MERGED ----> Dirty day + My take on Dirty Day...Tell me what you think

[U2girl]

Dirty day

What's it about?

Some say it is about Edge's divorce (but if it is, what is the "from father to son" part doing in it?), and some say it's about a man and his father. (but then, what is the "love, it won't last kissin time" line doing in it?)

From father to son part - could it be about Jesus (I mean, from father to son, in one life, has begun, a work that's never done, father to son)?

Or is the song about Bono and his father and their relationship?

 

[RademR]

Thats why Bono is the best songwriter of our generation...his lyrics can be interpreted in so many ways.

What I've heard and what I believe is "Dirty Day" is a conversation a man has who has walked away from religion because he has struggled between his belief in God and the Church (just as Bono has "challenged" religion).

"Dragging me down, thats not the way it used to be" is a hidden similiarity to "Jesus used to show me the score, now they put Jesus in show business, now its hard to get in the door" in IGWSHA.

I think its about a man trying to escape the barriers of religion and being with God. "I'm in you...more so when they put me in the ground." I also heard that "theres no blood thicker than ink" is a reference to the Bible's writings. And as you pointed out, the "world thats never done, father to son" is about Jesus and God.

I don't know. Zooropa had a lot to do with Edge's divorce so that might be a good meaning to for the song. I just lean toward this religion explanation. About the "kiss" lines in the song, what I heard was this relates to Judas' kiss.

 

[U2girl]

Yes, but it's also annoying not being sure what he means.

I think that I'm going with either divorce version or father&son relationship.

"From father to son" could relate to the family bond between parents and children and the tensions that come up - we know Bono and his father didn't get on really well for a long time and he didn't care much for his career choice, it starts anew each time ("a work has begun"), it's never over because tensions between fathers and sons always come up - if nothing else in puberty ("a work that's never done"). Also, next to a spouse, the single most important - and can be troublesome - relationship in one's life is with his family - specifically parents.

 

[BostonAnne]

Some more thoughts on Dirty Day..

http://hem.bredband.net/steverud/U2MoL/Zooropa/dirtyday.html

 

[Lo-Fi]

I personally agree with the way RademR is taking the lyrics.

A large section of Bono's lyrics can be taken in terms of relationships on one level with each other. But they can be taken from his own relationship with his faith and God. I think you should just take it the way you feel.

I would hate to have the answers to his lyrics. To be told 'this is what this means, and this came from here' I love Bono as a lyricalist because I connect with his words with my own personal experience in life. Not many song writers do that to me.

 

[dandy]

I would hate to have the answers to his lyrics. To be told 'this is what this means, and this came from here' I love Bono as a lyricalist because I connect with his words with my own personal experience in life. Not many song writers do that to me.

well said, Lo-Fi. I couldn't agree more.

 

[ADecentMelody]

Bono once mentioned that the heart of this song is about his relationship with his old man - how it's gotten better around the time of Zooropa. The bridge part:

From father to son
In one life has begun
A work that's never done
Father to son

is an acknowledgement of how the relationship/healing has begun. The ending - those days days days run away like horses over the hills - refers to all the lost time that they could have had if the relationship/healing would have started much earlier than the time of the Zooropa recordings. Of course, it's also taken from Charles Bukowski's book.

I think it's a very powerful song. I love how the strings come in for that bridge part and the tone of the song takes on another level. Even Bono's voice changes to reflect how much meaning it has to him.

In light of Bob Hewson's death, this song carries even more meaning. Who knows, it may be played again in the next tour.

 

[LMP]

I wonder if this song is somehow connected to Red Hill Mining Town the "from father 2 son" part got me thinkin

 

[U2DMfan]

I had always thought it was an homage to Bukowski, in that he wrote it thematically similar to how Bukowski writes, but it's content is about him and his dad. Plus, ADecentMelody stated he even took the final refrain from one of his books, and I believe he is even credited in the Zooropa album, with a dedication or something.

I also like very much what RademR wrote, there is always a 90% chance of Bono writing about realtionships with God/faith in some form or another.

