What happened to U2?

Specifically, what happened to their hard-charging, question-authority, revolutionary-sounding songs - like "New Years Day"?

This group is in the A list of celebrity status. Yet they fail to release songs - when they are so very needed.

they disappoint me.

... they still rock, on every level.:thumbsup:

Sick of the U2 haters.
I'm seeing them next Tuesday. Can't fuckin' wait! I last saw them in '96!

Just disappointed.

!!!
So excited.

I wish I had that honor.

If they cared so much about issues to create "New Year's Day" - it means they can do the same TODAY, when surely they are aware that injustice and war are even bigger problems today - for a huge chunk of their world audience.

I'm just peeved at the complacency of those who can rock the boat with a song - and choose not to.

And I was a teen when "Boy" came out, so I understand where you are coming from.

and are wanting to pad that retirement nest egg. So they make songs that are easy to consume and don't make people think too much and sell millions of records.

I'm listening to the Unforgettable Fire right now.

I was a little upset that U2 let IPod use a song of theirs to promote their product. But you know, I'm still peeved everytime I see those damn cadillac commericials to the point that I can't stand Rock and Roll by Led Zeppelin anymore. But just like I love all things Led Zeppelin, so shall U2 be forgiven of some of their commercialism

No they are not as good as on The Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby, but they still put out good music. I feel that "Love and Peace or Else" is a good song for social commentary.

But I haven't yet heard an equivalent to "New Year's Day" in terms of making you want to jump out of your skin and try to change the world.

Actually, one *could* say, that, like Jesus, they are concentrating on another world (the inner world) rather than other things (the external).(I hate to draw that parallel, but it popped into my head.)

If Bono feels like singing about his father's death, who the hell is anyone to say 'Who cares, can you sing about Iraq please?'

That said, they did a song about Sarajevo, on the past two albums they've had more than a few songs about the state of things (the two that I'm thinking of now are "Love, Peace, or Else" and "Peace on Earth"). When they performed on the Oscars, they changed a verse of their Gangs of NY song to echo Iraq, I believe.

Also, away from music they are all doing *very* worthy things to forward peace and economic justice. I'd much rather stars walk their walk than sing a pretty song in studio and let that be it.

Plus, right now all they want to play on the radio is Beyonce.
:shrug:

I heard Greenday has come out with an anti-war album - yet it never get airplay. Am I wrong?

I only ever heard a few songs on VH1. I think I heard American Idiot on the radio once or twice.

VH1!! The old person station, LOL!

I remember when they played U2 AND Green Day on MTV. Sigh.

yes, agreed that they don't "owe" us anything in terms of lending their talent to causes.

And the "inner" world certainly has relevance to all of us, regardless.

But still realize their POWER to stir up feeling - perhaps revolutionary feeling - and yet choose not to.

Bono is very active promoting debt relief in the third world, primarily Africa. He hobnobs with both dems and rethugs to do what is necessary to get the job done. The other band members lead as quiet a life as can be expected given they are part of one of the biggest bands in history. I like the new album and pretty much everything else that is out there.

These lyrics explain how I feel about living in Bush's Amerika:

"I don't know if I can make it
I'm not easy on my knees
Here's my heart and you can break it
I need some release, release, release"

I think, something release me from all of this!

But I can see your point. "Love and Peace or Else" is a nice social commentary, though it's more conciliatory than needed right now - and considering the title, I expected harsher.