More new U2 album discussion!

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Gaga just announced a November album.

Any day now.

While intentionally universal, U2 clearly embraced the pro-gay interpretation of one by highlighting the work of gay artists who had died of AIDS in both Zoo TV (David W something) and PopMart (Keith Harring), both of which are incredibly moving.

That and, you know, the drag video.
 
I still don't believe it was specifically written about a gay son/father situation. It was obviously written about the breakdown of some kind of relationship (most likely Edge's marriage), and it's this universality that has made it so powerful.

The fact that the proceeds of the single went to AIDS research is more coincidental, considering it was such a hot button issue at the time (and the band had already appeared on AIDS benefit album Red, Hot + Blue with their cover of "Night And Day"). Also, the video that Corbijn shot was replaced with another one because they were in drag and didn't want that element to be magnified w/r/t the issue.

The talk about the lyrics having a gay perspective is something that came significantly later, from what I can recall.

I seem to recall in U2 by U2 (which I know I quote ad nauseum; I can't help it) Bono expressing surprise that the song was adopted as a sort of AIDS anthem but saying, "It certainly can be read that way." I imagine he was thinking of lots of things at the time- Edge's marriage, the band conflict, his dad, perhaps his own marriage (it's been mentioned before that the wives were not totally thrilled about U2 conquering the world all over again and that Edge's split was very anxious-making for the remaining women) as well as the more literary conflict in the speaker of albums desires. My sense is that after it was adopted by the gay movement U2 really embraced the universiality of the song and began to use it intentionally.

Personally I think when read as a love song within a couple it's very romantic, even with the torment included. The speaker and the beloved are locked in conflict but they don't have any intention of abandoning each other. That's really rather lovely.
 
I think the comment about One being about a gay man and his father was mentioned in the 2004 Rolling Stone interview (the one with Bono on the cover), but I seem to remember Bono mentioning it in a way that it was one interpretation, not THE interpretation. Although I could be remembering incorrectly.
 
i remember from U2: ATEOTW Larry complaining that the new, sexy Bono smoking in a bar video was "too male/female."

seems they were very aware of this in early 1992.

i see the song as a plea for unity despite differences, or even because of difference; to love each other because we are different and to embrace differences as a source of strength and a gift -- we get to carry each other.

i think the father/son conversation works quite well, actually, as the song is written like a back and forth conversational and filled with series of questions. it's as strong and defensible an interpretation as any other, though i agree it's certainly vague enough to have a variety of interpretations which i'm sure was also the point.

the obvious allowances for personal preferences and tastes aside, it can be very well argued that it's likely their greatest song, and one of the great songs ever. it's raw emotional power is staggering. when i first heard it as a 14 year old i had no idea that music could do that ... whatever it was that was.
 
I specifically remember Bono talking about a personal friend of his that was gay and HIV positive and that he wrote ONE after learning about this friend's problems when he was coming out to his father. BUT Bono has also said that the song means different things to different people, like most U2 songs do, so every interpretation is legitimate.

They made two alternative videos for ONE because the band didn't want the AIDS problem to be connected too strongly to homosexuality. After they did the Corbijn version it occurred to them that linking AIDS to homosexuality in such an obvious way wouldn't be politically correct, hence the bar and the buffalo version.

But ONE has changed its meaning so often during various U2 tours that it's hard and possibly wrong to limit the song to only one certain theme, since it has become so political because of Bono's campaigning that is so closely connected to this song.
 
I seem to remember Bono expressing surprise about people using One in their weddings because it's about a relationship falling apart.

I believe the exact quote is, "Are you mad? It's about splitting up."

No wonder why the divorce rate is so high.
 
i remember from U2: ATEOTW Larry complaining that the new, sexy Bono smoking in a bar video was "too male/female."

seems they were very aware of this in early 1992.

i see the song as a plea for unity despite differences, or even because of difference; to love each other because we are different and to embrace differences as a source of strength and a gift -- we get to carry each other.

i think the father/son conversation works quite well, actually, as the song is written like a back and forth conversational and filled with series of questions. it's as strong and defensible an interpretation as any other, though i agree it's certainly vague enough to have a variety of interpretations which i'm sure was also the point.

the obvious allowances for personal preferences and tastes aside, it can be very well argued that it's likely their greatest song, and one of the great songs ever. it's raw emotional power is staggering. when i first heard it as a 14 year old i had no idea that music could do that ... whatever it was that was.


Excellent Post :up:

I agree whole heartedly with everything you said, extremely powerful song. But the father/son thing doesn't have to be exclusively about sexual orientation either, it could be about father being cut off emotionally from a son who needed to connect with him.
 
Arcade Fire just announced an October 29th release date - U2 better get to getting a date soon, the dates are filling up fast. :wink:
 
Here's, in my opinion, how U2 should approach this new album marketing wise.

Make a Twitter, Instagram, Vine ect. Get these accounts "verified". Put a a tweet out that says like 07/08/13 #Skyline put out an Instagram video and a vine with and black background and just the date and #Skyline with the songs "hook" playing in the background.

