Galeongirl
Galeonbroad
True, the memories are priceless, even though they were very short.
And I can always insult you on here to make up for it.
And I can always insult you on here to make up for it.
Zooropa Discussion (AKA We're Gonna Tweet Out Loud)
- Thread starter nirniva
- 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.
BoMac
Self-righteous bullshitter
Good. The city breathes a collective sigh of relief. Montreal is beautiful, and we don't need you to sully it.
namkcuR
ONE love, blood, life
What a pleasant surprise this is on an otherwise mundane afternoon! I had completely forgotten U2 was even playing any shows right now, it had completely escaped me that they were playing in South America, so I went on u2tours.com this afternoon just wanting to see the exact dates for the North American leg, and lo and behold I see a setlist from South America, I go to see if there are others, I see Even Better Than The Real Thing - which was sweet enough - and then Zooropa. I started "WHAT"-ing out loud to no one. This is one of my favorite U2 songs, I think it's an incredible rock song. It sounds great. So awesome. I hope they keep it in the set, and I hope the inclusion of both songs is an omen of things to come on the North American leg.
Aygo
Rock n' Roll Doggie
The only thing that confuses me is:
Why the hell did U2 ignore the european legs? And due to what's happening to europe and the desagregation of the EU... Why didn't U2 play "Zooropa" in... Europa?
Why the hell did U2 ignore the european legs? And due to what's happening to europe and the desagregation of the EU... Why didn't U2 play "Zooropa" in... Europa?
dan_smee
ONE love, blood, life
They didn't ignore the European legs?
Europe got North Star, Every Breaking Wave, Glastonbury, Return of the Stingray Guitar, Mercy and A Boy Falls From the Sky...
Don't complain
Aygo
Rock n' Roll Doggie
I'd rather have U2 taking advantage on their portfolio and making a clear political statement about today's Europe (specially when their own country is in trouble and on the group of those that are being put on "quarantine"), about what's happening here, and play "Zooropa" for europeans... Rather than "North Star" and rather than the same old pseudo-political messages (although refreshed in marketing to appeal to the crowds).
I remind that while U2 were playing in Europe, their country was weeks to go to have the intervention of the IFM because of what happened inside Ireland and outside in Europe.
But today's U2 are too much compromised with some of the issues that led Europe to what's happening today, and so, I think I understand why they choose not to play it here and make that statement.
achtung_girl
New Yorker
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yep, i read an interview with bono where he said they were going to play zooropa in europe but decided not to just to piss everyone off.
geez, just be glad they played it at all. so you didn't get to hear it live, neither did i. maybe they will play it in europe at some point.
djerdap
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
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If I had the choice really none of it I would like to hear...
Yep.
So basically, you're disappointed that you didn't get to see it?
Well, I think everyone on Interference would love to see Zooropa live in person so you're not alone.
coolian2
Blue Crack Supplier
don't bother, he's non-sensical at the best of times.
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
Why don't they have MY artistic vision, why couldn't they play the song that I wanted them to play, why don't they understand MY point of view? Why why why?
Galeongirl
Galeonbroad
How DARE he.
Aygo
Rock n' Roll Doggie
It's not a question of personal taste, it's not a question of personal requests. It's a question of U2 being a band with a high political charge since its beggining, and ignoring european shows, not taking advantage on what exists in their catalogue to make a statement about what's happening there... Specially in their country... In fact, it's curious how I haven't heard a single word from U2's members about what's happening in Ireland. It feeld like they're making a pact with it. It feels like they're numb.
It's a question of making a statement about situations or things or not. It's a question of hiting or missing opportunities. And U2 has been missing too much in the recent past.
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
It's always about YOUR personal taste.
U2 has seen the rise and fall of many economies and have hardly commented on such while always making human rights a number issue.
I find your complaint almost as odd as you thinking Zooropa is some kind of strong political song.
namkcuR
ONE love, blood, life
Zooropa has always seemed like a more philosophical/spiritual song than a political one, to me.
gareth brown
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
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YouTube - U2 - Zooropa Live Sao Paulo (Broadcast Audio)
SORRY, don't know if this multicam has been posted in the thread already or not but jesus christ, gives me the chills watching it! Bloody lucky crowds at both shows that heard it
fingers still crossed for glastonbury, and it's even making me drop the delusion that they might play Mofo there. i'm happy to be proven wrong by any further setlist surprises though 
SORRY, don't know if this multicam has been posted in the thread already or not but jesus christ, gives me the chills watching it! Bloody lucky crowds at both shows that heard it
fingers still crossed for glastonbury, and it's even making me drop the delusion that they might play Mofo there. i'm happy to be proven wrong by any further setlist surprises though
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
Exactly, it's a little social commentary but mostly a spiritual song. Honestly it's probably the most optimistic song of the 90's.
Aygo
Rock n' Roll Doggie
Unlike what you think, I always saw "Zooropa" as a very good portrait of what Europe is.
"Zooropa" is not optimistic at all!... Okay... «get your head out of the mud, baby» it is but... «uncertainty can be a guiding light» definitely is not optimistic. I'd see lines like this and others as an irony fitting on the portrait of what Europe always was and always will be: a puzzle of diametrical cultures that have strong and old love/hate relationships.
But even if "Zooropa" was an optimistic song, it would always be a missing chance for U2 to make a statement about it.
Just to finish, to reduce the "european present issue" to economics is not being aware of what's going on. It is, most of all, a political issue - propelled and wearing an economic and financial issue, but it is definitely a political issue. And I'm not only talking about Ireland's (or Portugal's) "bailout" (which is not, in fact). Have the media talked about what happened between Italy and France a few days ago? And about Greece vs Germany? And, and and...
