U2’s “Songs of Surrender” – A Reinvention of Nostalgia
Hot on the heels of becoming “Rock’s Hottest Ticket” in 1987, U2 embarked on the “LoveTown Tour,” which was a quasi-extension of their 1987 “Joshua Tree Tour” that brought their Grammy-winning album, The Joshua Tree, across the US and Europe. This new leg, which visited the countries down under and far East that the band wouldn’t revisit for many years (about 30 years in the case of the latter), brought the hits pre-Joshua Tree along with some songs from their new album Rattle and Hum. The shows were great — there are plenty of bootlegs out there — but there was one specific show that many U2 fans know. That’s the December 30, 1989 show at the Point Depot in Dublin when Bono delivered his “dream it all up again” speech.
A Promise to Reinvent
This speech wasn’t just another one of Bono’s famous hyperbolic word soups — like when he claimed U2 was re-applying for the position of the best rock band during the promotional tour for All That You Can’t Leave Behind after their so-so Pop album — but a promise to reinvent themselves. After all, U2’s music in 1987 was so fixated on America; taking influence from the greats like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, etc., and for as great as “Where the Streets Have No Name” is, U2 needed to mix it up. And boy, did Achtung Baby do that. This reinvention saw U2 go as far as satirizing themselves and other rock stars on their “ZooTV Tour” in 1992 and ‘93, and you could make the case that Achtung Baby is not just the best album the band has made, but the most crucial album they’ve made.
Over 30 Years Later
Over 30 years later, U2 is once again reinventing itself. They’ve had quite the roller coaster the past few years, releasing albums (some free and some not), touring the world with their new albums while also celebrating an old one and Bono finally wrote an autobiography. Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story is the ultimate guide to the inner workings of Bono and the most vulnerable autobiography to come from a rockstar. U2 fans have already got a good amount of Bono’s story with Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience (and their support tours that utilized a giant LED screen to bring a spectacle-filled show to life), and readers of the book probably caught onto the fact that each chapter was named after a song of U2’s catalog. U2 decided to rework 40 songs from their old catalog with Songs of Surrender, the supposed final entry in the Songs of series (although here’s hoping Songs of Ascent eventually comes out of the shadows). While U2 fans are probably sick of the reflective, melancholic U2 that has dominated much of the band’s work over the past decade, give Songs of Surrender a chance. For many artists, a compilation of their old hits reworked would seem like a lazy excuse to put out an album and make some cash, but if there’s one thing that U2 has taught us, it’s that they don’t operate like that — and Songs of Surrender is a predominantly successful attempt at once again dreaming it up again.
A Reworking of Nostalgia
Before even starting the album, you’re probably asking yourself: How can there possibly be 40 tracks — isn’t that too much U2? Simply put, no. With 14 studio albums, there is such a wide variety of songs to explore. And almost every album is represented (though some love for No Line on the Horizon would’ve been appreciated). The word reworking, or reimagining if you’d prefer, is crucial to understanding this album. You have to remember, U2 began releasing music in 1980 and they sounded like a band trying to do The Clash or Joy Division. Their early music from Boy and October is great, but “A Day Without Me” or “Stories for Boys” sound nothing like “Red Flag Day” or “Song for Someone.” Taking a punk song and making it into a somber lullaby, as U2 does with “Stories for Boys,” or how they strip down arena-rockers like “Out of Control” and “I Will Follow” from the same album is something to behold. The Edge’s piano playing throughout the album — particularly on “Stories for Boys” and “If God Will Send His Angels” — is straight out of Joe Hisaishi’s scores for Studio Ghibli films like Spirited Away and the acoustic guitar sounds like their music from Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark.
A Few Duds
There are a few duds, but they’re relatively few and far between. “Stay (Faraway, So Close!)” already has such a template lined up for how to strip that song back — similar to “Stuck in a Moment” and “Every Breaking Wave” — so props for making up a new arrangement, but sometimes if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it (an expression I’ve found myself using a lot lately). The version from Songs of Surrender doesn’t come alive until the choruses.
The Essential Tracks
The essential tracks (in no particular order):
- “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses”
- “If God Will Send His Angels”
- “With or Without You”
- “Bad”
- “The Little Things That Give You Away”
- “Stories for Boys”
- “Bad”
Conclusion
Love them or hate them, U2 has done it again. Songs of Surrender is the best reimagining of nostalgia since Cat Stevens/Yusuf’s reimagining of Tea Time for the Tillerman. Coming in with the knowledge that the band’s stadium anthems have been stripped down into slower, more meditative renditions is important, but it’s filled with gems. Very few live up to the weighty legacies of their predecessors, but I doubt that the point of the album is to replace the originals. Sometimes, you can’t make it on your own and you’ve got to change, and if that means dreaming up 40 of your biggest songs to date again, in the case of U2, let them sing their new (old) songs.
FAQs
Q: Is this album a lazy excuse to re-release old songs?
A: No, U2 has shown that they don’t operate like that. This album is a successful attempt at reinventing their old songs.
Q: Are there any duds on the album?
A: Yes, there are a few duds, but they’re relatively few and far between.
Q: Is this album worth listening to?
A: Yes, it’s a great album that showcases U2’s ability to reinvent their old songs.
Q: When is the album being released?
A: The album will be released on March 17.