(03-26-2003) At Oscars, Bono sneaks in a tuneful war protest - MSNBC *

[HelloAngel]

http://www.msnbc.com/

At the Oscars, a tuneful war protest
With Ashley Pearson- MSNBC


March 26 ? Anti-war agitator Bono didn?t speak out against fighting in Iraq during the Oscars ? but sharp-eared sources realize that he sung his protest.

WHILE PERFORMING their nominated song, ?The Hands That Built America,? U2 slipped in a final verse that isn?t in the standard version. The additional words are clearly a subtle reference to the war. Bono sang: ?Late in the spring,/Yellow cloud on a desert skyline./Some father?s son/Is it his, or is it mine??

 

[ouizy]

I just read that article. I did not hear the Sunday Bloody Sunday drums that someone referred to, but I also did not even pick up on these new lyrics. I guess I was just dumbfounded by U2 playing witht that orchestra during 'Hands.'

 

[AdamsMango]

I didn't hear the sbs drum part the first time..but i did hear the lyric change..I love when Bono does that. But most of their songs are so relevant that they say so much as they are

 

[verte76]

I noticed the lyrical change. It didn't really sound like SBS.

 

[bayernfc]

I noticed the lyrical change. It didn't really sound like SBS.

After the song ended, larry started playing the first couple of seconds of SBS.

 

[U2andPolitix]

I noticed the lyric change and the intro to SBS. I was hoping they would blast into it, but they didn't. The lyric change was very touching to me, as an American who is worried sick about my friends over there and the rest of troops.

 

[arw]

I noticed both right away and I wondered how many people not only caught the lyric change but knew what that drum beat was from.

 

[TheRealThang_101]

I bet U2 were itching to play SBS so bad

 

[IWasBored]

i heard the drums. and i noticed the lyrics...and my mom immediatly goes "no, those were the same words from the version you had on the cd player earlier"

to which i answered ha, that was a tape, not a cd...yeah i know...lame...

 

[Schmeg]

Caught the drums...that was very cool and very subtle. They got their word in without saying anything. I was hoping for a second that they cut out the second verse of Hands so they could do a little SBS, but obviously that didn't happen.

 

[verte76]

Yeah, I got the feeling that they wanted to play SBS. Maybe they will at their next performance.

 

[mad1]

I bet U2 were itching to play SBS so bad

Im sorry mate, I know its not funny, but the way u just said that.......!

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

i heard the SBS drumbeat at the end however me being the idiot that i am did not catch the lyric change.

 

[MrBrau1]

We these new lyrics really a war protest? They sounded more like an heartfelt observation. Way to go media!

 

[Bono's shades]

My take on the meaning of the changed lyrics is that war is tragic and a lot of "father's sons" are going to be killed on both sides. It's pretty much the same meaning as Sunday Bloody Sunday. That may be why the SBS drumbeat was added at the end.

 

[drumkeeran]

My take on the meaning of the changed lyrics is that war is tragic and a lot of "father's sons" are going to be killed on both sides. It's pretty much the same meaning as Sunday Bloody Sunday. That may be why the SBS drumbeat was added at the end.

Amen.

I definitely caught the changed lyrics and the SBS beat while I was watching the show with a group of friends that had gathered to spend some time with a dear friend on leave from Afghanistan.

I thought the changes were Bono's usual understanding view of the world's complexities. I was very proud.

And yes, my friends gave me grief for the prerecorded opera singing.

 

[gherman]

That wasn't SBS.

 

[gherman]

Plus that was NOT pre-recorded opera singing you can tell your friend to FUCK OFF! I taped the show and watch the performanc 6 or 7 times already. Its not

 

[Gickies Gageeze]

am i the only one doesnt think this is was a protest in any way? he changed the words, big deal.

its not like he changed them to "down with america, war is evil. blah blah blah"

in fact, it was nothing near that.

i dont get the fuss, but this is show business i guess.

 

[Screaming Flower]

that's exactly what i was thinking bear.

and gherman you really need to get a hold of yourself.

 

[pub crawler]

It's debatable as to whether it was SBS (although I'd like to think it was).

Bono most definitely sang to a backing vocal track on the opera part, just as he did on the Today Show.

Gickies is on track, it's hard to know whether the new lyrics were "pro" or "anti" war. In fact they came off as rather neutral.

 

[gherman]

I do have a hold of myself... in my hand

 

[HelloAngel]

Plus that was NOT pre-recorded opera singing you can tell your friend to FUCK OFF! I taped the show and watch the performanc 6 or 7 times already. Its not

gherman,

That tone is not necessary. Bono DID sing along to a backing track - it helped fill out the sound. Whether you choose to believe or accept that is not a reason to use profanity against people.

Do not post in U2News with a negative tone - this subject is NOT something to get worked up about.

 

[mad1]

I know, I still dont know myself if it was SBS........I could never really pick up that it was until I tried to compare it to the very very beginning of SBS on CD.

I just thought Larry mighta done a quick 'blast of drumming' to really put an end to their song, in a small 'protest' way.

Ach I dunno..........

 

[MiniFly]

That is great! Exactly the tasteful yet poignant type of thing we'd expect from our boys.

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

This must be a bad time to say I have yet to see/hear anything of it. Am I missing out?

 

[verte76]

I think the lyrics mainly mourned the existence of war. War in itself is denounced as evil, but you're right, Bono seemed to be taking into account the complexity of the world situation and simply denounced war and strife in themselves as evil.