My Gen X Playlist: Kite – U2

We had a friend over for dinner and were catching up. She is going through a rough patch but is slowly coming out of it. One thing she mentioned was she was trying to get her mojo back. Ah, that resonated with me. I’m in a similar boat – trying to get mine back as well. There is nothing quite like the feeling of climbing out of a deep hole. Fortunately for me, my hole is only waist deep. Knowing that makes it easier to manage my headspace. Hers is a little more complicated. But we see her sunshine more and more these days. It’s very encouraging.

I was late to the U2 party. I discovered them in college with The Joshua Tree album. I was floored. Then came Achtung Baby. Man, just as good. I could listen to both albums from beginning to end. Easy. It doesn’t get better than that. But the next few albums began to sputter. I wasn’t thrilled by Zooropa. Meh. My attitude lingered thereafter. I didn’t even buy Pop. U2 was fading in my mind. Until…

The Best Comeback Stories in Music History describes U2’s fall and resurrection. It’s a long way down from the top of the world. Nobody could have imagined U2’s fall from grace.

Since U2 was essentially unstoppable during the 1990’s, they decided to experiment with their sound a little bit. Following the hit album “Zooropa”, in 1997, they released “Pop”, which was techno and electronic influenced. The change blindsided and startled the fans who were not amused with the new sound of the band they once loved. Realizing their mistake, in 2000, they came out with “All That You Can’t Leave Behind” returning to their old, yet improved sound with hard-hitting melodies and emphasis on guitar, bass, and drums. The fans forgave the band after its release, and this comeback album is considered to be in their top three best of all time.

Idolater

I’ve already included a number of songs from the album on the playlist. Here’s another – Kite, released in 2000. It seems Bono had a vocal breakthrough on this song.

Bono, who had been struggling with his voice due to allergies, had a special moment while recording this. He recalls in the book U2 by U2: “My voice returned at that moment. When I sang, ‘I’m a man, I’m not a child’ everyone in the studio almost fell over. I went: ‘Wow!’ It was like the blind man when the scales fall off his eyes. It was almost comedic. Where did that come from? I want some more of that!”

“I think I can have that note when I’m worthy of it. It’s really bizarre. Because I would never sit down at a piano or at a guitar and come up with a note that high, because it’s too hard to hit. You would never write it. But I stepped into it. In ten years there hadn’t been a note like that hit in U2, full voice.”

Songfacts

I’d like to think it’s no coincidence Bono hit that unbelievable note on this comeback album. Maybe that was a sign. The mojo was back.

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

Something is about to give
I can feel it coming
I think I know what it means
I'm not afraid to die
I'm not afraid to live
And when I'm flat on my back
I hope to feel like I did

And hardness, it sets in
You need some protection
The thinner the skin

I want you to know
That you don't need me anymore
I want you to know
You don't need anyone or anything at all

Who's to say where the wind will take you
Who's to say what it is will break you
I don't know which way the wind will blow
Who's to know when the time's come around
Don't want to see you cry
I know that this is not goodbye

In summer I can taste the salt in the sea
There's a kite blowing out of control on a breeze
I wonder what's gonna happen to you
You wonder what has happened to me

I'm a man, I'm not a child
A man who sees
The shadow behind your eyes

Who's to say where the wind will take you
Who's to say what it is will break you
I don't know where the wind will blow
Who's to know when the time's come around
Don't want to see you cry
I know that this is not goodbye

Did I waste it?
Not so much I couldn't taste it
Life should be fragrant
Roof top to the basement
The last of the rockstars
When hip-hop drove the big cars
In the time when new media
Was the big idea
That was the big idea