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| U2: Percussionist Larry Mullen Jr., Bassist Adam Clayton, Guitarits/Keyboardist The Edge, Vocalist/Guitarist Bono |
If you don't know what I'm talking about, then you must not have an Apple product because on September 9, Apple users woke up to a new album digitally released for free by U2 called Songs of Innocence. When I say 'digitally released,' I mean automatically stored in my music without my prior knowledge. If that doesn't make you wonder what kind of world we live in--a world where things can just be placed into my phone without me knowing--then I don't know what would scare you.
U2 is such an iconic band. They formed in 1976 in Dublin, when the boys were in their early teens. At that age, they had very little musical knowledge, but were convinced they could become a band because of all the punk rock influence they were exposed to. Somehow, they interpreted punk rock to mean lacking in musical proficiency, but I don't really think that's true.
They bounced around lots of band names like, The Hype and others, but finally settled with U2. The band got their break when they won a competition and got free studio time and a chance to show their music to CBS Ireland, a record company. Under that label, U2 released an EP and some singles that was only available in Ireland. Although they had some success, U2 didn't get the big break they were looking for until they signed onto Island Records.
The band has done 13 studio albums, but their most famous one is probably The Joshua Tree. It's the album with the songs "With or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," which are probably their most famous songs to date. Still, they've stayed true to their sound--well, except for that little interval in their career called Pop--and, over the years, have become famous for their anthem induced sound and dramatic vocals.
Which brings me to "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)." If you're wondering who Joey Ramone is, then let me tell you. Is the name The Ramones somewhat familiar? Joey Ramone was drummer turned vocalist for The Ramones. A co-founder of the band, he suggested the name The Ramones because Paul McCartney used the false name Paul Ramon when The Beatles were The Silver Beetles. It's said that Joey Ramone died to the song "In a Little While" by U2 after he lost his fight with lymphoma at the age of 49.
While speaking about Songs of Innocence, Bono praised this album as the most personal one U2 has ever done. I actually believe him because this song is so beautiful and honest. It just fits the U2 mold in terms of sound. It's dynamic and inspiring, with an interesting guitar hook and vocals that lilt unexpectedly. Bono is such a good vocalist because he has this precise way of singing that makes his voice sound both soothing and crisp.
The topic of this song is also a very beautiful tribute to Joey Ramone, a musician that has effected Bono's life the most. I listened to an interview with Bono on the radio and he had such great things to say about how Joey Ramone changed his life. You can hear Bono's devotion in the song's lyrics. He calls the moment he hears The Ramones for the first time as "the Miracle." The best lyric in this song is: "Heard a song that made some sense out of the world." And don't you ever hear songs that shake the very foundations of your being and think 'wow, this songwriter just gets me!'? To Bono, The Ramones helped him understand what was happening in his world.
We all have our own miracle moments. I think mine would be when I was in middle school watching Fall Out Boy on MTV. Inside. I know they're not the greatest band. but they helped me make sense of the world. They, and some of my other favorite bands from that period of my life, still do
To end, I'd like to ask: what was your miracle moment?
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Photo: factmag.com
Information: Wikipedia
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