Bono and Bruce Springsteen

[pax]

I've noticed that there tends to be some overlap (and I'll stress SOME here--I know that not every U2 fan likes Bruce, and some probably even totally hate him, so fwiw) between U2 fans and Bruce Springsteen fans, and I was giving this some thought last night while listening to Born to Run. One thing I think Bruce and Bono have in common, as lyricists, is that they can write songs that are very sensual, even explicitly sexual, and at the same time not be demeaning to women in their songs. Think of a song like Springsteen's "Secret Garden," a beautiful song which at first glance might not even be about anything sexual (but definitely could be), and compare it to something like "Promenade" or "If You Wear That Velvet Dress." Bono can do the same thing as a songwriter; that is, write songs that are definitely what I, at least, would call "sexy," but at the same time they're poetic and even reverent in their tones.

There are other similarities, obviously, and I'm mostly riffing here on how women are presented in both men's songs, but I guess I'd be interested in hearing:

1.) if I'm right about the overlap between Springsteen and U2 fans;
2.) if people think I'm on the right track about Bono and Bruce as lyricists;
3.) if people agree (or disagree) with how women and sex tend to be presented in both U2 and Springsteen tunes.

Discuss.

 

[Aardvark747]

Im def. with you on point 2. I've always thought that about Bono's song-writing. Certainly many songs can have a deeper, sexual meaning to them, like the one's you've mentioned, but without being insulting or sounding horrible!
I've just started listening to Bruce a lot more, and in a couple of tracks I can certainly make out the same kind of thing.

 

[U2Kitten]

Maybe I'm weird, but I can't stand Bruce, or his voice, never could. I think he's waaay overrated. I don't see any connections between the voices or the songwriting style. Maybe those who love Bruce see something I don't. But then again, I don't really see any comparisons between U2 and anybody, they seem in a category by themselves (IMO)

 

[martha]

pax, you're dead on on all three counts. That's why both of them are so important to me as artists.

They both love women in all sorts of ways.

If I were less exhausted, I'd comment more, but maybe later.

 

[pax]

pax, you're dead on on all three counts. That's why both of them are so important to me as artists.

They both love women in all sorts of ways.

If I were less exhausted, I'd comment more, but maybe later.

Please do!

 

[Marusa]

pax...I couldn't agree more....u reminded me once again why Bruce is my second favourite artist


as lyricists they have a lot in common....although Bono tends to use a lot more metaphors (I think) but both are very sensual...
I mean u just need Born to run or Thunder road to find this out..

 

[glenn]

Maybe I'm weird, but I can't stand Bruce, or his voice, never could. I think he's waaay overrated. I don't see any connections between the voices or the songwriting style. Maybe those who love Bruce see something I don't.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Good points pax, I agree. One main reason I like both is the respect they show for women, both personally and in their lyrics. At the same time they can both be very sexy and suggestive in a classy way.

I haven't heard the song, but I think Reno from the new Bruce album is what gave it a parental advisory sticker. So he can write some raunchy lyrics

I also think maybe Bono and Bruce have their tricky relationships w/ their fathers in common, and have both written lyrics related to that and spoken about that.

There are plenty of Bruce fans who can't stand U2 or Bono, c'est la vie

 

[bsp77]

I can understand how some Bruce fans wouldn't like U2, but I cannot understand how ANYONE could not like Bruce at least somewhat. I am a bigger fan of U2, but Bruce just seems universal.

 

[Bono's shades]

Yay! A U2 and Bruce thread!

I've been a Springsteen fan even longer than I've been a U2 fan, but once I heard U2, Bruce kind of took second place with me. I still love him to death, however.

I've always thought they were very much alike and yet very similar. It's hard to put the similarity into words. I guess it's the idealism and open-heartedness they both have.

Women and romantic relationships - that's another similarity. I'm not sure Bruce mixes up women and God as Bono says he does in Mysterious Ways and songs like that, but I love the fact that both men write so honestly and yet so beautifully and respectfully about love and sex.

I've noticed lately that Bruce seems to be writing more songs with a spiritual element - like the new single, Devils and Dust. I thought the lyrics sounded like something Bono might write!

To me the main difference between them is Bruce, even though he writes some very poetic lyrics, is more of a straightforward storyteller while Bono's lyrics can mean so many different things depending on how you interpret them.

 

[phanan]

U2 and Bruce Springsteen are my two favorite artists.

It's very apparent that both Bono and Bruce adore women, but Bruce has been, I think, writing about them in some fashion or another a lot more. Tunnel Of Love, a vastly underrated album, is a terrific example of Bruce exploring relationships with women, obviously inspired by his short-lived marriage at the time.

His early 90's albums, Human Touch and Lucky Town, carry on the same themes, although perhaps less successfully. But even since then, he still writes songs geared towards women, such as Secret Garden and The Fuse. I love The Fuse myself, and how he and his wife sing that song with such feeling. Strong sexual overtones in that one.

