HTDAAB and ....kids?!?

[jick]

I've got a nephew who is 8. He really really loves Vertigo. I can understand because it is a really catchy song and they really enjoyed the video (especially the part "no one gets hurt"). He already memorizes the lyrics and can sing to it.

Today he (and his siblings) visited my place. I told him I have the new album of U2. I told him to listen to it in my room while I had to go to my garage to repair some golf clubs. Then after an hour (and I wasn't done yet), he comes back to the garage and says he is done listening to it. I then told him I wasn't done working so just go back to my room and listen to it one more time. He obliges.

When I get back to my room from the garage, I catch him listening to A Man And A Woman (arghhh! the second worst song after Love And Peace). He said he likes that song. His favorites are City Of Blinding Lights and All Because Of You, but he also like Original Of The Species and Love And Peace. Of course he didn't give me the song titles, but just forwarded the tracks on my cd to indicate what he liked. The next thing I know, he is already singing "oh you look so beautiful"! I thought this is insane to have an 8-year old kid singing perhaps U2's next song masterpiece classic, but I just let him be.

Then he begs me for a copy of my cd. I tell him flat-out NO. He should wait for it to be out and should let his parents buy it for him. Anyway, I have a dilemna. I don't think he should be liking A Man And A Woman and Love And Peace because those are the two worst songs in the albums (but still good songs nonetheless). I also don't think he has any business singing City Of Blinding Lights because he is 8-years old, that song is way too deep for him. A band of 40-year olds aren't supposed to be for him. How do I tell him that U2's music isn't for him? Or should I tell him at all?

I know HTDAAB is a great album with profound lyrics. But I never knew U2 also designed it with kids in mind. 8-year olds aren't supposed to like that album.

Oh well, sorry for this long rant. I just thought you'd find this story interesting.

Cheers,

J

 

[Mark Freedman]

Interesting, yes, but more for your reaction than for an 8-year old liking U2.

AM&AW is very good, and you really should not be telling people what they should like -- even children.

You do love a controversy, don't you, J?

 

[Mark Freedman]

Also, don't you think it's hypocritical of you to have the CD but tell him he can't have it? What lesson is that teaching a kid?

 

[paulrg]

Maybe he is an ultra-hi-IQ 8 year old !

One of the powerful things about U2 is it is multi-dimensional. Teens can start getting into the depth of the lyrics and there is no doubt that U2 helped me through my adolescence. Younger kids and even Jessica Simpson fans can find something in the sound of the music - the melody line that turns them on. It does not surprise me your nephew likes COBL as it has a very uplifting intro that could certainly appeal to a youngster. Shit the first album I remember listening to and really enjoying was Abba (BUT I WAS ONLY FIVE I hasten to add).

P.S. Also when Vertigo was first doing the rounds someone here posted that their 3 year old was singing "Hello Hello"

 

[jick]

Interesting, yes, but more for your reaction than for an 8-year old liking U2.

AM&AW is very good, and you really should not be telling people what they should like -- even children.

You do love a controversy, don't you, J?

Actually I won't tell him. That was just a rhetorical question. I'm just happy that someone from the next generation of my family tree loves U2. He is my favorite nephew. When he was 5, he did love Beautiful Day and Stuck In A Moment -but I don't understand why he couldn't really get into Walk On. But I found it cool to have an 8-year old listen to the entire album two times straight! That's hard to do, usually kids just love visual stuff like cartoons, but to listen for close to two hours to music totally new to him, that's something special.

Cheers,

J

 

[Aardvark747]

Quite an uplifting post from you Jick!

 

[Mark Freedman]

It's great that U2 is multi-generational. I didn't really get heavily into music until I was 14. Everyone, including kids, have their own unique tastes and opinions. I don't understand why he wouldn't like Walk On, either , but each to their own.

 

[Mark Freedman]

Just out of curiousity jick, if he asked you why you could have the CD before it was out, but he can't, how would you explain it to him? I'm not sure I would know how, myself.

