Nial Stokes' book

[cnelson]

I've been reading more of Stokes interpretation of U2 songs. Some are right on, while others he just stretches way too far. I think Bono sometimes doesn't know what his songs are about. I think sometimes it's like a road for him. You follow it and then in the end you find out where it leads you too. Like Electrical Storm. It started out as something different and in the end Bono came to the conclusion that it was about two lovers trying to clear the air. Nial Stokes I noticed gets alot into how the song was produced and how it musically came to be, but he never finished with what the song is about. Like "Wild Honey." I wanted to know what that song was about last night and so I went reading it in Stokes book and he spent the whole time writing about the producing of it. I'd say the book isn't bad to look at and read some of the songs, but on the whole it doesn't hold water.

 

[elevatedmole]

Yeah, I agree.. I was really interested to know what Discotheque was about (or his opinion on it, rather), and was excited when I saw what a long section was dedicated to it. Unfortunately, like you said, it was just about how it was made and the production and such, and basically summed it up in one paragraph, hinting (without any details) on what he thought it was about. He said his theory was very complicated, I believe -- so, if this is true, why did he bother going into so much detail for the production of the song? He could have explained his theory of the song's meaning instead, which IS what most (if not all) people bought the book for.

/end rant

By the way.. if you, or anyone, is interested in song intepretations, this is a good site, and of course, our own It's a Musical Journey forum.

 

[cnelson]

Thanks

Hey that's awesome! Thanks Elevatedmole! Ya I know, I was kinda disappointed with the book. I think I may write Mr. Stokes if I ever get his email address and remind him that his book is about the Stories behind U2 songs and not the production.

 

[Bonochick]

Re: Thanks

I think I may write Mr. Stokes if I ever get his email address and remind him that his book is about the Stories behind U2 songs and not the production.

The production of a song is part of the story behind its creation though.

 

[Elvis Presley]

Yeah, I agree with most of what has already been said. I think Stokes is wayyy off in some of his interpretaions and right on with others. However, it is too sketchy and the production notes are just space fillers in my opinion......for the songs without alot of clear interpretations.......overall I give it a

 

[cnelson]

two thumbs down

Yep I'd give it

 

[FallingStar]

I was really disappointed when I got the book for Christmas. I thought it was...well good. Instead of that it is a book full of phrases like 'but the big ones were still ahead of them' and 'but the song wasn't as good as they thought'. I thought it was rather a book against U2's music than for it. Some parts were nice though..

Anyway, it's really sad that that book costed that much money.

 

[IWasBored]

i thought it was just like any other book that pretended to know the meanings behind all the songs--it walks around interpretations basically telling you a thousand times that it's just an interpretation. i think it could have been worse...oh well. it gave me something to read on the car trip on the last family vacation.

wait a minute...electrical storm? i don't think i'm talking about the same book now...it's red and black and has a popmart picture on the cover, right? i forget the title...maybe that's why it was fairly cheap when i bought it...heh...but i bought it before electrical storm came out...

 

[PA_Kitty]

I agree. It's a cool book to own when you feel like you can never get enuff U2. But as far as a book on what the lyrics are about it is lacking. More like "where" the songs come from.

 

[biff]

Well, it does have this advantage over fan-written "meaning of lyrics" articles: Stokes is a long-time friend of the band, and was able to talk to Bono about the origins of quite a few of the songs.
Some of the gaps we see are, I feel, a result of Bono's own reluctance (or inability) to go into detail.
Also, I agree with Bonochick, the production of the songs (especially in U2's case) is very much a part of their eventual meaning. It's a result of the way they work, with the lyrics and melody often coming last in the creation of the song. The mood and the vibe of the music allows the "Bongolese" to eventually be shaped into meaningful words.
For myself, I have enjoyed this book a lot, and have returned to it frequently. Maybe my expectations were different at the outset, so I wasn't disappointed.

 

[financeguy]

I have the first edition, published in 96, so pre-POP and everything after that, but I found the book interesting, particularly in regard to the earlier albums.