Song of the day 21-08-05: One Tree Hill

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Cassis

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One Tree Hill

We turn away to face the cold, enduring chill
As the day begs the night for mercy
Your sun so bright it leaves no shadows, only scars
Carved into stone on the face of earth
The moon is up over One Tree Hill
We see the sun go down in your eyes

You ran like a river oh, to the sea
You run like a river runs to the sea

And in our world a heart of darkness
A firezone where poets speak their hearts
Then bleed for it
Jara sang his song a weapon
In the hands of love
You know his blood still cries from the ground

It runs like a river, runs to the sea
It runs like a river to the sea

I don't believe in painted roses or bleeding hearts
While bullets rape the night of the merciful
I'll see you again when the stars fall from the sky
And the moon has turned red over One Tree Hill

We run like a river to the sea, run to the sea
We run like a river to the sea
And when it's raining, raining hard
That's when the rain will break my heart
Raining, raining hard, raining in your heart
Raining, rain into your heart, raining

Oh great ocean, oh great sea
Run to the ocean, run to the sea
 
That Lyrics :drool: :drool: :drool:

Poetry.

My #14 favourite U2 song. It has a special feeling... I didn't got it at first but now I realize how beautiful this song is.
 
Words cannot express the love that I feel for this song. As a New Zealander, it seems to have a special resonance inside me. It's a true shame that the one tree no longer stands atop One Tree Hill. :sad:

The performance of One Tree Hill on 26 December 1989 was the highest point U2 ever reached. Ever. Nothing can top that.
 
Axver said:
Words cannot express the love that I feel for this song. As a New Zealander, it seems to have a special resonance inside me. It's a true shame that the one tree no longer stands atop One Tree Hill. :sad:

The performance of One Tree Hill on 26 December 1989 was the highest point U2 ever reached. Ever. Nothing can top that.

Xmas at the point depot?

i ahve that song :love:
 
One of the true great classics, live that is. the studio version is a bit overproduced.
 
The most amazing U2 song ever, in terms of pure emotion and poetry.

I don't think Bono could sing it today--it would be hard for him to hit those notes today, despite his voice being in great shape.

Great to see this thread :up:

*bumps into VP...is that skunk I smell? :eyebrow:
:wink:
i feel like i just ran into you at the grocery store or something.
 
starvinmarvin said:
What's the best live performance of One Tree HIll?

There is no competition, and I'm sure everyone will agree with me on this (even if they don't agree when I say it is U2's highest point ever) - 26 December 1989, Dublin.

Edge launches into a fantastic solo and then Bono sings an impromptu verse from out of NOWHERE. It's hard to understand (I don't think anyone's going to agree on a transcription of the lyrics), but it sounds incredible. Absolutely soaring, amazing, brilliant performance.
 
Can someone tell me why this songs seems so special and beautiful to a lot of people? I do not mean to put down the song, maybe I just don't know the story behind it or soemthing else. I want to know because I kinda feel outta place in this thread.
 
COBL_04 said:
Can someone tell me why this songs seems so special and beautiful to a lot of people? I do not mean to put down the song, maybe I just don't know the story behind it or soemthing else. I want to know because I kinda feel outta place in this thread.

Allow me to write you what will probably end up being an essay on the origins of One Tree Hill.

In 1984, U2 were touring New Zealand - at this point, Pride had been released as a single but I'm not sure if The Unforgettable Fire had come out yet. It was their first visit to New Zealand and the four Kiwi shows kicked off The Unforgettable Fire Tour. In New Zealand, U2 met a man called Greg Carroll, who had acquired a reputation as an exceptional soundman and stage manager for concerts. U2 were impressed by his commitment and dedicated work ethic, especially Bono, who struck up a friendship with Carroll. While in Auckland, Carroll took Bono to visit One Tree Hill, the largest of the volcanic hills around Auckland and notable for the single tree growing at the summit. Carroll was a Maori and One Tree Hill is important in Maori mythology - you can see where I'm going there.

