Historical U2

[Lynz778]

Hey everyone,

I don't post much but I was wondering if you could help me out. I have a school assesment to do on how contemporary popular history has an impact on the general attitudes of society towards certain historical events. This mostly concerns songs such as Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Years Day which address certain issues in history. So if I could, I ask you two questions:

1. What kind of impact did U2 have on your views about certain events and time periods in history...did they change your views, enhance them etc.?

2. Looking back did these songs affect you at the time of release and then kind of ware off...as in you don't feel that strongly about the issues anymore, or did they change your viewpoint permentantly?

This is all very much based on political views/morals etc.

If ANYONE could help me out I will be forever grateful. I'll post the final essay when it's finished.

Thankyou!

 

[Carek1230]

I can say I certainly learned a lot about the strife in Ireland from U2, from their songs, from their talking about it and it intrigued me so I did some research and study. It was interesting about the Catholics vs Protestants but what I didn't understand was the violence. Then Sarajevo was something I'd only heard bits and pieces about on the news, but during U2's tour when they'd do the live feeds and then the actual song Miss Sarajevo and the story behind it really helped me to understand what was happening there. Mothers of the Disappeared is another song that struck me and I paid more attention to the news and researched. Having been a fan for such a long time I have followed Bono's causes as well as Ali Hewson's and it is their energy, their compassion and humanitarianism that moves me to do what I can to support some of the organizations to help make the world debt free, AIDS free, feeding the hungry, bringing help to the poor, all in the name of Love. Those are just some of the issues that my interest in U2 have brought to me and moved me to participate in and to learn more about. Which reminds me, it is that time of year to send my check to the African Well Fund and sign the birthday card for Bono.

 

[JCOSTER]

I know this isn't much help, but since the beginning their music has changed my life in so many positive ways, it is hard to write about them all, its been a 26 year journey. I definately have a stronger sense of faith and being in this world and believe that I do not have to be guilty for the fortunes in my life such as friends, family, a home and just basically a good life, it is God that has graced my life. Bono says if you do Gods work he will do yours, and I try to live my life by example and try to give of myself and money to the causes I believe are in need, such as Samaritans Purse, African Well Fund, One, and I am trying to work on Bread for the World. Through U2 I have also a better understand of unconditional acceptance of people. CoExisT.
Hope this helps a little.

 

[Lynz778]

Thankyou guys, this was awesome.

 

[kosull]

Here's my ten cents for what it's worth! Sounds like a really great essay topic, so good luck!

I think that it might be dangerous to rely solely on songs to provide an explanation for a particular situation. I definitely think that U2's Please is one of the best songs about the Troubles, particularly as it came out just one year before the Good Friday Agreement. It kind of captures the paranoia and grey areas of what is certainly not a black and white issue. In fact, North And South Of The River and Staring At The Sun, also from that era, I think do the same thing very well too. By contrast, I've never been overly fond of Sunday Bloody Sunday or Pride. Pride I know Bono has admitted contains historical inaccuracies - 'early morning' is wrong - and again it's very difficult for a song to bring out the subtleties of what again a long and complicated story. Sunday Bloody Sunday I've always found a bit too earnest to be honest. There's just something that makes it very difficult to explain the subtelties of the issue in 4 or 5 minutes. Songs I've always thought are better for mood, or, indeed, for propaganda (good or bad). New Year's Day, I must admit, I've never understood fully, although I've studied Eastern European politics and read a bit about Solidarity. Maybe it's just me!

Ok, so having given you that stream of thoughts, I think what it distills down to is that I don't think that issues can be placed into their proper context in the space a song allows. You can only get a glimpse. That's why some songs work and others don't. I've always thought that Bullet The Blue Sky worked in its original conception, about Central America, because it was of its time, but it makes me cringe in the context it's being used now. Mothers of the Disappeared, however, still has resonance because it's about a particular mood and time, and it works as a song.

Those are just my thoughts, if they're of any use to you. Of course, the reason I like the greyer areas could be because I'm a historian, so feel free to ignore!

Good luck with the essay!

 

[Lynz778]

Thankyou thankyou thankyou! This was a great help!