MERGED --> Why does he dedicate Running to Stand Still to Soldiers? + the brave men..

[kevolution]

thats what i love about this band. you hear some good tunes..............and get a first class discourse in world politics at the same time.

jesus people its a bloody song.....at a concert....somewhere on planet earth... one night- get over it. it doesn't matter about the frigging lyrics-its an emotional moment in time(because of the nature of the song) to reflect on something thats not right somewhere. He wrote it let him dedicate it to growing turnips if he wants

thanks for the political discourse though-very informative

seek professional help

 

[Klink]

---Deleted

 

[Klink]

There could be a lot of reasons for Bono dedicating this song to soldiers. Maybe he feels sorry for the brave troops who are simply political pawns in a battle that has no benefit to them...a battle that may one day lead to their own annihilation or worse....I feel sorry for them, too.

Bono's contradictory nature may be summed up by a feeling/song called Vertigo? His feelings about contradiction in himslef and the world date as far back as U2 themselves but the band really only comes to terms with their contradictory existence in the postmodern lyrics of Achtung Baby. Zoo Station!!! Confusion, uncertainty but that's part of life. We move on. We are living contradictions who don't really KNOW anything. "Everything you know is wrong", And then Zooropa: "Zooropa, a bluer kind of white", "Zooropa...uncertainty can be our guiding light". Acceptance of our own contradictory nature/beliefs and those of others.

Maybe Bono has contradictory feelings about the war? I can see why he might dedicate this song to soldiers caught up in this mess. Even then, I think it's important that Bono has his own reasons. They may not even been consistent, but we're all human.

Even though I think the war is certainly about oil, I too can see that placing the emphasis on other "facts" that have personal significance might produce a different conclusion about it, even from the same person. Yhere's my postmodern rant...

Jon

 

[lancerla]

I think Yolland had the most reasoned post I've ever seen on this board. Thanks for that.

In terms of RTSS, I think he does feel sorry for the troops in Iraq, too. And I think some troops would welcome the sympathy and some would give him the finger.

And in terms of U2 songs being used in ways not consistent to their meanings...well, that's not new. A few examples?

One as a love song/closer on tour
One as a song about the One Campaign
Bad (pick your misuse. The clearest one for me is as the theme song of a serial killer movie called "Taking Lives")
Elevation for Tomb Raider
Bono talks about Peace on Earth being misconstrued as a Christmas song


Also, sometimes the songs are so vague that they invite people to insert their old meaning.

Most interesting for me is the backlash against the way Streets is now an African-themed song. Everybody wants the red lights back so the song can get back to it's "roots." Um, didn't Bono write it after going to Africa for the first time? I thought it was about going there with Ali and finding out how much help they needed.

 

[SexeiAlexeiGurl]

My dad has been a huge U2 fan for as long as I can remember.

He has also attended the US Military Academy at West Point when he turned 18, graduated at 22, spent 10 years as an active duty soldier, 12 years in the Reserves, and for the past 2 years has been reactivated.

He doesn't always agree with the political views and ideas of U2, but he still loves their music. Why? Because he accepts that they have a different view than he does and he respects that.

Being the flat broke college student that I am, for my dad's birthday this year I burned him a copy of one of the recent concerts, one that included Bono's comments before Running to Stand Still. When we listened to it together he didn't say anything about it, and I didn't see a problem with it, so I didn't think it bothered him, but after reading this thread it got me curious so I asked him. He said the same thing I had been thinking: that this was Bono's way of saying he supported the soldiers even if he doesn't agree with the war. He wasn't offended and in fact was pleased that finally someone seemed to be making the distinction.

Just because you don't agree with why a war is being fought, don't take it out on the brave men and women fighting it because of a deep loyalty and sworn commitment to do so. Perhaps having grown up in a military family, on military bases, and now having my father called away during some pretty important years of my life (my last year of high school/first year of college) makes me feel more--to use the words of Russty Cat--"bitchy" about this sort of thing, but I see it all the time.

I don't think Bono is doing this to insult the soldiers, and I don't think it will insult the majority of soldiers who are U2 fans. Bono's been against American involvement in Iraq for a while, and if they're coming to the concerts, they've obviously accepted that, but still love the band and what the whole thing is really about: the music.

Sam