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Zooropa (song)

"Zooropa" is a song by Irish rock band U2, and is the opening track from their 1993 album of the same name. The song was the result of combining two pieces of music, the first of which was conceived in the studio, and the second of which was a soundcheck recording from one of the group's concert tours that was discovered by guitarist the Edge. The lyrics were written by lead vocalist Bono and describe two characters in a brightly lit city in a futuristic version of European society. Some lyrics in the song were taken directly from advertising slogans, and they also featured the phrase "dream out loud", which has appeared in other U2 media. The song touched on several themes, including moral confusion and the future of European society.

"Zooropa"
Mexico promotional release
Promotional single by U2
from the album Zooropa
Released5 July 1993 (1993-07-05)
RecordedMarch–May 1993
Studio
GenreAlternative rock
Length
  • 6:30
  • 4:42 (edit)
LabelIsland
Composer(s)U2
Lyricist(s)Bono
Producer(s)
Audio sample

Promotional recordings of the song were released in the United States and Mexico, and the song appeared on two record charts shortly after its release in 1993. The song was briefly performed at three shows on U2's Zoo TV Tour in 1993. The band had difficulties performing it in 1993, and it was not played again until the U2 360° Tour in 2011.

The recording of the song received mostly positive reception from critics, who praised it as the album's opening track.

Background and recording edit

 
The song is set in a brightly lit city filled with advertisements, such as Tokyo.

During the Zoo TV Tour in 1992, U2 were trying to create a vision of an attractive future for Europe, as opposed to a negative, dystopian image that would be found in science fiction. With recent and ongoing events in Europe, such as the Revolutions of 1989, the enlargement of the European Union, and the Bosnian War, lead vocalist Bono created a surreal vision of a European location called "Zooropa".[1] Bono has referred to Zooropa as being a concept album,[2] with a main theme of the exploration of interpellation within the European Union.[3]

"['Zooropa'] was our attempt to create a world rather than just songs and it's a beautiful world. The opening was our new manifesto [... and] the audio equivalent of Blade Runner's visuals. If you closed your eyes you could see the neon, the giant LED screens advertising all manner of ephemera."

—Bono[4]

Bono and guitarist the Edge had been reading works by cyberpunk author William Gibson, who wrote about a futuristic urban environment known as "The Sprawl".[1] Gibson was an influence in the texture of the song, which Bono described as "fucked up sci-fi".[5] Bono wanted to use noise to create a visual setting for the song, similar to Gibson's futuristic world, filled with advertisements on LED displays and neon signs, as in the 1982 film Blade Runner.[4] With "Zooropa" as the album's opening song, Bono stated that he wanted the album's music to be like "legal drugs" that would create a trip where "you come out of the other end and you feel like you've been on some kind of a journey".[6] The closing song on the album, "The Wanderer", features Johnny Cash on vocals, and was intended on being the "antidote" to the futuristic-sounding opener.[6]

"Zooropa" was written and recorded during the album's sessions at Windmill Lane Studios and The Factory Studios in Dublin,[7] which took place from March to May 1993 between legs of the Zoo TV Tour.[8] The song was created from two separate pieces of music. The first was a jam session recorded by the band in Dublin during the album's sessions.[7][9] The second was a soundcheck the band had recorded a few years prior on tour in Australia or New Zealand that the Edge found while listening to cassette recordings of their soundchecks.[4][7] Along with sound engineer Joe O'Herlihy, the Edge edited the best parts of the soundcheck using Sound Tools to create a song arrangement, which served as a backing track.[1][7][9] The two-halves of the song were then edited into a stereo mix.[7] Producer Flood created an atmospheric mix and then crossfaded it in with the song's "sombre, ethereal" introduction.[1] The bass guitar in the intro was played by drummer Larry Mullen Jr. while the Edge was busy working on the album's guitar riffs.[10]

Synthesizer sounds were added by producer Brian Eno on a Yamaha DX7 keyboard, including a "squishy, mad-synth sound" to create a "dovetail" connecting the different segments of the song. The Edge later added guitar tracks, as well as additional sounds to the song using an EMS Synthi A synthesiser.[4][7] Once the song was almost finished, the band had doubts about the first half's backing track. Having established an arrangement for the song, they performed it again in the studio and used the new recording for the first half, while using portions of the new performance for the second half.[1]