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

I don't know why but I could never put my finger in what exactly is that they have in common but I always thought they had a lot in common. Just can't really express in words. It's like they can really take a feeling and turn it into a song and turn that song almost into some kind of religious experience, like a gospel song (but rock n'roll). Bono is very much ifluenced by The Boss me thinks.

 

[pax]

Still waiting for Martha to weigh in...

 

[Irvine511]

1.) if I'm right about the overlap between Springsteen and U2 fans;
2.) if people think I'm on the right track about Bono and Bruce as lyricists;
3.) if people agree (or disagree) with how women and sex tend to be presented in both U2 and Springsteen tunes.

Discuss.

i'm at work, and will weigh in with more, perhaps much more, later (since i went to college with rabid bruce fans, and we've had endless arguments/discussions about Bono v. Bruce).

1. yes, huge. i'm one. i worship both, but for different reasons.

2. yes, in that they're both complex and nuanced lyricists; but Bono writes about the abstract, Bruce writes about the tangible

3. actually, i sort of disagree -- i think there's a generation gap, especially when you look at some of Bruce's bawdier stuff from the 1970s.

more later.

 

[sonofabono]

its going to be a great year for both!roll on the albert hall and then twickenham!!!

 

[BassTrap82]

Bruce is cool!

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Abby, I just saw this thread.

Bruce and U2


I agree with you on all points made.

 

[martha]

Still waiting for Martha to weigh in...

zzzzzzzzzz...........

I'm working on it.

Maybe after I see Bruce on May 2 I'll have more to say.

 

[pax]

The music store was already out of Devils and Dust when I went at lunchtime yesterday. and I didn't have time to go anywhere else. 'Twill have to wait until the weekend.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Oh great, you're kidding me.

I was waiting till tomorrow when my friend and I went to Borders.

 

[elevation2u]

i got my cd in the mail on monday

 

[starsgoblue]

I think it's fairly obvious I admire both of Bono and Bruce's assests.....*cough cough*

No, but seriously....I love both U2 and Bruce's music. I think a large part of maybe at least just my generation is missing out. Most people my age only know of the most obvious U2 songs (With Or Without You, Sweetest Thing, etc) and the same goes for Bruce (Dancing In The Dark, Born In The USA). I think any of us here can agree those songs don't even scratch the surface. There is alot of songs about faith, love, self...songs that anyone can relate to and feel. And I love the way both groups do it.

 

[greenlantern]

...some tension at the Rock and Roll HofF induction ceremony methinks, apparently resolved by 4 am over a few quarts of beer....am i the only one to hear it

 

[phanan]

I didn't hear anything about any tension. From what I understood, Bruce and Bono (with Ally and Patti, I believe), hung out at the hotel bar after the ceremony and proceeded to get plastered pretty good.

 

[greenlantern]

I was referring to the "Born In the USA, my arse" comments, subsequently purged.

 

[phanan]

That part was quite funny.

 

[financeguy]

Anyone hear the rumour about Springsteen playing with U2 in Dublin (after show invite-only gig, I'm told)?

Does this fit in with Bruce's schedule, i.e., if he's not scheduled for anything else Jun 24-26, maybe there could be something in it?

 

[martha]

I was referring to the "Born In the USA, my arse" comments, subsequently purged.

Purged from what? The comment was in the tape shown several days after the event, the comment was complimentary in context, and they've all been friends for years.

Everyone wants drama.

 

[phanan]

Anyone hear the rumour about Springsteen playing with U2 in Dublin (after show invite-only gig, I'm told)?

Does this fit in with Bruce's schedule, i.e., if he's not scheduled for anything else Jun 24-26, maybe there could be something in it?

Bruce has a show in Dublin on May 24, so I'm not sure. His European leg ends June 25 in Stockholm, so I guess there is always the possibility of stopping in Dublin again on the way back home.

There's a better chance they could hook up in Jersey, as U2 is there on May 17 and 18 and Bruce has a show on May 19.

 

[oliveu2cm]

Regarding their similarity in lyrics, I think they write about a lot of the same themes- struggle, triumph, death, redemption, communion, love, confusion, desire, woman. But I think they write about them, for the most part, in different ways. Bruce uses a lot more physical human images, usually to do with skin, touch, taste, tongue, kiss, as well as water, river, fire. Bono does not write the same way- he uses more earth physical images, like desert, trees, stars, moon, wind, rain. Bruce uses more women's names in his songs, while I don't think Bono has ever done this. Both methods produce beautiful results. Bruce's lyrics are pretty damn sexy, I have to admit. I would do just about anything for the way he sings "For You" live.

Just my thoughts as I've been thinking about this thread a lot. I wrote to a friend about their similarities/differences a while back, but I can't find that email. I study Bono's lyrics pretty seriously, and have only been doing so with Bruce for a year or so now, but I am not as intimate with his words as Bono's. I've seen both bands live, and in their full glory. They both produce absolutely amazing thrilling shows, that are somehow totally different. I couldn't say which show was better- the energy really was very different. Amazing artists.