Writing in character - should Bono keep doing this ?
- Thread starter U2girl
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
vaz02
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
The lyrics from NLOTH have been awesome.
Slapnutz
Refugee
I don't see the big deal. He has written in character many times in the past.
MooMoo!
New Yorker
Anybody with half a brain can see that even though he says he is writting in character that the songs have a lot to do with his own life as well.
I dont notice any difference between this album and previous albums as far as writting style goes, the lyrics on this album are better then the previous 2 records though they arent so cliche.
If it helps him come up with song writting ideas there is nothing wrong with it.
I dont notice any difference between this album and previous albums as far as writting style goes, the lyrics on this album are better then the previous 2 records though they arent so cliche.
If it helps him come up with song writting ideas there is nothing wrong with it.
MooMoo!
New Yorker
As just a random example, lets say...ooh, UTEOTW?
MooMoo!
New Yorker
Except hes writing in the character of Judas to Jesus.
Dont start trying to get double meanings as a way to dis-count them, as Yahweh said all of NLOTH could easily be interpreted personal experience.
Dont start trying to get double meanings as a way to dis-count them, as Yahweh said all of NLOTH could easily be interpreted personal experience.
MooMoo!
New Yorker
Yes, but saying "oh well it could mean this" can also apply to NLOTH songs, so its not really going to count as an argument if you're saying it hasnt been done before.
MooMoo!
New Yorker
...
What part of writing in the character of Judus doesnt fit that description???
What part of writing in the character of Judus doesnt fit that description???
BonoIsMyMuse
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
I think the songwriting on this album is Bono's best since Pop. On both ATYCLB and HTDAAB he slipped into generalizations too much, which made a lot of the songs feel very generic to me after awhile. But he does a pretty brilliant job on NLOH of balancing specifics and generalities or abstractions.
I'm thinking of the first verse of Breathe, for example, or for the lines in the title track: "She says, 'Time is irrelevant, it's not linear' / Then she put her tongue in my ear"
If Bono needs characters to write this specifically, then I think he should keep using them. There's a complexity to his lyrics here that there hasn't been in a long time, and I'm glad to see it return.
I'm thinking of the first verse of Breathe, for example, or for the lines in the title track: "She says, 'Time is irrelevant, it's not linear' / Then she put her tongue in my ear"
If Bono needs characters to write this specifically, then I think he should keep using them. There's a complexity to his lyrics here that there hasn't been in a long time, and I'm glad to see it return.
The lyrical context of the entire album. It fits the obvious theme of the album.
BonoIsMyMuse
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
You have no way of knowing whether Bono has used characters before. Using "I" could simply mean that he's writing from the first-person perspective of a fictional character. Many people hear "I" in a song or read "I" in a story or poem and assume it's the singer/writer, but that's often a false assumption.
What's brilliant about Bono's best lyrics is what's brilliant about any great writing. A good writer--whether a lyricist, a poet, a novelist, or whatever--can make a song that's about Judas speaking to Christ a powerful statement about love and betrayal. That's the complexity I was talking about in my last post, and it's something I think has been missing from most of the songs on the last two albums but is back in full force here.
What's brilliant about Bono's best lyrics is what's brilliant about any great writing. A good writer--whether a lyricist, a poet, a novelist, or whatever--can make a song that's about Judas speaking to Christ a powerful statement about love and betrayal. That's the complexity I was talking about in my last post, and it's something I think has been missing from most of the songs on the last two albums but is back in full force here.
mikal
Blue Crack Addict
BonoIsMyMuse
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
I don't understand this thread. You pose an open-ended question, then argue for one possibility as if that's the right answer when you have no way of possibly knowing. I was interested in this thread because I like talking about Bono's songwriting, since I'm a writer myself and I teach writing and literature, but I see that you're not really interested in anybody else's opinions, so I give up.
Slapnutz
Refugee
Until the End of the World, Red Hill Mining Town, Silver and Gold, Love Rescue Me, Wire, Bad, The Wanderer.
All of the above Bono has referred to as writing in character. There's many, many more.
All of the above Bono has referred to as writing in character. There's many, many more.
mikal
Blue Crack Addict
@ this thread.
Dalton
Blue Crack Addict
I don't understand this thread. You pose an open-ended question, then argue for one possibility as if that's the right answer when you have no way of possibly knowing. I was interested in this thread because I like talking about Bono's songwriting, since I'm a writer myself and I teach writing and literature, but I see that you're not really interested in anybody else's opinions, so I give up.
All I need is a sack, some string, a pond and an opportunity.
last unicorn
Blue Crack Addict
I'm sorry but I disagree.
There IS a difference between writing from your own point of view, like Bono did on most songs on the last two albums, or stepping out of yourself into another person and character and writing things out of this person's point of view. Of course, there will always be personal influence, because you cannot write anything that's not inside of you, but sometimes it's good to get a little distance and stop writing about yourself. That's what literature is made of, it isn't made of autobiography, people only writing about themselves. I find it intriguing in literature, and I find it interesting in songwriting. So, yes, empathy is an important thing and I like to hear Bono getting more into other characters and taking on their point of view.
Songwriting on NLOTH is different from the last two albums, I also think it has improved a lot, I love many of the lyrics.
I don't understand this thread. You pose an open-ended question, then argue for one possibility as if that's the right answer when you have no way of possibly knowing. I was interested in this thread because I like talking about Bono's songwriting, since I'm a writer myself and I teach writing and literature, but I see that you're not really interested in anybody else's opinions, so I give up.
Indeed, the question is still there to be talked about. The song interpretations can be discussed elsewhere.
Quotes, by any chance ? He has talked about inspirations for those songs.
Salome
you are what you is
I think Bono sees Untill the end ... as writing in metaphor more than writing in character
while White as Snow and Cedars of Lebanon are him definitely writing in character
the lyrics on the album are brilliant so I say keep it up
while White as Snow and Cedars of Lebanon are him definitely writing in character
the lyrics on the album are brilliant so I say keep it up
MooMoo!
New Yorker
How do you mean in metaphor? (I know what a metaphor is, Im just not sure in what context you mean)
Scorpionac
War Child
Bono should write a song from the point of view of a woman character. That'd be interesting.
[/useless]
[/useless]
Salome
you are what you is
the metaphor of betrayal in a relationship to the betrayal of Christ by Judas is the starting point of the song
White as Snow and Cedars .... have the character of a dying soldier and war correspondent as a starting point
the result is the same
but there must be some reason Bono reckons this is the first time he's been writing in character
White as Snow and Cedars .... have the character of a dying soldier and war correspondent as a starting point
the result is the same
but there must be some reason Bono reckons this is the first time he's been writing in character
MooMoo!
New Yorker
Ah. k.
Similar threads
