Bono's Lyrics

[Jon Seidman]

In my opinion the greatest English language lyricist in pop music is Morrissey. That said, he "borrows" a lot, especially in the early Smiths days, from various sources (plays, poems, films, etc...) Can anyone point out some examples of Bono doing the same thing? Are any of his lyrics "borrowed"???

 

[last unicorn]

Oh yes, Bono borrows a lot, like from the Bible ("I was a stranger, you took me in") or from his favourite poets or writers (Raymond Carver - "silence that comes to a house where no one can sleep"; Charles Bukowski - "Lady with the spinning head"; of course Salman Rushdie - "Ground beneath her feet", "God shaped hole", etc.) ... there are many examples.

 

[Jon Seidman]

Thanks for those examples. I hope more people write some.

 

[DevilsShoes]

I'm pretty certain that the line in Ultraviolet 'There is a silence that comes to the house, where no-one can sleep' isn't Bono's. Its discussed a little in Bill Flannagan's End Of The World book.

 

[DevilsShoes]

Sorry I just saw Last Unicorns post

 

[dal975]

Thanks for those examples. I hope more people write some.

those days run away like horses over the hills...I believe is from Bukowski as well.

 

[BVS]

"Every artist is a cannibal, every poet is a thief"

Every writer "borrows"...

 

[A stor]

"Every artist is a cannibal, every poet is a thief"

Every writer "borrows"...

Agreed.....every writer is inspired by another.

 

[Acrobat51829]

"A Sort of Homecoming" - I believe is from the poet (artist?) Paul Cezan who said "Poetry is a sort of homecoming."

 

[last unicorn]

It's Paul Celan. Bono loves his poetry. He's one of my favourite writers as well.