On said date release the song and a week or 2 later the album. So much work of mouth hype from that. You can even run a commercial that says just #Skyline with the hook playing. Don't say who it is or anything let the music speak for it's self.

#Skyline can be replaced with whatever the single is really called
 
Here's, in my opinion, how U2 should approach this new album marketing wise.

Make a Twitter, Instagram, Vine ect. Get these accounts "verified". Put a a tweet out that says like 07/08/13 #Skyline put out an Instagram video and a vine with and black background and just the date and #Skyline with the songs "hook" playing in the background.

On said date release the song and a week or 2 later the album. So much work of mouth hype from that. You can even run a commercial that says just #Skyline with the hook playing. Don't say who it is or anything let the music speak for it's self.

#Skyline can be replaced with whatever the single is really called
they could afford something like this on a bigger scale..

no mention of U2.. as you said, just the song.

30 second ads in primetime, youtube ads, traditional and web radio spots, flaming billboards, clowns on tiny bicycles...
 
Man, we've seen a couple artists announce their albums very early before the actual release dates. Normally U2 doesn't announce their albums until about 2 months to go before release date.
 
No we're still discussing a 22 year old song :D

God...that was 22 years ago? Anyone else consider Achtung Baby "late" u2? I guess it's not though, not on a timeline. God I'm old.

Early: Boy, October, War
Mid: UF, JT,
Late: AB, Zoo, Pop...

....and the rest, God what happened to the last 20 years?
 
I wonder if they have even decided the tracklist order yet. I remember Edge and Bono having discussions for HTDAAB as late as when they had a music journalist listening to the album. How much needs to be finished before the announcement. Album title, artwork?
 
So, Arcade Fire just announced their album that comes out in late Oct. Hmm...U2 does tend to keep us in suspense. So, I'm thinking August announcement of some sort.
 
It amazes me how, still to this day, the U2 camp have not used the internet to their advertising advantage.

Other than NLOTH, what have they really needed to advertise over the past 8 or so years though? It's not things like the 360 tour exactly went under the radar all this time...
 
we don't know if and how u2 will use the internets and cell phones to their advantage this time. obviously, a new cd is coming out in the coming months. obviously, we have no idea how they're going to approach it. obviously it's a little something different.

obviously, you're not a golfer.
 
Anybody else here that would prefer an album of half-awesomeness/half-shit to an album that's merely good most of the way through? At this point, I've given up hope on U2 making another masterpiece, so I'd rather get a few songs that give me "the chills" rather than some album I enjoy and then forget about.

No Line On The Horizon, unfortunately, lacked a single song that I connected with the way I had with about 50 other U2 tracks. There was nothing there that really made me go "wow!" although there was only one truly intolerable moment...I know I'm not the only one that felt this way as it was pretty much a dud with the casual audience.

I'm sure with Danger Mouse at the helm, we'll actually get some singles this time, so I should be satisfied. :up:
 
I'm not sure I want any singles by U2. Hearing their music among the other crap on the charts wouldn't be a very pleasant thing. I remember when Boots came out mainstream radio got rid of it quite quickly while indie/alternative stations kept on playing it. Though I am not a fan of the song (except the live version) I thought this made me pretty proud.
 
Anybody else here that would prefer an album of half-awesomeness/half-shit to an album that's merely good most of the way through? At this point, I've given up hope on U2 making another masterpiece, so I'd rather get a few songs that give me "the chills" rather than some album I enjoy and then forget about.

No Line On The Horizon, unfortunately, lacked a single song that I connected with the way I had with about 50 other U2 tracks. There was nothing there that really made me go "wow!" although there was only one truly intolerable moment...I know I'm not the only one that felt this way as it was pretty much a dud with the casual audience.

I'm sure with Danger Mouse at the helm, we'll actually get some singles this time, so I should be satisfied. :up:

In the end, I just want to hear some good songs out of the whole thing. I wouldn't say that NLOTH lacked songs that I didn't connect with personally. But it was fairly inconsistent in a lot of spots for me, which was unfortunate. Overall, I thought about 1/3 of the songs were either excellent or pretty good, 1/3 of it was pretty average, and 1/3 of it was subpar or poor.

In terms of wanting a "good" album" or half-awesome/half-crap... no clue. :lol: But seriously, a "good" album with at least six "awesome" songs would be just fine by me.

I'm not sure I want any singles by U2. Hearing their music among the other crap on the charts wouldn't be a very pleasant thing. I remember when Boots came out mainstream radio got rid of it quite quickly while indie/alternative stations kept on playing it. Though I am not a fan of the song (except the live version) I thought this made me pretty proud.

"Single" doesn't necessarily mean "bad" though, which is something I think a lot of us forget some of the time. Just because a song has a prominent hook or lyrics/music that might appeal to a bigger audience shouldn't automatically count against it. Not everything has to have minimal guitar or ambient keyboards to be considered good, you know?

Besides, I doubt their new songs will be played on the Rhythmic Top 40 stations anytime soon!
 
I'd be very happy if the sound of the album is like Union or The Cold Still from The Boxer Rebellion!!!
 
Arcade fire's album has an official release date.... Next week it should be U2 with an official release date!!!
 
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