The band had originally intended on recording an EP during the sessions, but Zooropa eventually evolved into full-length album. "Zooropa" was one of five songs that were part of what would have become the band's EP, which also included "Babyface", "Numb", "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)", and "The Wanderer".[4] Prior to the song's final title, it had the working title "Babble–Zooropa", as mentioned in a May 1993 issue of Hot Press,[5] and was later titled "Zooropa I & II" in a June 1993 issue of Billboard.[11]

Composition and themes edit

"Zooropa" begins with a two-minute-long introduction. As the song fades in, sustained chords are played, and a noisy collage of mainly indecipherable human voices from radio signals fades in at 0:19.[6][8][12] The background voices include a clip of George H. W. Bush saying "Peace talks", and are referenced in the album notes as "courtesy of the advertising world".[13] A quiet piano and bass guitar are heard above the voices, which get louder with each beat.[5] At 1:30, the volume of the voices rises suddenly and the bass part changes.[8] The introduction then begins to fade out fifteen seconds later, while a guitar riff played with a delay and wah-wah effect joins the mix. The riff is briefly played on its own before the bass guitar and drums join in at 2:03.[8] This is followed by background voices saying, "What do you want?" in both English and French ("Qu'est-ce que tu veux?"), and "De quoi as-tu peur?" ("What are you afraid of?").[13][14] In response to the questions, the lyrics in the first three verses of the song consist of various advertising slogans.[1][15] At 3:45, following the first three verses, a break in the song's instrumentation occurs, except for guitar, and the song returns to a state similar to the introduction's end.[8] A rapid rhythmic synthesiser fades in and at 4:03, the drums and bass re-enter and the song assumes an increased tempo.[8] The theme of moral confusion and uncertainty becomes present in the remaining lyrics.

"There's this image of the 'overground'. It was a time when everyone was all indie and grey and dull—the 'underground'. The overground was like coming out into the bright light of a modern city. It's an amazing place to be, walking around these modern cities like Houston or Tokyo. And the idea was coming out into that, embracing it, going after it."

—Bono[1]

The song describes two characters in a setting with a dull and grey appeal, who emerge from blinking neon signs into a brightly lit modern city.[1] The radio sound effects in the introduction were intended to create a mood and setting for the song. DJ Carter Alan noted that the sounds seemed to draw a connection from Achtung Baby, but Bono stated that it was not intentional and that he didn't want it to have "anything to do with the past".[6] The lyrics in "Zooropa" begin with the Audi advertising slogan "Vorsprung durch Technik" ("Advancement through technology") and the first three verses feature references to slogans for other brands, including Colgate, Daz, Fairy, and Zanussi.[1]

Following the first three verses of advertising slogans, the song continues with the lyrics "I have no compass, and I have no map" and "No reason to get back", referring to the uncertainty of the new direction of U2's music at the time.[2] The following verse begins with, "And I have no religion", which was included in the lyrics because Bono stated that he believes "religion is the enemy of God."[1] A review of the album in Melody Maker compared the lyric "Uncertainty can be a guiding light" towards the end of the song to the line "If you walk away, [...] I will follow" from U2's 1980 single "I Will Follow". The reviewer stated "The man (Bono) that once had so many answers now sounds simply confused."[16] The theme of moral confusion was first used in U2's song "Acrobat" from Achtung Baby.[5] The coda in "Zooropa" features the lyric "dream out loud", which Bono included as a reference to "Acrobat".[1] The phrase "dream out loud" was first used by Bono during the Lovetown Tour in 1989,[17] and has appeared several times in U2's work since then. The phrase was also used in the song "Always"[18] – a B-side to the "Beautiful Day" single released in 2000[19]  — and was spoken by Bono in the PopMart: Live from Mexico City video.[20]

Release and chart performance edit

 
The cover art to the "Zooropa" promo released in Mexico features the circle of stars from the Flag of Europe.

