Any u2 songs taken a new meaning to you in these dark times ?
- Thread starter rennowba
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
dazzledbylight
Blue Crack Supplier
Definitely the Blackout.
The chorus of course as you mention, is particularly resonant.
So is the entire song really. You can look at it as the pandemic particularly, or as the times in general. Not to get too political, but one could argue that this "blackout" and "flattening of democracy" that Bono worried about with the arrival of Trump has materialized. In that context, "is this an extinction event, we'll see" has become quite literally true.
Love is bigger For obvious reasons. We'll get through this, and maybe "write a world where we can belong to each other" in the wake of it all.
Red Flag Day Maybe not as literal as the others mentioned, but the sentiment is there. What more of a "red flag day" could we see than we have right now? Nonetheless, we hold on a little tighter to that which we are most afraid of losing. We're staying home, but by doing so, we are "getting in the water." By that I mean sacrificing, doing what we've never done before, in order to save ourselves and those around us.
Little Things Feelings of depression. Isolation. Self doubt. Loneliness. Anxiety. Sums up what lots of us are feeling now for sure.
13(there is a light) All of it, but especially "darkness gathers around the light, hold on" into the last chorus. "There is a light, don't let it go out." Words to live by now.
Damn. It's almost like SOE is at least as fitting to the times and some would say predictive of the future as ATYCLB was in its time. I listened to some of these songs for the first time in a while tonight. Wow! They packed an emotional punch when released. More so now.
Stay I took a walk through an empty Boston last week. Started just before sunset. As I made my way into the downtown area, I immediately connected to the lyrics and imagery of Stay. "quiet, no one around." The feeling of watching something terrible unfold but not being able to do much about it. Etc, etc. As I was walking, it was getting colder and the wind was picking up. I thought "I need some coffee." Sure enough, in what is normally a bustling downtown, the ONLY thing that was open was 7-11.
Zooropa Sure thought of that on my walk for the reasons already mentioned. Also Zoo Station and The Fly
The whole 1990s era has a lot really.
I have actually been taking a break from U2 as of late. For me, that means they get 25% of my listening time versus 80%. No real reason, just been all over the map recently.
I hang out all the time at a nice restaurant in downtown Boston. They have 2 resident DJ's, both of whom are out of this world good. Neither play much U2, but then again, that's just the reality of a band that hasn't had a hit since 2004 and is cool to hate on now. One of them plays sweetest thing and all i want is you here and there.
Of course, I stopped by on the last night before everything shut down. I've made a lot of friends there. The DJ was playing his standards- mainstream dance music, rap, r&b, you know the deal. The place was decently busy but not packed. Toward the end, he started playing songs that were fitting for the times- uplifting, etc.
After "I knew you were waiting for me" by George Michael and Aretha Franklin and "Hero" by Enrique Iglesias, I could see the theme developing. I looked at the clock and saw there was time for one more song.
What was it?
"One"
For obvious reasons.
Gives me some hope in these times that people always come back to U2!
PS- It was the Tacoma version of "One" to top it all off!
So of course, I started talking to my DJ friend about U2 after that and asking how he knew about that performance. He told me he was a huge fan (which I never knew) and wishes he could play them more, but he started getting complaints from people around the NLOTH era when he did.
Last edited:
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/news...-millions-to-fight-covid-19-pandemic-11970859
Nice touch from the band
Nice touch from the band
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www....no-joins-coronavirus-fight-1.4226244?mode=amp
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www..../bono-begs-south-korea-president-21853705.amp
I love how the Irish government is literally relying on Bono to get shit done [emoji2]
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www..../bono-begs-south-korea-president-21853705.amp
I love how the Irish government is literally relying on Bono to get shit done [emoji2]
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
bUt ThEy DoNt PaY tHeIr TaXeS!!
Can't wait to hear the response from the usual idiots who bring that up. I always maintained that U2 pumps a FUCKLOAD of their money back into Dublin/Ireland, the difference is that they choose where they want it to go instead of just handing it over to the government. If they can do that legally with creative accounting, more power to them. I sure as hell don't want the majority of my income tax going to fund the USA military but I don't have the privilege they do.
The idea that they've betrayed their country and are hypocrites has always been laughable to me.
Can't wait to hear the response from the usual idiots who bring that up. I always maintained that U2 pumps a FUCKLOAD of their money back into Dublin/Ireland, the difference is that they choose where they want it to go instead of just handing it over to the government. If they can do that legally with creative accounting, more power to them. I sure as hell don't want the majority of my income tax going to fund the USA military but I don't have the privilege they do.
