Kite

[Good Voice]

I always loved this song and, in a moment of melancholy, I tried to interpret the meaning. It's another song about death, in this case another song for Bono's dad. I tried marrying it with the stuff from Boy and October, as many of those songs were about Bono's mother, and I probably guess Larry's too as he also lost his mother young.

The strength of the lyrics hasn't changed over the 25 years or so since those albums, but the polish to the music has. I wonder how they would work with the lyrics from Boy and October now, if they had to write new music to complement them.

BTW, a search for "Kite cover" on youtube gets you to some guys covering the music with no vocals. I'd swear it was U2 it's so good. Cracking background for a karaoke session.

 

[BVS]

Actually this song was written about Bono's two daughters. It's a song about what will happen when he, their father passes away. It later took on a new meaning during the tour, but if you really read it, the first interpretation makes sense.

The kite reference comes from a moment when Bono was flying a kite with his two daughters, the string broke and the kite took off. His daughters looked up to him like 'do something' daddy, and he realized he's not always going to be able to be everything for them.

 

[Good Voice]

Funy how interpretations vary. I think Original Of The Species was also a Bono > Daughter song. Another of my current fav's. Weird video though.

 

[BVS]

Well that one originally started as a song for Edge's daughter...

 

[BVS]

Funy how interpretations vary.

True, but that story is straight from Bono's mouth...

 

[Good Voice]

True, but that story is straight from Bono's mouth...

Actually listening to the lyrics from that perspective it makes perfect sense, and is probably one of the simplest U2 songs to understand.

 

[blm]

KITE - A masterpiece in lyric and sound

 

[last unicorn]

The story behind KITE is so touching, and hearing the live version, especially from the Australian shows, gives me shivers and teary eyes. It's an amazing song.

 

[blm]

last unicorn

 

[U2girl]

The kite reference comes from a moment when Bono was flying a kite with his two daughters, the string broke and the kite took off. His daughters looked up to him like 'do something' daddy, and he realized he's not always going to be able to be everything for them.

I read that once the kite flew away and the "dad" moment passed, the girls went inside to play pokemon.

 

[julesz]

sky high

As a parent myself i find this song incredibly beautiful and bonos vocal sounds so fresh and emotive, what a gem. Thanks for all your posts guys, makes me appreciate it all the more, listening to it right now.

 

[Laney_82]

I also read that there are some parts where he refers to Ali

 

[Marien]

I also read that there are some parts where he refers to Ali

"I'm a man, I'm not a child
a man who sees
the shadow behind your eyes.....

.....I don't wanna see you cry
I know this is not goodbye"

I read in Bono in conversation that he had just finished the Popmart tour and the doctor wanted to have a look inside his throat and Bono had a very bad feeling about the test, so he didn't tell anyone, even Ali, not to worry her, and then he went to the beach with his daughters and the kite and everything went wrong and the girls went back home to play computer games or something like that, and he remembered a similar situation with his father when he was a child. Then during the Elevation tour his father became ill and the song changed its meaning for him and started talking about his dad.

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

Actually this song was written about Bono's two daughters. It's a song about what will happen when he, their father passes away. It later took on a new meaning during the tour, but if you really read it, the first interpretation makes sense.

The kite reference comes from a moment when Bono was flying a kite with his two daughters, the string broke and the kite took off. His daughters looked up to him like 'do something' daddy, and he realized he's not always going to be able to be everything for them.

Great story.

 

[BEVERLY56]

I so love this song! I'm a MAAAANNNNNNNN....I'm not a child!

 

[officeman120]

I love it also.