what is bono talking about?

[u2bonogirl]

in the boston DVD in the end of bullet the blue sky when bono is ranting about stuff. (which gives me chills) he is going on about pull the trigger im a rocknroll ****** bigger than jesus on a bumper sticker...whats my name? whats my name thing... what exactly is that all about? did it originate somewhere, is it about him or somebody else? they say that the irish are the niggers of the white world. and i am not being racist or anything with the word. hey, i'm irish i would be insulting myself. but yeah, anyway, what do y'all know about this????

 

[arw]

I think there was a thread not too long ago about this in EYKIW. I don't remember the whole story..... it's part of a Patti Smith song and it has to do with John Lennon which is why Bono does the "Mark Chapman" thing at the end of the song. Mark Chapman is John Lennon's killer in case you weren't sure who that is. The whole "bigger than Jesus" thing is something that Lennon said in the 60's about the Beatles. I think I'll just stop now because I'm not really sure of the whole thing to answer your question other than it involves Patti Smith and John Lennon.

*edited to include this....I just did a search to see if I could give a better answer and I found the words from that version of the song. I guess if you read them they speak for themselves about the John Lennon referrences.


But I can feel the cold steel
I can feel the cold steel
I can make a wound that won?t heal
I can make a wound that won?t heal
.38 mm like the police
I?m at the door with John and Yoko living love and peace
And love and peace and love and peace
Feel like an old shoe, a re-release
Soon to be deceased
Pull the trigger, the rock ?n? roll ******
He?s bigger than Jesus on a bumper sticker
Pull the trigger, the rock ?n? roll ******
Bigger than Jesus on a bumper sticker
My pulse is racing, my eyes are chasing
For an autograph, I?ve been waiting
People fading, there?s no escaping
History?s fading
Hey John, war is over
We don?t need your help
America?s making war on itself
War is over
We don?t need your help
America?s making war on itself
Six-hundred and seventy-six thousand
Will go down in the streets of America
With a bullet in the next twenty years
Twenty years, these bitter tears
In a business of bitter tears, John
Give us a call
Body bags and Vietnam
What?s my name
Mark Chapman
What?s my name
Mark Chapman

 

[neutral]

He's reciting lyrics from a Patti Smith song called ""Rock and Roll ******". I don't know if there's any particular reason he quoted those lyrics, or what the story was exactly.

 

[greenlight7-11]

None of what Bono says during that, short of the phrase "Rock N Roll ******" and the word 'trigger' is part of the Patti Smith song. Just wanted to clarify.

 

[silenus]

Had heard already of Mark chapman but always thought he was saying
"Much young man" instead of "Mark Chapman"...refering to Vietnam ???
Joy to all

 

[U2Kitten]

He said different things different places. I heard Mark Chapman clearly. I know he was going for a different meaning, and he is from Ireland, but there is really no way you can utter the 'n' word in America today and make anyone believe it had nothing to do with race. I understand what Bono meant, and I understand when other people try to use it for other meanings too, but most people don't believe you so it's best not to say it at all, for any reason

 

[dsmith2904]

It is from a Patti Smith song, there is no John Lennon reference in this song but it sounds like something John could have said...

Rock N Roll ******

Baby was a black sheep. Baby was a whore.
Baby got big and baby get bigger.
Baby get something. Baby get more.
Baby, baby, baby was a rock-and-roll ******.
Oh, look around you, all around you,
riding on a copper wave.
Do you like the world around you?
Are you ready to behave?

Outside of society, they're waitin' for me.
Outside of society, that's where I want to be.

(Lenny!)

Baby was a black sheep. Baby was a whore.
You know she got big. Well, she's gonna get bigger.
Baby got a hand; got a finger on the trigger.
Baby, baby, baby is a rock-and-roll ******.

Outside of society, that's where I want to be.
Outside of society, they're waitin' for me.

(those who have suffered, understand suffering,
and thereby extend their hand
the storm that brings harm
also makes fertile
blessed is the grass
and herb and the true thorn and light)

I was lost in a valley of pleasure.
I was lost in the infinite sea.
I was lost, and measure for measure,
love spewed from the heart of me.
I was lost, and the cost,
and the cost didn't matter to me.
I was lost, and the cost
was to be outside society.

Jimi Hendrix was a ******.
Jesus Christ and Grandma, too.
Jackson Pollock was a ******.
******, ******, ******, ******,
******, ******, ******.

Outside of society, they're waitin' for me.
Outside of society, if you're looking,
that's where you'll find me.
Outside of society, they're waitin' for me.
Outside of society. (Repeat)

 

[madonna's child]

I like that Bono rant. It's scary.

 

[agentmissa]

scarys good....

 

[RockNRollDawgie]

It freaked me out first time I heard Bono do this live!
Very intense!

(Thanks......now I got that Patti Smith song in head now.
And her cover of "Because The Night")

 

[u2bonogirl]

thanks for the info. i knew that it was something to do with john lennon obviously. in the boston dvd it sounded like he was saying. "whats my name? myron shotman!" lol. i must have bad hearing. i think i understand the whole thing now kinda. its a really creepy moment in a good way when he does that. i love it in the very end when he throws his head back and his hair moves, and the look on his face. the weirder thing is going from that song and all the intensity to WOWY. its still very intense just in a really different way i guess.

 

[Clark W. Griswold Jr]

It's a shame the 6/8/01 show wasn't the one filmed. Was, IMO, Bono's best version of the "mark chapman" rap. The band was on fire most of the night too.