Ok guys - get ready. we've (Me & Mr. G) just been up the garden and had a barbeQ. weather in UK not too bad for once. I'm just going to go and do the washing up and when I've done that I'm going to come back and give you my thoughts on 'Smile'.
Watch this space - won't be long.
I really wish I hadn't agreed to this.
Do you know I had to get up in class and discuss Shakespeare when I was at school. It wasn't easy, but I think he was quite transparent in what he was trying to say.
Unlike our pal Bono who tries to make a puzzle out of everything and challenges you to decipher it. I'm going to explain the picture that comes across to me from this song. Please bear in mind that the picture I have could be complete rubbish. But I think that the talent of Shakespeare was that he could convey a picture or a story in the minimum of words and the listener had complete understanding of what he was trying to get across to them. Bono's talent is the exact opposite. He has several aspects of his thoughts summarized in one song e.g. 'she' (the lover) (the female god) (himself). I only mention this to get me out of any misunderstanding that I may have of the song. It's a disclaimer if you like.
Anyway - here goes. --
One of the reasons why I think that my ideas about the meaning of this song is correct is because I know that the song was cut from the final release of 'HTDAAB' and I know that Bono had commented that the album could have been titled 'How to dismantle an atomic Bob'. (Bob Hewson)
Apparently Bono needed to make this album after the death of his father to release from his system a lot of the troubled feeelings he had about the relationship with his father.
the song 'SYCMOYO' is part of this, but I think a brighter element than this song.
This song is expressing the relationship between Bono & his father when he was young and felt he had to take steps to get out of the rut of everyday life in Dublin.
Anyway.
' Gravity is not pulling me
I won't be a picture with no sign
Decaying I'm praying
You are my abbot
I need the ground to kneel upon
And love can't be your song
I don't want to see you smile'
Gravity is not pulling me. - (Don't hold me back)
He will not be without a purpose and needs something firm to believe in
'I don't want to see you smile' - I think that this actually means that his dad mocked him for trying to do the impossible.
I started light-hearted
It won't be easy like you said
I'm going flowing
I'm leaving on the day of the dead
I will never get you will never get
I don't want to see you smile
Not sure but it may be that he is saying that he knows that his is right and ok it's a crazy idea to try and make a living out of music but he's going anyway (maybe on 31st October??) - I'm leaving on the day of the dead
I don't want to see you smile ---( But please don't take the piss.)
God knows it knows it
Knows it knows it
You sing
Hear me love
Sing it again
Going out blind
The smoke machine is yours not mine
I don't want to see you smile
This seems quite easy 'You sing' - his dad always sung the opera and loved it. He is trying to ask him to listen to him. 'The smoke machine is yours not mine' - As smoke machine on stage but it's you that can't see the reason I want to do what I'm going to do.
Q - Did anyone see Bono cry when he sun the operatic part in Miss Sarejevo??
This is why. He knew that finally he could have complete respect from his dad that he never had when he was alive.
Sorry to be a bit morbid guys. Goodnight & Godbless xx
Look at all this dust...anyway, I don't think this round table can ever work as it did before, unless the new members are really interested...but I thought maybe we could rename the topic to "Lyrics Discussion" or have a new topic called that, for whenever someone has questions on MoL or wants to discuss some of the lyrics...that's up to the crew anyway...
Recently I've been trying to make sense of the lyrics for COBL, will post about it soon for whoever is interested
Look at all this dust...anyway, I don't think this round table can ever work as it did before, unless the new members are really interested...but I thought maybe we could rename the topic to "Lyrics Discussion" or have a new topic called that, for whenever someone has questions on MoL or wants to discuss some of the lyrics...that's up to the crew anyway...
Recently I've been trying to make sense of the lyrics for COBL, will post about it soon for whoever is interested
Here we go, give me comments, tell me what you think
First, let's consider this quote by Bono, from TOTP:
Originally posted by Bono:
'This next song is about how we used to come to cities like London and New York when we were younger and naïve and how over time our innocence has disappeared and how experience has kind of kicked in especially when you're smoking 40 cigarettes.' He added: 'We played this amazing show after September 11 and we remember all these blinding lights after playing Where The Streets Have No Name. People were crying and it was an amazing thing to see.'
This here shows the main theme of the song, it's talking about lost innocence due to experience and too much knowledge...it's a bit like what OOTS talks about:
The more you see the less you know
The less you find out as you go
I knew much more then than I do now
When we see more of this world, we notice how little we know about it, the other two lines carry the same idea...it's what happens with science, you find an answer to a question, the answer brings 10 more questions with it!