"Zooropa" is just a mere example of U2's closed mouth as the metaphor for their lack of balls to take a look on their catalogue and make a clear political statement about something that can be as important as children dying from AIDS in Africa.
gareth brown
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
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okayyy....I never like over-analysing lyrics, but you've compelled me to! How can "uncertainty can be a guiding light" not be optimistic? It's like you're lost, unsure of where you are, what you're doing (sort of like U2 actually, if you want to attach it to where they were at the time. going even further into what, to them, was unexplored territory and coming out with (in my opinion) one of their VERY best albums) but that's the thrill of it! exploring, unsure what the hell you're going to find and coming out the other side.
the line before it, "Don't worry baby, it's gonna be alright" is re-assuring in itself and "uncertainty can be a guiding light" merely carries on from that. re-assuring whoever the line's addressing that things might not be clear or they're confusing but it's no bad thing and they can take it and run with it. like I said earlier, it (either directly or indirectly) reflects the band at the time quite nicely! never thought about it like that and it actually seems to set the tone for the whole album! another reason it's the best song on there...
anyway, everyone has their own different view on what lyrics mean to them so i'm not complaining about yours. just puzzled at how a line like that couldn't be optimistic
probably always will be my favourite U2 song so its quite nice to think of it on some other level..but yeah, jesus just reading that back makes me cringe a bit, remind me never to do this again.
the line before it, "Don't worry baby, it's gonna be alright" is re-assuring in itself and "uncertainty can be a guiding light" merely carries on from that. re-assuring whoever the line's addressing that things might not be clear or they're confusing but it's no bad thing and they can take it and run with it. like I said earlier, it (either directly or indirectly) reflects the band at the time quite nicely! never thought about it like that and it actually seems to set the tone for the whole album! another reason it's the best song on there...
anyway, everyone has their own different view on what lyrics mean to them so i'm not complaining about yours. just puzzled at how a line like that couldn't be optimistic
probably always will be my favourite U2 song so its quite nice to think of it on some other level..but yeah, jesus just reading that back makes me cringe a bit, remind me never to do this again.
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
All I have to say is
Dream out loud, flowers growing from mud, guiding lights I'm not sure what song you're listening to... To reduce Zooropa down to a political song about Europe is... well... short sighted. And to make the song an issue about how U2 is ignoring Europe is just flat out ridiculous.
And of course it's a political issue, but my point is that U2's never really gotten involved in these types of political issues. There's too much gray for a 4 minute song or a little stage banter to say anything about.
coolian2
Blue Crack Supplier
but the title is zooropa! it's talking about europe! it's so obvious!
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
cobl04
45:33
Have you ever listened to Radiohead? or The Cure? Two of the most optimistic bands going around.
Vlad n U 2
Blue Crack Addict
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Not to mention the Manic Street Preachers.
Aygo
Rock n' Roll Doggie
okayyy....I never like over-analysing lyrics, but you've compelled me to! How can "uncertainty can be a guiding light" not be optimistic? It's like you're lost, unsure of where you are, what you're doing (sort of like U2 actually, if you want to attach it to where they were at the time. going even further into what, to them, was unexplored territory and coming out with (in my opinion) one of their VERY best albums) but that's the thrill of it! exploring, unsure what the hell you're going to find and coming out the other side.
the line before it, "Don't worry baby, it's gonna be alright" is re-assuring in itself and "uncertainty can be a guiding light" merely carries on from that. re-assuring whoever the line's addressing that things might not be clear or they're confusing but it's no bad thing and they can take it and run with it. like I said earlier, it (either directly or indirectly) reflects the band at the time quite nicely! never thought about it like that and it actually seems to set the tone for the whole album! another reason it's the best song on there...
anyway, everyone has their own different view on what lyrics mean to them so i'm not complaining about yours. just puzzled at how a line like that couldn't be optimistic
probably always will be my favourite U2 song so its quite nice to think of it on some other level..but yeah, jesus just reading that back makes me cringe a bit, remind me never to do this again.
Because those lines in the lyrics carry sarcasm [IMO (not that I need to affirm it, but... IMO)]!!!
I can say "Don't worry baby, it'll be alright"... Not necessarily in a positive way. European poetry is FULL of this kind of textual games and constructions. That's the way I've always interpreted the song...
...Specially knowing the story of Europe: a continent of cultures that love/hate eachother and that were NEVER able to get a consensus or to reach union... Until recent story proved the opposite (although, the late events show that it was all theatre and that Europe is united... My ass!!!).
"Zooropa" [for me] is about Europe never having had a common way/universal purpose for those who compose it because it's in Europe's unconscious collective behaviour. That's what Bono's talking about that song, for me.
Go ahead, now you can call me crazy and say that I'm non-sensical all the time...
Galeongirl
Galeonbroad
Sometimes it's much more pleasant not to look further into things.
I think Zooropa's fucking awesome. The music is brilliant. I don't care what meaning it's supposed to have. :blissfully ignorant:
I think Zooropa's fucking awesome. The music is brilliant. I don't care what meaning it's supposed to have. :blissfully ignorant:
Popmartijn
Blue Crack Supplier
I have to say that I think that U2 never do any irony or sarcasm in their lyrics. Even in their "ironic" '90s their dress up might've been ironic, but the music never was. So also with Zooropa (the song) the lyrics are heartfelt.
Here's an interesting bit from the September 1993 issue of Q magazine, where Adam and The Edge discuss the songs of the Zooropa album:
That quote is still spot on today with regard to the situation in Europe. And you also make the link between the song and what's going on. The difference seems to be that U2 really do mean it as the beginning of a new idea ("And I don't know the limit, the limit of what we got", "Uncertainty can be a guiding light", "Dream out loud").
It's not what it is, it's what it can be.
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