The 3rd of July commemorates a very special person in my life, who died tragically on this day in 1986. I knew Greg Carroll for around two years – while he worked as a trainee engineer in the same branch of the multinational I.T. company where I was employed. He was about eleven years my junior and still in his late teens, but Greg was one of those rare individuals where age seemed to be insignificant. We spent quite a lot of time together as we travel about the Whanganui, Rangitikei, Ruapehu and Taihape districts in the course of our work, sometimes including a night or two in a hotel or motel. Few people have put me at ease, where I feel able, confident and safe enough to share my greatest hopes, dreams and fears – all at the same time!
I’m not the only person who Greg had a profound influence on. There were many, not least of which was Bono of U2. This particular song was written by Bono in honour of Greg after he was killed in a motorcycle crash in Dublin in 1986. I’ve played One Tree Hill song twice before: One Tree Hill and Musical Monday (2021/11/08) – One tree Hill, and for that I make no apologies. I’m sure to play it again in the future. You can read a little more about my personal recollections of Greg there, as well as a very brief intro to Greg’s and Bono’s relationship.
It was an honour and a privilege to have known Greg. As the years go by, and the details of the time we spent in each other’s company fade, I have become more aware of just how much he made me feel like a complete person and not the socially clumsy misfit that most people perceived me to be.
There are quite a few versions of One Tree Hill available on YouTube. The one I’ve included is the version I first saw as presented on New Zealand television in 1988. There was no official video, as I believe New Zealand and Australia were the only countries where One Tree Hill was released as a single, and TVNZ cobbled together a collection of archived clips to accompany the song for its top ten hit parade in March 1988.
Wikipedia has a surprisingly detailed background to the history behind the song for those who might be interested: One Tree Hill (song)
"One Tree Hill" – U2 We turn away to face the cold, enduring chill As the day begs the night for mercy love The sun so bright it leaves no shadows Only scars carved into stone On the face of earth The moon is up and over One Tree Hill We see the sun go down in your eyes You run like river, on like a sea You run like a river runs to the sea And in the world a heart of darkness A fire zone Where poets speak their heart Then bleed for it Jara sang, his song a weapon In the hands of love You know his blood still cries From the ground It runs like a river runs to the sea It runs like a river to the sea I don't believe in painted roses Or bleeding hearts While bullets rape the night of the merciful I'll see you again When the stars fall from the sky And the moon has turned red Over One Tree Hill We run like a river Run to the sea We run like a river to the sea And when it's raining Raining hard That's when the rain will Break my heart Raining...raining in the heart Raining in your heart Raining...raining to your heart Raining, raining...raining Raining to your heart Raining...raining in your heart Raining in your heart.. To the sea Oh great ocean Oh great sea Run to the ocean Run to the sea
Another Spectrum 