 

[jick]

Also, don't you think it's hypocritical of you to have the CD but tell him he can't have it? What lesson is that teaching a kid?

I told him I can't make him a copy because he wouldn't buy the original if he already had a copy. I told him U2 worked hard to make those songs and if you buy the original, then you will support U2. I also told him I got these off the internet but that I will buy the original when it comes out. BUT, the real reason why I won't make a cd for him is because there is no occassion (Xmas or Birthday), and his siblings are a jealous bunch. Kids love to compare themselves, and his siblings might wonder why I gave him something and not them.

But I think I will make him a cd over the weekend. The cd I let him listen had a 12th track which was Are You Gonna Wait Forever. When I told him it wont be in the album, he told me he wants me to make him a copy of the cd with that song and with Mercy (which he heard in my computer). I asked him, what about Neon Lights? He said "no, it's the most boring U2 song ever!"

I never quite share moments of my personal life here in this forum. But I just found this moment with my nephew quite amusing and special. An 8-year old kid alone in the room listening to HTDAAB twice and picking his favorite songs! Wow! I was actually floored by that. And has he was leaving the house on the way out, he was singing "oh you look so beautiful tonight."

Cheers,

J

 

[Lo-Fi]

I was 10 years old when I fell in love with The Joshua Tree, sure I didn't get a lot of it, but I loved it's sound and I grew up and then got the rest of it.

You shouldn't stifle your nephew's taste in music. If he likes LAPOE and AMAW let him listen to them and love them (personally I think he's got great taste, those two are personal favourites as well!).

It doesn't matter if he 'get's' them right now, hopefully it'll be a record he'll grow up with and as he matures he'll get where the songs are coming from lyrically, right now, just let him enjoy the melodies and killer hooks!

 

[Mark Freedman]

Cool. I'm picturing little kids saving up their pennies and nickels to buy a U2 CD -- wouldn't that be great?

Well, it looks like he has great taste in music.

 

[jick]

I was 10 years old when I fell in love with The Joshua Tree, sure I didn't get a lot of it, but I loved it's sound and I grew up and then got the rest of it.

You shouldn't stifle your nephew's taste in music. If he likes LAPOE and AMAW let him listen to them and love them (personally I think he's got great taste, those two are personal favourites as well!).

It doesn't matter if he 'get's' them right now, hopefully it'll be a record he'll grow up with and as he matures he'll get where the songs are coming from lyrically, right now, just let him enjoy the melodies and killer hooks!

As I said, I was just kidding about the stifling with his tastes bit. I am quite happy he likes U2, just like his favorite uncle does.

Cheers,

J

 

[jick]

Cool. I'm picturing little kids saving up their pennies and nickels to buy a U2 CD -- wouldn't that be great?

Well, it looks like he has great taste in music.

I think his taste could use a little bit more improvement.

He didn't single out Miracle Drug or SYCMIOYO when he told me what songs he liked.

He never mentioned liking Walk On, during the time he liked BD and Stuck In A Moment.

He thinks Neon Lights is boring.

But hey, I don't think you can ask much from an 8-year old kid!

Cheers,

J

 

[bonolady]

My girls, 7 and 10 years old just love teh band.....they love them even more after they've met Bono this summer !!!

 

[dandy]

for what it's worth, i was 8 when i fell in love with 'bad'. too young to understand the depth of the song, but not too young to appreciate great music.

give the kid a copy of the cd. convert him while he's young, he'll thank you for it later.

singing along to 'city of blinding lights'--priceless!

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

U2 is for everyone. You should be quite happy.

And maybe the kid's right about LAPOE, you should let it grow...

I think the only song that would concern me if the kid were singing along to would be Wake Up Dead Man.

 

[ZeroDude]

i became a fan at 13 after hearing Beautiful Day, now i'm really into music, i say go on Jick's Nephew take it to the man!!!!!!!!

