Every artist is a cannbial...

[VertigoGal]

alright, so they sound awesome and meaningful, but I don't quite understand what Bono means by these lyrics in The Fly:

Every artist is a cannibal
Every poet is a thief
All kill their inspiration
And sing about the grief

What do you guys think they mean?

 

[financeguy]

In writing these lines he was influenced Oscar Wilde, the poet/dramatist of the late nineteenth century, who wrote something similar, I forget the exact quote.

I would interpret the lines as essentially being about how often the inspiration for art comes from tough rather than easy times in the artist's life, the best art is often produced when the artist has their back up against the wall rather than when they are happy or fulfilled.

 

[VertigoGal]

Okay...that's sort of along the lines of what I was thinking. To me it could be saying that an artist allows their art/career to ruin relationships with family/friends (the inspiration)...then they turn right around and write about that grief.

financeguy...I might be falling victim to what was discussed in the "i admit to feeling rage when people say they are irish" thread...but, your location makes me smile.

 

[financeguy]

financeguy...I might be falling victim to what was discussed in the "i admit to feeling rage when people say they are irish" thread...but, your location makes me smile.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Yeah, just about the borrowing and stealing between artists, and deliberately living the life of sorrow and difficulty, "suffer for your art" and all that.

I always think of the thoughts as completely random, not necessarily connected at all. It's this guys last phone call, the walls are falling down around him and he's kinda scattered and trying to get everything out, and it's all over the place. Advice. Guilty confessions. A real jumble.

ALL The Fly lyrics are awesome. This one:

"They say the sun can sometimes be eclipsed by the moon. You know I don't see you, when she walks in the room."

Ouch. Thanks for calling buddy.

 

[VertigoGal]

I like that one in particular too. It's always been one of my favs, even though most people don't cite it during the numerous discussions on how awesome the Fly is.