U2
"Faith is taking that first step
even when you cannot see the
whole staircase."
MLK
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3rd grade. Standing in line waiting to return to the classroom from lunch. Walkman on. 93.7. "Two Hearts Beat as One," begins. Suddenly I was standing on a mountaintop beside God. I'd heard of U2 before, but that was the first time I was having them piped into my ears solely in a room full of 100 grammar schoolers. It felt like the world stopped and a love had just been born.
Then cable television blew across America along with it: MTV. That was a marvelous time for music-The 80's. Feels like it was the best of all within the evolution of music. I am sure every music lover feels that way about whatever decade they began to grow up in(If so, here's mine). As MTV became the ultimate game changer in the world of music, U2 was right in the middle of it. The world saw bands performing on television before, but now it was obviously videos that were being showcased, categorized, and repeated with scrutiny. You could now watch the bands you liked in this sort of theatrical medium with costumes and makeup.
The music actually began to develop quite the mystique. The videos had to have a director of some sort and it was through their eyes that caused us to change how we felt about the actual music. We weren't just listening anymore...we were watching with an intentional anticipation. It wasn't just audio...now it was visual. It is very important to discuss MTV because it was a definitive factor in the worldwide musical phenomenon we call U2.
Due to their prolific and almost god-like influence over millions of music fans, it is a given that they have been interviewed, analyzed, criticized, and possibly ostracized for their global effect on millions of human beings. I intend on discussing their musical efforts(albums) and accomplishments, but my words will describe(as in all my posts) what their music means to me...personally and the inspiration and sometimes inadvertant guidance that it has provided me over the years.
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Bono Vox-lead vocals, lyricist
The Edge-lead guitar, lyricist
Larry Mullen, Jr.-drums
Adam Clayton-Bass
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What I find kind of amusing is that not until I was older did I first hear someone describe them as a Christian rock band. I knew what that meant, but never thought of U2 as that. I could decipher some of their lyrics that definitely pointed towards some version of a faith, but it just didn't seem really in the foreground at all...I mean as the only topic. I just thought that they were a bunch of guys who believed in God(as many do) and drew strength and determination from that belief to use their creativity as a catalyst for addressing other pressing worldy issues. Seen. I do not find them evangelistic, bombastic, or any of the like. They are taking their particular faiths and channeling them into their art with love and soul to form an artistic expression. I don't think they say believe this, believe that...they are saying this is what I believe.
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The Music
I read one critic once break down what he thought were U2's masterpieces. Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby, Zooropa? Whaaaaaaaaaaaat? Really? How in the dark are you? I wondered. Are you just a writer who happens to like music? Or are you a music fanatic who happens to be a writer?
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The Masterpieces
Boy
Sometimes when one develops a deep admiration for something(music in this case) it can penetrate the subconcious with its meaning wherein only the two can agree on its effect. "Boy," U2's debut album focuses on themes of adolescence and the frustrations that that era of one's life can present. I suppose my subconcious strongly related to these ideas, thoughts, and feelings quite actually without my complete knowledge. This is my favorite U2 album. Perhaps not their best, but nevertheless one I will always cherish. It's classics include, "I Will Follow," Out of Control," and "Electric Co."
The Unforgettable Fire
In my opinion this is U2's absolute masterpiece. It is quintessential U2. If there is a U2 fan out there somewhere who doesn't like this album, they are not a real fan. This is the album where when recorded U2 had already generated a large following and upon its release sent them to the edge of what seemed like a volcano about to erupt...its lava on the brink of umleashing itself onto the earth taking out anything in its path.(hence, the name?)
This one employed different producers than previous albums. "Boy, October, and War" were more in the rock genre. Unforgettable Fire began production with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois who were known for their deeply lush instrumentational brilliance and soothing vocalities. Maybe U2 in the mid-80's and deeply rooted in their rock-nuances were about to shock fans with such a dramatic turn of style, however, I believe it was these producers who as only bonafide musicians could-saw in these lads something reflected in themselves which was a genuine talent that necessitated ALL possible avenues of musical creation. As well as the grace of God. Hallelujah. U.Fire's most well known tracks include, "Pride(In The Name of Love), Sort of Homecoming, and Bad."
The Joshua Tree
JT saw the retainment of Eno and Lanois. Rightly so. Apparently the group felt comfortable with these two overseeing the development of their art. Undoubtedly U2's most recognized work, it still didn't resonate with alot of their fans. The diehards found it way too stylistic of pop music. Looking back I think I was one of those diehards who were almost resentful that they had entered the realm of pop superstardom. It was like where were our rebellious and controversial boys from Dublin who sang about the trials and tribulations in Ireland and the rest of the world? Alot of us just didn't quite get it...these la-ti-da songs. They were labeled as sellouts and lost a large part of one particular area of their fan base only to gain another...the pop fan. At any rate, for the band as artists I believe it is still a masterpiece...pop-ish or not.
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"The swift don't win the race.
It goes to the worthy,
who can divide
the word of truth."
Bob Dylan