 

[ramblin rose]

Last night I asked my 13 year old niece what her favorite song was and her immediate response was A Man and A Woman.

It actually made me very happy because it's one of my favorites also.

 

[zoopop]

My 7 year old nephew LOVES Vertigo. I played him a few other tracks but is so stuck on Vertigo. Thats cool your nephew likes "City of Blinding Lights". I think anyone who likes U2 digs that song. It has a great pace or rhythm to it.

 

[ADecentMelody]

J,

That's a great story about your nephew. Seriously, I wouldn't suppress any songs from them even if they're songs you don't fancy yourself. Each individual (be it a kid or an adult) connect to specific songs in different ways. You may argue that this kid is too young to have a deep attachment to a more adult oriented song, but I would argue the opposite. We attach ourselves to songs emotionally, melodically, etc. in our own ways. I've had these attachments to music even from a young age and so I relate to your nephew a bit. I was also attached to these songs that were not necessarily the popular choice amongst my friends. I only realized later, when I finally understood the underlying themes, how adult oriented they were.

It's good to foster good music amongst the kids, especially U2. In time, when their understanding of the world expands, their understanding of the deeper meaning of the songs expands as well. This is the natural progression of a song (or a band) taking root in a person early and stays with them forever. It becomes tied to your memory and is the backdrop of great reminiscence.

To make a long post short, let him listen to the album!

 

[jick]

Problem solved. I figured out how to give him a cd-r copy of HTDAAB without making his siblings jealous. Thanks to starting this post, I got my creative thinking back in gear.

It turns out I still owe him a golf ball I promised him for beating my golf score on one hole (for the first time in his life). So when I see him again (perhaps tomorrow), I'll tell him that I'll give him a cd in lieu of the ball. And besides, his siblings won't get jealous because they know I owe him a golf ball.

The cd-r copy I burned I made my own artwork on it by hand. I think he will appreciate it. I also included are you gonna wait forever and mercy just as he requested and excluded his all-time most boring U2 song - neon lights.

And as I said for the nth time, I was just joking about supressing music from him!

Oh another great story, my nephew's younger bro who is 7 years old also like Vertigo. And when the part "I can send a feast" came in, he told me - "hey listen, the guitar here just sounds the same as how Edge did it in the Batman cartoons." Of course, as soon as the first episode of The Batman aired, I told me nehpews to watch and proudly declared that it was the Edge who did the opening part. But I just found it amusing how my other nephew could make the connection with the Vertigo guitar and the Batman guitar.

Cheers,

J

 

[gvox]

As a parent of a 9 and 5 y/o who have already heard the entire album and know half of it to sing it, all I can say is:

Good god, what a silly thread.

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

Another hilarious Jick topic!!

 

[jick]

To those who may have been following this thread, I gave my nephew a copy of the cd today. I told him to rank his top 3, and he said in this order: 1. Miracle Drug, 2. City Of Blinding Lights, 3. Vertigo

That's probably my own order I'd rank it with! Talk about being the same soul (ala SYCMIOYO). But I think he got into Miracle Drug when I explained to him the story behind it.

Cheers,

J

 

[ZeroDude]

Whats he think about the slide solo?

 

[u2valleygirl]

My four year old loves COBL.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

My daughter (4) is playing make belief ballet to City... . My son (2) looks like he's going to trash a house to Vertigo.

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

Jick, you are an example of what Bono meant when he wrote: "We're one, but we're not the same."

Unity is good, but difference is the key.

Burn the kid a copy and then buy him an original.

(LOl, just read the rest of the thread, good call.)

 

[dandy]

My daughter (4) is playing make belief ballet to City... . My son (2) looks like he's going to trash a house to Vertigo.

 

[The Sage]

Strangely enough, my brother, who has absolutely no musical taste has said he really likes Vertigo...maybe there is salvation for the music industry possible after all...