Sunday, July 30, 2006

Blogging the Bono

I got this DVD for my birthday and finally sat down to watch it last night. As a big fan of U2, I really enjoy their live performance DVD's.

There were some bizarre moments when Bono delved off into politics by putting on a head band with a Muslim crescent, Jewish star and Christian cross. It took me a couple of times to understand it, but it spelled out co-exist with the crescent being the "C", the star being the "X" and the cross being the "T". He donned the head band while playing the song for Love and Peace or Else:

Lay down
Lay down your guns
All your daughters of Zion
All your Abraham sons

Baby don't fight
We can talk this thing through
It's not a big problem
It's just me and you
You can call or I'll phone
The TV is still on
But the sound is turned down
And the troops on the ground
Are about to dig in

And I wonder where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Love and peace


I noticed that he pointed to the crescent, star and cross with his longest finger and singing "Jesus, Jew, Muhammad". The 2nd time through, I think he realized he just flipped off three major religions and used his index finger instead. For those that have the DVD, this is during Sunday, Bloody Sunday almost exactly one hour into the concert. He then either had the bandana on his head or around his arm for the most of the concert.

Granted U2 is a very political band. Sometimes, I wish they would just shut up and sing. They have to be the best song-writing and performance band of my generation - hands down, bar none. Here is an example from One:

Did I ask too much?
More than a lot.
You gave me nothing,
Now it's all I got
We're one
But we're not the same
Well we
Hurt each other
Then we do it again
You say
Love is a temple
Love a higher law
Love is a temple
Love the higher law
You ask me to enter
But then you make me crawl
And I can't be holding on
To what you got
When all you got is hurt

One love
One blood
One life
You got to do what you should
One life
With each other
Sisters
Brothers
One life
But we're not the same
We get to
Carry each other
Carry each other

Of course, One is about the AIDS crisis, but the lyrics are unmistakable humanism at its best. Pride celebrates Dr. King's legacy during which Bono made a pitch for Africa relief. He dedicated Running to Standstill to the "brave men and women of the United States military." Running has the three best lyrical lines of all time:
You got to cry without weeping
Talk without speaking
Scream without raising your voice

The only songs I did not like on the whole DVD were Zoo Station and The Fly. Overall, it is a very good DVD. However, Go Home is better. Bono in front of his home crowd beats Bono in Chicago. Plus, this DVD did not have Kite or Walk On. Don't get me wrong, I would still buy it and watch it out of shear love of U2 and their music. I'll still import the songs to my iPod and listen to it repeatedly.

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