"Zooropa" was the opening track from the eponymous album, and promotional recordings (promos) of the song were distributed by Island Records in the United States and Mexico. The U.S. promo features an edited version of the song that fades in at the first guitar riff (removing the intro),[21] and the Mexico promo features the album version of the song, along with "Numb" as a second track.[22] The cover art of the Mexico promo features the same logo from the Zooropa album cover—a sketch of the circle of stars from the Flag of Europe with an "astrobaby" figure in the middle, based on the "graffiti babyface" from the Achtung Baby album artwork.[23][24] The logo represents an urban legend about a Soviet cosmonaut left floating in orbit for weeks after the collapse of the Soviet Union.[25]

"Zooropa" was one of four songs from the album to be featured on the Billboard charts, and was the only song to chart that was not released as a single.[26] On 24 July 1993, it appeared on the Album Rock Tracks chart at number 26, and remained on the chart for ten weeks, eventually peaking at number eight.[27] "Zooropa" also appeared on the Modern Rock Tracks chart on 7 August 1993 at number 28, and peaked at number 13 during its eight weeks on the chart.[28]

Live performances edit

 
After an 18-year hiatus, U2 played "Zooropa" on the 360° Tour, where it was performed behind the stage's expanded video screen.

During the Zoo TV Tour, clips of "Zooropa" were played during the beginning of the show. The clips included the lyric "What do you want?" repeated twice, which was displayed on video screens in various languages, and interspersed with a voice saying "It's very simple". This part of the opening segment was intended to create confusion among the audience regarding the show's message, and eventually lead to information overload.[29] U2 performed "Zooropa" live at three consecutive concerts during the fourth leg of the Zoo TV Tour in 1993.[30] Bono originally discussed how the song would be played live during the album's recording sessions, saying that the Edge's guitar riffs may be extended in concert.[5] The song debuted live at a concert in Glasgow in August 1993, and was performed in the middle of the set list following "Numb". The live version was much shorter than the album version, skipping the piano intro, as well as the first three verses, starting with the line "I have no compass, and I have no map". U2 had difficulty performing the song live, which Bono acknowledged to the audience following its debut. According to the book U2 Live: A Concert Documentary, the song's first performance sounded "shaky" and needed more rehearsal, although its subsequent Zoo TV performances "sound[ed] better".[31] Bassist Adam Clayton suggested performing the song as the show opener during the rehearsals for the tour's fifth and final Zoomerang leg,[32] but it was not performed again on the tour.[30]

After Zoo TV, "Zooropa" was not performed live for 18 years until it was played towards the end of the U2 360° Tour in 2011. Clayton said that adding the song to the tour's set list was "very experimental" and that it was a "bit cheeky" to introduce to the tour as the band had little experience performing it.[33][34] The song debuted on the tour on 10 April 2011 in São Paulo, and was rehearsed at soundchecks several days prior.[35] The return of the song was so popular that the word "Zooropa" became a trending topic on Twitter during the evening of its tour debut.[36][37] "Zooropa" was performed at the remaining 26 concerts on the tour, in addition to a private show in Denver. As of 2011, "Zooropa" has been performed live at 31 shows.[30] During performances, the stage's 360° retractable video screen would expand its full length, and U2 would perform behind the screen as it took over the stage.[38] The Edmonton Journal commented that by hiding themselves from the fans during the performance, the combination of advertising slogans and flickering lights "help portray this Blade Runner-type world that U2 wants us to escape."[39] A live recording of "Zooropa" from the U2 360° Tour was featured on the U2.com member-exclusive album, U22, taken from the performance in Baltimore on 22 June 2011.[34]

The song was not performed during the first leg of the Innocence + Experience Tour, but at the first show of the European leg in September 2015, a stripped-down version was performed during the second half of the concert. This interpretation of the song lacks the piano intro and first verses, serving as a segue from "Bullet the Blue Sky" into "Where the Streets Have No Name".

Reception edit

Critical reception edit

David Sinclair of The Times and Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone both felt that "Zooropa" set the album's tone from the start. DeCurtis described Bono's singing and lyrics as a "Mephistophelean seducer".[14][40] Allmusic compared "Zooropa" to the anthems of U2's The Joshua Tree album,[41] and Entertainment Weekly's David Browne described the song as "'Where the Streets Have No Name' transported into the land of cyberpunk", comparing parts of the song to the techno and metallic music genres.[42] The Independent felt "Zooropa" was "a sprawling multi-sectioned piece that drifts from two minutes of gentle radio babble into a more familiar reverb-rock structure".[12] Jon Pareles from The New York Times said that the track was reminiscent of old U2 songs, but added new elements such as distorted vocals and repeating guitar squealing.[15] Daily Variety praised the title track over the rest of the songs on the album, stating how it was the only song that "explores the sort of melodic range usually associated with U2".[43]

Interpretations edit

"'Where the Streets Have No Name' is about the Kingdom of God. It is about eventual fulfilment and completion. It is about certainty, hope, and shalom. 'Zooropa,' on the other hand, offers no fulfilment, no certainty, no hope, no compass, no map, no religion. Zooropa is hell on earth."