Neon heart, dayglo eyes
A city lit by fireflies
They're advertising in the skies
For people like us
The first line refers to what I said above, our feelings are taken away from us...we have a Neon heart, dayglo eyes...it's all too mechanical, too much like robots...little feelings in it. But....the city is still lit by fireflies...by natural stuff, some of us might have lost our innocence and deeper feelings, but the world is still natural...and I guess "they're advertising in the skies for people like us" could mean that we, the people who have noticed this change, are supported by god or that people are praying for this world to remain natural, as if they're advertising for us in the skies!
And I miss you when you're not around
I'm getting ready to leave the ground
Oh you look so beautiful tonight
In the city of blinding lights
In the chorus, "you" refers to the lost innocence, to deeper feelings, to man's now lost natural life. 1st line, he misses the innocence, he's therefore ready to die (2nd line), 3rd and 4th need some explaining...
Remember Bono's quote above, when he played the post 9/11 concert in NY, when he saw those crying people during 'Streets', he saw that innocence in their faces, return to deepers feelings...so, he saw the "you" mentioned above in their faces, therefore, "you" look so beautiful tonight, in NY.
Don't look before you laugh
Look ugly in a photograph
Flash bulbs purple irises
The camera can't see
he's asking the listener to be him/herself, to let go...don't look before you laugh (people who care so much about who might see them laugh, that look around before they can freely laugh) , look ugly in a photograph (don't try to look good when taking photos, be yourself, even if you think you'll look ugly!)...I need help with the last two lines tho
I've seen you walk unafraid
I've seen you in the clothes you made
Can you see the beauty inside of me?
What happened to the beauty I had inside of me?
First 2 lines, he remembers when the listener was free of daily matters and occupations, when he/she wasn't afraid to do anything and didn't care what others thought of him/her (he/she would wear whatever he/she had, not something special to look good).
In the second 2 lines, Bono has doubts about his own innocence, he asks if it's still there, if it can be seen?
The chorus again...
Time... time
Time... time
Time won't leave me as I am
But time won't take the boy out of this man
He leaves his doubts, he's sure that he still has that inner beauty, time will change him, but won't take the innocent boy out of him.
The more you know the less you feel
Some pray for others steal
Blessings not just for the ones who kneel.... luckily
1st line is the whole idea behind this song, the more experience and knowledge you have, the less you will feel, things will be too scientific for you to have deeper meaning and cause deeper feelings.
2nd line, some people pray, because others steal, not because there is a God they love and want to worship, they pray just to save their asses (again, less deep stuff, more superficial, everything must have a logical reason)
3rd line, is clear, with all that's been said and the way people act towards God (pray for others steal), still God's blessings cover everyone, not just the ones who kneel for him...which is of course a lucky thing for all of us!
Look at all this dust...anyway, I don't think this round table can ever work as it did before, unless the new members are really interested...but I thought maybe we could rename the topic to "Lyrics Discussion" or have a new topic called that, for whenever someone has questions on MoL or wants to discuss some of the lyrics...that's up to the crew anyway...
Recently I've been trying to make sense of the lyrics for COBL, will post about it soon for whoever is interested
Here we go, give me comments, tell me what you think
First, let's consider this quote by Bono, from TOTP:
[..]
This here shows the main theme of the song, it's talking about lost innocence due to experience and too much knowledge...it's a bit like what OOTS talks about:
The more you see the less you know
The less you find out as you go
I knew much more then than I do now
When we see more of this world, we notice how little we know about it, the other two lines carry the same idea...it's what happens with science, you find an answer to a question, the answer brings 10 more questions with it!
Neon heart, dayglo eyes
A city lit by fireflies
They're advertising in the skies
For people like us
The first line refers to what I said above, our feelings are taken away from us...we have a Neon heart, dayglo eyes...it's all too mechanical, too much like robots...little feelings in it. But....the city is still lit by fireflies...by natural stuff, some of us might have lost our innocence and deeper feelings, but the world is still natural...and I guess "they're advertising in the skies for people like us" could mean that we, the people who have noticed this change, are supported by god or that people are praying for this world to remain natural, as if they're advertising for us in the skies!
And I miss you when you're not around
I'm getting ready to leave the ground
Oh you look so beautiful tonight
In the city of blinding lights
In the chorus, "you" refers to the lost innocence, to deeper feelings, to man's now lost natural life. 1st line, he misses the innocence, he's therefore ready to die (2nd line), 3rd and 4th need some explaining...
Remember Bono's quote above, when he played the post 9/11 concert in NY, when he saw those crying people during 'Streets', he saw that innocence in their faces, return to deepers feelings...so, he saw the "you" mentioned above in their faces, therefore, "you" look so beautiful tonight, in NY.
