Analyse Sunday bloody Sunday

We will present you the song Sunday bloody Sunday. We will begin with a short biography of the author, we will continue with the context of the song, after, we will tell you the analysis of this song and we will finish with a conclusion.

Short biography of the author:

U2 is an Irish rock band formed in 1976 in Dublin. It is composed of Bono (Paul Hewson) on vocals, The Edge (David Evans) on guitar, piano and vocals, Adam Clayton on bass and Larry Mullen Junior on drums. Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day, With Or Without You, Pride What I'm Looking For, Where The Streets Have No Name, Desire, One, Beautiful Day or Vertigo are few examples of planetary successes of the group.

Context:

The title refers to Bloody Sunday, a black page in the history of Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland (or Ulster) is attached to England through the United Kingdom, in the same way as Scotland or from Wales. Its capital is Belfast. In contrast, southern Ireland (or Eire) is completely independent. Northern Ireland is divided between Protestants, close to the English Crown, and the Catholics who want their independence. In 1972, during the bloody Sunday, Catholics who make a protest are shot by English soldiers, many dead and many wounded. Following this, Northern Ireland will experience a long period of instability tinged with attacks and conflicts in all kind until a near past where a diplomatic solution, under the impetus of Tony Blair, many Politicians from the regions, as well as celebrities (Bono in this case), seem to have been found. However, everything remains to be done and the difficulties, because of the political stakes persist.

Analysis of song :

The introduction :

The piece begins with one of the most known intro of drums in the world. This "riff" is taken again throughout the song. He recalls the military drum rolls played during the parades. It's not surprising when we know that Larry (the drummer of the band) has long been part of a brass band where he played the snare drum. Then comes the guitar riff, also legendary that is repeated throughout the song.

The 1st verse

Bono seems disillusioned by what he sees to information, he can not remain insensitive and helpless ("i can not beleive the news today, i can’t close my eyes and make it go away ») How long will it take to sing this song? ("how long must we sing this song"). From tonight the Irish will meet to form only one ("cause tonight we can be as one").

The 2nd verse

The tone hardens. Bono describes a battlefield (« broken bottle under children field »), bodies are lying on the ground (« body accross the dead end street »). So, he is shouting his anger ("i put my backup against the wall").

Solo

The solo is very original in its construction. It does not take the melodic line of the song, but rather borrows a specific technique to Irish music. This is the drone technique that uses the empty strings so to reason the solo.

The bridge

Just after the solo comes a parenthesis. Bono asks to stop crying ("wipe your tears away"), proof that war is not inevitable and that we must keep hope for the future.

3rd verse

Bono castigates the media. Those who show us the violence on a daily basis and who in fact make it difficult discernment between fiction and reality and, in a way, trivialize the violence to the point that it does not shock more ("and it's true we are imune when fact is fiction and tv reality"). Yet people cry and many people still risk dying sometimes in total indifference ("and todays the million cry, we eat and drink while tomorow they die ") But the real battle is just beginning, not the one that will see the victory of the Catholics and Protestants but the one who will see the victory of Jesus.

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