 

[shart1780]

Sad song!!!

 

[shart1780]

My take on Dirty Day. Tell me what you think.

This song is extremely sad to me. The way I interpret it at least. This is how I hear it. Tell me what you think.

The way I see it is like a conversation between a father and his son. A father who left his son and family at a young age.

"I don't know you and you don't know the half of it
I had a starring role as the bad guy who walked out"

He's meeting his son, but they don't even know eachother at all. He knows the family he left has always portrayed him as "the bad guy who walked out".

"They say be careful where you aim
Cause where you aim you just might hit
You can hold on to something so tight you've already lost it"


He wanted to stay with his family but didn't know how to treat them. He wasn't aiming for the right things so everything got screwed up and he lost them.

"Dragging me down, that's not the way it used to be
You can't even remember what I'm trying to forget
It was a dirty day"

He's telling his son that he's dragging him down. When his son was young he was ignorant and easy. He doesn't want his son making him feel guilty anymore. He's telling his son "you can't even remember what I'm trying to forget". His son was young when his dad left and he can arely even remember that day. But his dad is still feeling guilty over it. Trying to forget it. And of course the "dirty day" was the day he broke down and walked out on his family. It's the day he's still trying to forget.

"You're looking for explanations I don't even understand
If you need someone to blame, just throw a rock in the air
You'll hit someone guilty"

The son wants explanations from his dad but his dad can't even understand what his son wants. The father is telling his son that if he's frustrated there's plenty of guilty people to take his anger out on.

"From father to son, in one life has begun
A work that's never done, father to son"

The bond between a father and son isn't ever done. It never goes away and they'll always feel it.

"And love won't last kissing time"

He's telling his son love doesn't last. His love for his wife and kids didn't last and love never will last. Kinda like he's warning his son that love is a waste of energy.

"Those days run away like horses over the hill"

The good times with his wife and kids went away fast. Before he knew it all the good things were gone, like horses over the hill and all he has left is memories.


That's how I interpret the song. It's left me in tears more than a few times!!!

 

[sue4u2]

This has always been one of my favorites. I was out with friends one night and kept playing this song over & over. Everyone wanted to know why I kept playing this song throughout the night. Besides the fact it was one of the only U2 songs on the player, I told them to listen to the to the lyrics. Everyone had some really interesting thoughts on what they thought the lyrics meant. All agreed however, it was a heavy song.
Note: left a note with the owner for suggestions he could put on the jukebox. Next time i went in he had added Lady With the Spinning Head. I was thrilled. He still needs to finish the list I informed him

 

[david]

i hope it returns to their live set.

 

[WinnieThePoo]

it sounds awesome on ZOO TV video


it sounds ...............


and a nice guitar solo too , one of the best by the edge
maybe the best


it's grrrrreat

and i like your post shart

 

[MissMoo]

I always thought it was about Edge's marriage breaking up. I like you're interpretation of it Shart, but I still see the relationship breakup pretty clearly.

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

I love this song.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

I could listen to this song forever.

 

[bono_man2002]

i hope it returns to their live set.

and this would be me in concert......

 

[Ellay]

I think the song can sound differently depending what mood you're in, I remember going through a thoroughly rotten time, and it seemed like the most depressing song in the world, but watching it on the zoo tv video, it's fantastically upbeat..!!!

 

[seankirkland]

I believe it has to do with guilt, God, and forgiveness. There are so many references to the Bible.....

"You can't even remember what I'm trying to forget." God separates us from our sin, as far as the east is from the west, when we ask for forgiveness. He forgets it!

"I'm in you, moreso when they put me in the ground." We must be crucified with Christ in order to share in his life (the resurrection life). When we're dying to ourselves (being unselfish), we're more like Christ than at any other time (that's why he's "in you" more then than at any other time).

"Throw a rock in the air, you'll hit someone guilty" is a reference to the time in the Bible when Jesus challenged all the Pharisees to stone the woman caught in adultery if any of they were free of any sin. The point being that none of them could because everyone has made mistakes.

Very spiritual song, indeed.