From Bach to U2? Singing the Magnificat

Hilariously, and wonderfully, in the new cover article on U2 in Rolling Stone (not online yet), Brian Hiatt notes that the lyrics are full of allusions: "to James Joyce, to the documentary Man on Wire and especially to the Bible. . . 'Magnificent' was inspired by the Magnificat, a passage from the Gospel of Luke (in the voice of the Virgin Mary) that was previously set to music by Bach. 'There's this theme running through the album of surrender and devotion and all the things I find really difficult,' Bono says."

Here's a version of the song, sung on Letterman a couple weeks ago. Magnificent!