Do you think that the new album will...

[U2girl]

have an angry political song commenting on the current world situation?

And that it will have a really HUGE love song (what with the rumor of the band trying 3 songs with an orchestra) that will surpass even With or without you?

 

[Dorian Gray]

good question... a part of me thinks they are done with "angry political"songs though. I think if there's any political references on this record they will indirect, sort of like Electrical Storm's reference to contemporary tensions.

as for the love song thing... I dont think there will be one, at least not in the traditional girl meets boy sense. Although there will probably be songs like Kite that are about love between father/child/family, etc.


but of course, I could be completely wrong.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

no chance... unless it's, and i hate this phrase but it's been thrown around alot, "9/11 themed."

bono's a legit player in the political world now... last thing he wants to do is to ruffle anyone's feathers by including a "protest" song about a controversial issue such as iraq.

 

[U2girl]

Well, they ruffled feathers with some with Sunday bloody sunday and Bullet the blue sky, and they changed the Hands... lyrics at the Oscars (very nicely I might add).

I'd be surprised if a band renowned for political songs and statements would shut up at such major events in the past few years, Bono being a player or not.

(and if he gets the AIDS help from the congress denied for any future comments disapproving US administration that would be appauling IMO. Africans in need have nothing to do with his/band's political view)

 

[larry_slo]

Ja i agree with Dorian Gray specially with part about love song. I think there will be song about Bono's father, or a father/son song in general.

about having album a "angry political song" i have no idea. But for me i hope for ANGRY political song.

 

[Homerpalooza]

and they changed the Hands... lyrics at the Oscars (very nicely I might add).

I don't remember this...what did they change?

 

[Bono's shades]

I don't remember this...what did they change?

I taped the performance and I watched it again just the other day. Instead of singing the lyric with the 9/11 reference about early fall and a cloud on the New York skyline, Bono sang something about early spring, a cloud on the desert skyline, followed by "some father's son, it is his or is it mine?" I don't think anyone noticed but us die-hard fans - there wasn't anything about it in the press write-ups about the Oscars the next day.

As much as I would love to hear some angry political songs on the next album, I realize there's not a whole lot of chance of that happening - Bono wouldn't want to piss off the Bush administration after all the hard work he has gone through to get them on his side regarding help for Africa. If there is anything political on the album, it will probably be very subtle.

I think the death of Bono's father, or the relationship between fathers and sons in general, is likely to be a big theme for this album, although not necessarily the only one.

 

[Axver]

If U2 does a love song, you can be assured it'll be deep and there'll be some kind of twist or alternate meaning.

Political commentary? They won't do anything on something that's passing and will be forgotten in a few years - again, they'd do something deep. We know their typical political songs are on Northern Ireland, but I can see them doing something else. Maybe the tension between allies, specifically referring to America and France but with a universal application.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

well i thought the oscar lyric change sucked and that they shouldn't have changed a lyric that was in memory of 9/11... but it's their song, they wrote it, and they can change what they'd like...

that being said, it was hardly "angry" 'cause only we psychotic nutjob stalker types on interference knew that he even changed the lyric, let alone cut out the 2nd verse. and even fewer people picked up on larry's SBS drum beat at the end of the song... protest in silent where only huge fans would even pick up on it isn't much of a protest.

and protesting against the troubles in northern ireland in song is a bit different than protesting iraq in song... last i checked a majority of americans still support the action in every poll by every news source from reuters to the ap to cnn to fox news. even france is turning a bit since the capture of saddam... anyways i don't want to turn this into a political debate... that's what FYM is for... all i'm saying is that there are such varying opinions on the subject that i would seriously doubt they'd touch the subject in song.

 

[U2girl]

I liked the lyric change. I have to admit I never noticed the SBS drum beat. Even a little protest is better than nothing IMO.
Why is protesting against NI troubles different than protesting Iraq? Before Saddam was captured less and less Americans supported the administration AFAIK, and now it went up 10%. (but enough about that, I've had enough politics and arguing from FYM)

Homerpalooza: I think it went something like this "It's early fall, there's a cloud in the New York skyline, some father's son, is it yours or mine?"

I was thinking - with all the talk about anger and guitars - about a political song more similar to SBS or Bullet the blue sky than, say, Peace on Earth. I agree there will be song(s) on father/son relationship.

 

[u2_england]

Of course political views will be put forward on the album, but a more softer approach (Please rather than SBS).

I'm not too sure wether there will be too much mention of Bob Hewson - maybe Bono's had his time to mourn.

And I hope they don't use an orchestra because that's verging on the naff - keep to a minium use of synths.

I definitley hope they don't have some 'poppy' little throw-away track, either.

Just put Achtung Baby and the PopMart kitsch thru the blender, and hey, you'll have a great album!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

they're two extreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeemely different types of conflicts, but again... this isn't FYM so i'm not gonna argue that. even the most hardened cynic over iraq looks a little silly saying that getting rid of saddam wasn't a good idea. the reasons for going, wmd's or oil or whatever? now that's up for debate... and that debate rages on over in FYM

anyhoo... i just don't think there will be anything straight forward, political protest wise... but seeing as i'm not an actuall member of the band, i really don't know for sure... so we'll see. i won't claim to have spoken to paul mcguinness' third cousin through marrige to get inside information either...

 

[Rachel D.]

well i thought the oscar lyric change sucked and that they shouldn't have changed a lyric that was in memory of 9/11... but it's their song, they wrote it, and they can change what they'd like...

I agree, they shouldn't have done that. It made me sick when I saw it. I actually hate that song now because I think of that whenever I hear it.

Anyway, I hope the album doesn't revolve around politics. I absolutely detest Bono's political rants.

 

[U2girl]

I know each conflict is different and virtually all conflicts have different opinions/interpretations. And I know FYM - War subforum - is about reasons for going to Iraq (I wouldn't exactly call anti-Iraq-war people cynical), US administrations actions etc.

Well wasn't What's going on intented for 9/11 too, and later they added the AIDS charity profit?

 

[bayernfc]

I'd love them to do another politically charged song..... and I'm sure they can do it better than a few other bands who tried.. but it seems ever so unlikely! And about a love song being bigger than WOWY .... I hate to be a pessimist but can Bono really pull off singing another great love song?

But then again... they always have surprises up their sleeves so we'll never know for sure!