In any case, U2 were so impressed by Carroll that they hired him as a permanent member of their crew. He became a close friend and 'minder' of Bono, and if you have ever seen footage from Live Aid, the guy scampering around on stage after Bono dealing with microphone cables and whatnot is Carroll.

So in 1986, one rainy night in Dublin, Greg Carroll was running an errand on Bono's motorbike. He never returned. A drunk driver ran a red light and collected Carroll. As you can imagine, the band were shattered and devastated by his death. Bono, Ali, and I think Larry too accompanied Carroll's body back to New Zealand and attended his funeral - indeed, I believe Bono sung a couple of songs there. Afterwards, he went on to write One Tree Hill based on that early trip he made to the landmark with Carroll, weaving together Maori mythology and Christian beliefs in the poignant lyrics.

I hope I haven't made any mistakes; I wrote the above off the top of my head. There's a couple of detailed sites on the song and I could dig out the links if you're interested.

I'd like to add that as a Kiwi who's rather stranded outside New Zealand and hasn't been back to his homeland in 2.5 years, this song is one of three that means a lot to me: the other two being God Defend New Zealand (our anthem) and Split Enz's Six Months In A Leaky Boat. This song in particular touches me deeply. I suppose it's the themes and the delicate interweaving of the beliefs. Nothing gets me quite like the line "and when it's raining, raining hard, that's when the rain will break my heart". If anything makes me think of Greg Carroll's tragic death on a dark and wet Dublin street, far from the most beautiful country on earth, it is that.

In conclusion, thanks to anyone who read all that!
 
Axver said:


Allow me to write you what will probably end up being an essay on the origins of One Tree Hill.

In 1984, U2 were touring New Zealand - at this point, Pride had been released as a single but I'm not sure if The Unforgettable Fire had come out yet. It was their first visit to New Zealand and the four Kiwi shows kicked off The Unforgettable Fire Tour. In New Zealand, U2 met a man called Greg Carroll, who had acquired a reputation as an exceptional soundman and stage manager for concerts. U2 were impressed by his commitment and dedicated work ethic, especially Bono, who struck up a friendship with Carroll. While in Auckland, Carroll took Bono to visit One Tree Hill, the largest of the volcanic hills around Auckland and notable for the single tree growing at the summit. Carroll was a Maori and One Tree Hill is important in Maori mythology - you can see where I'm going there.

In any case, U2 were so impressed by Carroll that they hired him as a permanent member of their crew. He became a close friend and 'minder' of Bono, and if you have ever seen footage from Live Aid, the guy scampering around on stage after Bono dealing with microphone cables and whatnot is Carroll.

So in 1986, one rainy night in Dublin, Greg Carroll was running an errand on Bono's motorbike. He never returned. A drunk driver ran a red light and collected Carroll. As you can imagine, the band were shattered and devastated by his death. Bono, Ali, and I think Larry too accompanied Carroll's body back to New Zealand and attended his funeral - indeed, I believe Bono sung a couple of songs there. Afterwards, he went on to write One Tree Hill based on that early trip he made to the landmark with Carroll, weaving together Maori mythology and Christian beliefs in the poignant lyrics.

I hope I haven't made any mistakes; I wrote the above off the top of my head. There's a couple of detailed sites on the song and I could dig out the links if you're interested.

I'd like to add that as a Kiwi who's rather stranded outside New Zealand and hasn't been back to his homeland in 2.5 years, this song is one of three that means a lot to me: the other two being God Defend New Zealand (our anthem) and Split Enz's Six Months In A Leaky Boat. This song in particular touches me deeply. I suppose it's the themes and the delicate interweaving of the beliefs. Nothing gets me quite like the line "and when it's raining, raining hard, that's when the rain will break my heart". If anything makes me think of Greg Carroll's tragic death on a dark and wet Dublin street, far from the most beautiful country on earth, it is that.

In conclusion, thanks to anyone who read all that!

:up: Nice one, mate.
 
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