Don't look before you laugh
Look ugly in a photograph
Flash bulbs purple irises
The camera can't see
he's asking the listener to be him/herself, to let go...don't look before you laugh (people who care so much about who might see them laugh, that look around before they can freely laugh) , look ugly in a photograph (don't try to look good when taking photos, be yourself, even if you think you'll look ugly!)...I need help with the last two lines tho
I've seen you walk unafraid
I've seen you in the clothes you made
Can you see the beauty inside of me?
What happened to the beauty I had inside of me?
First 2 lines, he remembers when the listener was free of daily matters and occupations, when he/she wasn't afraid to do anything and didn't care what others thought of him/her (he/she would wear whatever he/she had, not something special to look good).
In the second 2 lines, Bono has doubts about his own innocence, he asks if it's still there, if it can be seen?
The chorus again...
Time... time
Time... time
Time won't leave me as I am
But time won't take the boy out of this man
He leaves his doubts, he's sure that he still has that inner beauty, time will change him, but won't take the innocent boy out of him.
The more you know the less you feel
Some pray for others steal
Blessings not just for the ones who kneel.... luckily
1st line is the whole idea behind this song, the more experience and knowledge you have, the less you will feel, things will be too scientific for you to have deeper meaning and cause deeper feelings.
2nd line, some people pray, because others steal, not because there is a God they love and want to worship, they pray just to save their asses (again, less deep stuff, more superficial, everything must have a logical reason)
3rd line, is clear, with all that's been said and the way people act towards God (pray for others steal), still God's blessings cover everyone, not just the ones who kneel for him...which is of course a lucky thing for all of us!
Very nice read Ali! I agree with you on some points...
Here's my analysis:
quote:
The more you see the less you know
The less you find out as you go
I knew much more then than I do now
I think he means that in his opinion the world is getting dumber and dumber. The more he sees of the world the less he knows. Everyone says the same and behaves the same, while no-one really is himself. People used to know more when they were having an own opinion and not a shared one.
quote:
Neon heart, dayglo eyes
A city lit by fireflies
They're advertising in the skies
For people like us
The city gets light up by the hearts of people. People who care about their family, job and city are the ones who make this world/city a beautiful place.
The second two lines are a critisism against the consumption society. Big companys are advertising the shite out of us. Everywhere around you (especially in big city's) are commercials.
quote:
And I miss you when you're not around
I'm getting ready to leave the ground
Oh you look so beautiful tonight
In the city of blinding lights
I don't think there's really an explanation for this. At least I wouldn't know.
quote:
Don't look before you laugh
Look ugly in a photograph
Flash bulbs purple irises
The camera can't see
As Ali mentioned these sentences want to say you must be yourself and not listen to THE PEOPLE. Have your own opinion, look ugly in a photograph if you want too, look if you want too...
But the second two lines are different. I think with the camera they mean the community. Even if you want to have an own opinion, the community doesn't except it/doesn't 'see it'. You must have their opinion or else you're weird and different.
quote:
I've seen you walk unafraid
I've seen you in the clothes you made
Can you see the beauty inside of me?
What happened to the beauty I had inside of me?
But there's one person (Ali?) who still believes in Bono. He has a different opinion then everyone else, but there's one person who shares his opinion. He/she has walked unafraid (the others are afraid for his weird opinion) towards him, in her self-made clothes (no special mark, just self-made clothes. The community finds this weird too). Can she see the beauty inside of him?
quote:
Time... time
Time... time
Time won't leave me as I am
But time won't take the boy out of this man
I'm not really sure about this one. It doesn't seem to fit in the rest of my story about opinions and values. Maybe someone else knows?
quote:
The more you know the less you feel
Some pray for others steal
Blessings not just for the ones who kneel.... luckily
On the otherside Bono thinks that knowing a lot isn't great either (see first verse). Sometimes being dumb has it's beautiful sides. Therefore also blessing for those who don't pray and believe in God. Bono wants us all to live together, dumb and smart, rich and poor, black and white. Therefore it's a great song!
I hope you liked it...
BTW Are we gonna make a Round Table of it, or just post about songs you like?
I dont feel like doing a full analysis, so heres my simple opinion. Its abot how even when your old and cynical, you can still appreciate beauty. Also, does anyone wnat to do Tommorow? I've been listening too it alot recently.
BTW Are we gonna make a Round Table of it, or just post about songs you like?
I think the general idea is just to post songs when we get the chance - the interest level doesn't really justify a round table, although if there's a good amount of interest, that might change...
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"For me, that term "pop" is like a candy bar. You buy it because you like it, you eat it, and then you throw it away. It has no long-term meaning or value."
- The Edge, 1985
) who still believes in Bono. He has a different opinion then everyone else, but there's one person who shares his opinion. He/she has walked unafraid (the others are afraid for his weird opinion) towards him, in her self-made clothes (no special mark, just self-made clothes. The community finds this weird too). Can she see the beauty inside of him? 
