down a dead end street
We were mixing the bitter with the sweet
I don't try to figure out what we might of had
Just two shots of happy, one shot of sad
I'm just a singer, some say, a sinner
Rolling the dice, not always a winner
You say, I've been lucky, well, I've made my own
Not part of the crowd but not feeling alone
Under pressure, but not bent out of shape
Surrounded, we always found an escape
You drove me to drink but hey, that ain't so bad
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
Guess, I've been greedy all of my life
Greedy with my children, my lovers, my wife
Greedy for the good things as well as the bad
Two shots of happy, one shot, one shot of sad
Maybe it's just talk, saloon singing
The chairs are all stacked, the swinging's stopped swinging
You say, I hurt you, you put the finger on yourself
And after you did, you came crying for my help
I'm just a singer, some say, a sinner
Rolling the dice, not always a winner
You say, I've been lucky, well, I've made my own
Not part of the crowd but not feeling alone
Rolling the dice, not always a winner
Greedy for the good things as well as the bad
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
You think I'm no good, I know I've been bad
And took you to a place, now you can't get back
And two shots of happy, one shot of sad
Walked together down a dead end street
We were mixing the bitter with the sweet
I don't try to figure out what we might of had
Just two shots of happy, one shot of sad
I'm just a singer, some say, a sinner
Rolling the dice, not always a winner
You say, I've been lucky, well, I've made my own
Not part of the crowd but not feeling alone
Under pressure, but not bent out of shape
Surrounded, we always found an escape
You drove me to drink but hey, that ain't so bad
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
Guess, I've been greedy all of my life
Greedy with my children, my lovers, my wife
Greedy for the good things as well as the bad
Two shots of happy, one shot, one shot of sad
Maybe it's just talk, saloon singing
The chairs are all stacked, the swinging's stopped swinging
You say, I hurt you, you put the finger on yourself
And after you did, you came crying for my help
I'm just a singer, some say, a sinner
Rolling the dice, not always a winner
You say, I've been lucky, well, I've made my own
Not part of the crowd but not feeling alone
Rolling the dice, not always a winner
Greedy for the good things as well as the bad
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
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This song was sung by Bono during Frank Sinatra's 80th birthday television special. Here's his introduction to the song: "Hello Los Angeles. Everybody at the shrine. Hello Frank, Barbra. I'm sorry, the band wouldn't let me off work. But, uh, so I'm gonna send you this song anyway. It's a song I've pitched to you about 80 times. Maybe now that I've got your undivided attention, you'll give it another listen." Several U2 books mention Bono's attempts to get Frank to record the song, especially when Bono was recording his part of I've Got You Under My Skin. It's a very lounge-like song, and I think it would be very well suited to Mr. Sinatra's voice, but Bono sounds great, too.This song was released in December 1997 as a b-side to the If God Will Send His Angels single. As far as I can tell, it's simply a clean recording (no audience noise) of Bono's TV performance.