A peak at new album lyrics...

[Dorian Gray]

I was glancing through u2wanderer.org's unheard lyrics section when I came across this lyric from "Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own"

It's from Slane (night 1), Bono included the lyric during One that night. (I think)

"You think you're so tough
You think you've got the stuff
You're telling me and everyone you're hard enough
You don't have to put up a fight
You don't have to always be right
Let me take some of the punches for you tonight"

We know there's a good chance that this song will make it onto the new album, so I thought I'd post it.
It reminds me of the sort of lyrical style he'd used for ATYCLB... what do you folks think of it?

 

[Schmeg]

I agree, they sound a little like Stuck in a Moment.

 

[Strato Edge]

Sounds ATYCLBish, not that it's a bad thing.

 

[Chizip]

i like rhymes

 

[Swan269]

schmeg is right, I wonder if "sometimes" was a left off of "behind" because it was lyrically like Stuck.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

Those lyrics sound like he is talking directly to his father. Wasn't there a song that Bono wrote about his dad when he was dying? I can't recall the title of it. Something about being a man?

Hmmm.

 

[Dorian Gray]

Those lyrics sound like he is talking directly to his father. Wasn't there a song that Bono wrote about his dad when he was dying? I can't recall the title of it. Something about being a man?

Hmmm.

There were two as far as I know, "Tough," and then this one. I believe that Bono sung this song at his dad's funeral.

There was also "A Man's A Man," which is I think what you're remembering, but I don't think that was ever said to be about his father.

 

[Pinball Wizard]

did something similar for the fly intro on the elevation tour.

 

[U2DMfan]

A Man's a Man was said to be the song being written for the Scorcese film, so my guess is that it turned into The Hands That Built America.

I thought that Tough ended up turning into Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own, because he mentions Tough early on in an article and not Sometimes, and later mentions Sometimes and not Tough.

I'm just speculating of course, but I wouldn't expect more than one song about his dad on the new album.

 

[The_acrobat]

Wow, those are pretty good lyrics. I mean, it's hard to judge, because we do not know what the song is about, other than his father being the broad topic. Also, how it's sung and how it fits with the music can make any lyric the emotional climax of any song.

I agree, Tough probably has become SYCMIOYO.
Just like Full Metal Jacket became Native Son
And A man's a man became Hands that built America

I heard they're doing something with that old song Bulldozer that was left off ATYCLB. I imagine that it'll have a different title. It was not Elevation!

Xanax and Wine is obviously a provisional title as well. The song titles will probably be nothing like we all speculated.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

There were two as far as I know, "Tough," and then this one. I believe that Bono sung this song at his dad's funeral.

There was also "A Man's A Man," which is I think what you're remembering, but I don't think that was ever said to be about his father.

Thanks for your help Dorian Grey.

It is great seeing some of these lyrics and wondering if they'll ever be a part of the new album. There is no question in my mind that this should see the light of day. There are some real strong words there that I think we can all relate to. There are too many stubborn people in my family.