The idea that they've betrayed their country and are hypocrites has always been laughable to me.
ABSOLUTELY!
I will never be okay with the tax accusations as it's just so ridiculously false and it arguably started the 2006 U2 backlash.
There's so many bands that do a ton more creative accounting than U2. They have for longer, charge much, much higher ticket prices and to top it all off, actually do advocate for the rest of us to drop DRAMATICALLY more in taxes to cover whatever their cause is. Bono has always been consistent on his view that public expenditure is vital, but can be achieved through re ordering of priorities versus massive increases in taxes.
People love to ignore the amount of money the band puts into various causes in Ireland. They are not publicity hounds on this, so we know they likely put in a lot more than makes the news. They also very happily pay personal income taxes, property taxes on homes and businesses and value added taxes in Ireland and don't throw out any "woe is me, I have money so I have to pay a lot in taxes" bullshit that so many other artists do.
dazzledbylight
Blue Crack Supplier
Nice comments on songs U2387
Recently "Hello, hello, I'm at a place called vertigo" has drifted into my conciousness.
I rejected it at first because I have experienced partial vertigo as a unexpected condition while (perhaps over) doing a certain set of arm exercises while recovering from ripped rotator cuff muscles. Scary.
So I'm thinking of it in psychological, metaphorical terms. Cause this has certainly turned our world around.
As far as The Blackout goes since you mentioned it (my most favorite among favs of SOE) getting to the part of.... "... dark, no fear. Who you are will appear", I'm thinking of in this case of dark as metaphorical danger for the real dangers of this virus, and how many people have risen to so many different acts of kindness, while a smaller number are acting with stupidity, selfishness, cruelty etc
And drumph is just acting half stupid, willfully ignorant, greedy, and often cruel as usual. No change there!
laz that's an interesting thought about U2 directing their money back to Ireland where they want it to go (vs typical taxes).
And yay for them stepping up.
Recently "Hello, hello, I'm at a place called vertigo" has drifted into my conciousness.
I rejected it at first because I have experienced partial vertigo as a unexpected condition while (perhaps over) doing a certain set of arm exercises while recovering from ripped rotator cuff muscles. Scary.
So I'm thinking of it in psychological, metaphorical terms. Cause this has certainly turned our world around.
As far as The Blackout goes since you mentioned it (my most favorite among favs of SOE) getting to the part of.... "... dark, no fear. Who you are will appear", I'm thinking of in this case of dark as metaphorical danger for the real dangers of this virus, and how many people have risen to so many different acts of kindness, while a smaller number are acting with stupidity, selfishness, cruelty etc
And drumph is just acting half stupid, willfully ignorant, greedy, and often cruel as usual. No change there!
laz that's an interesting thought about U2 directing their money back to Ireland where they want it to go (vs typical taxes).
And yay for them stepping up.
Last edited:
I mean the helplessness of Pop comes to mind and Wake Up Dead Man does hit hard these days.
I'm sure everyone hears music differently, but for me, if I'm feeling lost, confused, sad, what have you, I don't necessarily listen to music that reflects the exact opposite of that, i.e. happy, upbeat, dance, etc.
The First Time is just beautiful and is one of their finest songs. It really calms me down and keeps me at bay. Just a wonderful tune to lie down and listen to. U2 do ambient/dark/low-key very well, and Love Is All We Have Left, Your Blue Room, One Step Closer and Cedars of Lebanon showcase that side of them extremely well.
Overall, some great songs for these times for me would include: Moment of Surrender, Stuck in a Moment (a little corny, but that outro is moving), Please, 13 (There is a Light) and Electrical Storm.
I gravitate a bit more towards the music than lyrics, so it's the sound and melodies of these tracks that for whatever reason comfort me (if that makes sense).
I'm sure everyone hears music differently, but for me, if I'm feeling lost, confused, sad, what have you, I don't necessarily listen to music that reflects the exact opposite of that, i.e. happy, upbeat, dance, etc.
The First Time is just beautiful and is one of their finest songs. It really calms me down and keeps me at bay. Just a wonderful tune to lie down and listen to. U2 do ambient/dark/low-key very well, and Love Is All We Have Left, Your Blue Room, One Step Closer and Cedars of Lebanon showcase that side of them extremely well.
Overall, some great songs for these times for me would include: Moment of Surrender, Stuck in a Moment (a little corny, but that outro is moving), Please, 13 (There is a Light) and Electrical Storm.
I gravitate a bit more towards the music than lyrics, so it's the sound and melodies of these tracks that for whatever reason comfort me (if that makes sense).
Last edited:
Similar threads
- Locked
