ozeeko
Refugee
This is definitely my favourite song of Songs Of Innocence. And it's funny. I keep on bitching about how U2 has entered a stagnation mode in terms of creativity, some sotr of self-revival mode. However, my favourite song of the album is the biggest pastiche of the whole record. There's no other song that has so much U2-by-the-number factor than "Iris".
But, as much as sonically it evoques to me "Streets", "Magnificent", "City Of Blinding Lights", "ASort Of Homecoming" (most The Unforgettable Fire to be honest) I can't really dislike this song. I can't. And most of that because of Bono. Despite being of my least favourite albums for now, I have to say that Songs Of Innocence has some of Bono's best lyrical moments and cohesion in ages and ages. And "Iris" is a great example of it.
The lyrics seem to be quite simple, with simple imagetics, with Bono bringing his mother's death theme for the umpteenth time (but many of Bono's best lyrics are related with this theme) and using the also simple technique of linking it with a love affair (I assume it's Ali) and with the "spirituality vs universe/cosmos" theme. But it really works. And images like imagining a young Bono wishing his dead mother to "hold him close" again or imagining the spirit of his mother talking to him, it's really haunting but in a comforting way. I really like it.
And then thinking that the album was unveiled in the 40th anniversary of Iris... I was missing for a long time this kind of mystique around U2.
Honorable mention to Adam which is playing really in this track.
I think maybe the reason this song connects is because Bono's actually singing in that lovely way that he used to, no annoying talk-singing, or quasi-rap or overly wordy talking points. And the "Iris...Iris..." chorus is wonderfully restrained. I love restraint.