Yay or Nay--Using U2 Lyrics for Essay Opener??

[~LadyLemon~]

I need some opinions from people. I'm writing an essay for my early brit lit class. The subject is 3 poems (one of which is The Wanderer). In each, the narrator is wandering, either physically or mentally.
Would it be OK to open my essay with part of The Wanderer?? I thought it would be an interesting way to start the essay. What do you think???

I'm so sick of school.

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All I need are some tasty waves, cool buzz, and I'm fine.

 

[~LadyLemon~]

?????

I know that frog legs are much more interesting...*sigh*

Come on...do you think this would be appropriate?

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All I need are some tasty waves, cool buzz, and I'm fine.

 

[brettig]

Yeah i think it would be great...

may i suggest a couple parts of the song-

I went out there
In search of experience
To taste and to touch
And to feel as much
As a man can
Before he repents

or

Yeah I left with nothing
Nothing but the thought of you
I went wandering

Altho as its such a rich song, u could really take an opener from anywhere...

heres the whole song while im at it

http://lemon.interference.com/u2la/lyrics/albums/zooropa/the-wanderer.html

hope this helps...

 

[~LadyLemon~]

I think I'm going to go with this:

yeah i left with nothing
but the thought you'd be there too
looking for you...
yeah i left with nothing
nothing but the thought of you...
i went wandering

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All I need are some tasty waves, cool buzz, and I'm fine.

 

[truecoloursfly]

LadyLemon--
I think it's utterly appropriate! (I am a freelance editor, if that helps.) As long as the assignment didn't specify "no song lyrics" and you're using the song as your subject, why not?? I think it would be awfully cool if you can somehow include the singer of that song -- Johnny Cash's presence always communicated as much as the words themselves, to me...his voice is a poem unto itself!



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***the goal is Soul***

 

[PopFly]

LadyLemon, what school do you go to?

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They want you to be Jesus
They'll go down on one knee
But they'll want their money back
If you're alive at thirty-three
And you're turning tricks
With your crucifix
You're a star

"I can't watch a man sing a song. He gets all emotional, he starts swaying...it's embarrassing!" -- Jerry Seinfeld

 

[HeartlandGirl]

Hi LadyLemon,

I say definitely open up with some of the lyrics. I did this on a paper about St. Augustine and a presentation on the ancient poet Horace. Both teachers thought it was a nice touch.

 

[SkeeK]

Originally posted by HeartlandGirl:
Hi LadyLemon,

I say definitely open up with some of the lyrics. I did this on a paper about St. Augustine and a presentation on the ancient poet Horace. Both teachers thought it was a nice touch.

was that u2 lyrics you somehow managed to weasel in or something else (like a horace poem)?

 

[Achtung Bubba]

My suggestion is to use a U2 quote IF IT FITS -- don't try to force it.

Using a U2 lyric *can* work, by the way. I got an A+ on a paper comparing James Joyce's Dubliners to the songs of U2, and I opened with the "artist cannibal/poet thief" lines from the fly.

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- Achtung Bubba

 

[~LadyLemon~]

Well I did it. The paper was a bit rushed, but oh well. It's hard for me to write about stuff I don't care about. Even though I'm an english major, i detest early british lit.

Popfly--i go to bowling green state u.



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All I need are some tasty waves, cool buzz, and I'm fine.

 

[fi]

You've already done it, but I reckon opening with a U2 line is great if it fits- which it sounds like it does, plus I find comparing using it helps you kick yourself into starting.
I did an essay about U2's cover art and how its reflective of the tone of the songs and lyrics- got my first distinction! I even handed in a cassette with little bits from songs (it was difficult to cut them up though...)

 

[jilly mullen jr]

Do it, I have before. It makes for a great opening.

 

[bullet the blue sky]

unsure

but if you are going to do it, don't quote rock band U2. it would be a lot better if you said of the words penned by contemporary Irish scribe Paul Hewson. that might get you some brownie points!

 

[SkeeK]

If you do, make sure you are aware of the extra line of lyrics:

I went out walking
down that widening road
where no one's trusting no one
and conscience a too heavy load