—Robert Vagacs, author of Religious Nuts, Political Fanatics[13]

Robert Vagacs, author of the book Religious Nuts, Political Fanatics: U2 in the Theological Perspective, describes the song as the antimatter of "Where the Streets Have No Name", in both musical and thematic aspects. Vagacs discusses the concept of Zooropa in detail throughout the book, and refers to Zooropa as a "wasteland" and a "dystopia", due to its lack of fulfilment and certainty. He also states how the Babylonian-like location uses its demigods to control its people through scientism, technicism, and economism.[13] The final track from Achtung Baby, "Love Is Blindness", is described as "an interpretive bridge into the land of Zooropa", which Vagacs explains is the setting for the album, as well as the setting for songs on U2's following album, Pop.[44] "Beautiful Day", the opening song from U2's 2000 album, All That You Can't Leave Behind, describes "a fresh start in Zooropa".[45]

The use of consumer slogans as song lyrics was also commented on by various sources. Critic Perry Gettelman interpreted them as meaning to "signify the emptiness of modern, godless life".[46] Kieran Keohane of York University stated that the slogans in "Zooropa" were to express an alienating form of interpellation,[3] while J. D. Considine of The Baltimore Sun referred to the slogans as a parody of the economic hype used to pass the Maastricht Treaty, through the promising of impossibilities, such as "Be a winner" and "Eat to get slimmer".[47] English professor Kurt Koenigsberger of Case Western Reserve University stated that the consumer advertisements constitute Zooropa as a "sardonically dystopic" location.[48] In the book Reading Rock and Roll, Robyn Brothers said that the song conveys a "sense of confusion in the wake of a technology speeding beyond our control", while referencing the lyrics "I hear voices, ridiculous voices / I'm in the slipstream".[49] Brothers also compared the song to "Acrobat", stating both songs reference a response to uncertainty and an unavoidable feeling of alienation.[50][51]

Legacy edit

Zooropa producer Flood said that "Zooropa" was one of his favourite songs on the album, along with "Daddy's Gonna Pay for Your Crashed Car", "The First Time", and "Numb".[7] Mullen felt that the song was "absolutely mesmerizing".[4] Following the release of "Zooropa", references to the song have appeared in professional writings and in other media. On the day of the U2 concert in Sarajevo during the PopMart Tour in 1997, tour set designer Willie Williams wrote about waking up that day with "Zooropa" playing in his head and stated that Sarajevo "is the city of Zooropa, if there ever was one."[52] José Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, quoted the song's lyrics at a 2005 press conference after enlisting Bono in an effort to get governments in the European Union to give more money to developing countries,[53][54] and stated that the lyrics inspired an article he wrote about the future of Europe.[55] Thomas Diez of the Copenhagen Peace Research Institute made references to "Zooropa"'s lyrics in a 1999 book review about the history of the European Union;[56] lyrics also appeared in a 2005 German–English dictionary, under its listing for "Vorsprung durch Technik".[57]

Kurt Koenigsberger's book The Novel and the Menagerie mentioned "Zooropa" in a section discussing Salman Rushdie and his appearance on the Zoo TV Tour.[48] In 2008, the word "Zooropa" was used in an international finance textbook as the name of a fictional, generic city.[58] The book Religious Nuts, Political Fanatics lists "Zooropa" as one of 22 U2 songs for "recommended listening".[59] A 2009 review of U2's album No Line on the Horizon, MusicRadar described the song "Magnificent" as "'New Year's Day' meets 'Zooropa'".[60]

Formats and track listings edit

U.S. promo[21]
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Zooropa" (edit)BonoU24:42
Mexico promo[22]
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Zooropa"BonoU26:29
2."Numb"The EdgeU24:17

Personnel edit

U2

Additional personnel

Charts edit

Chart (1993) Position
US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard)[27] 8
US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[28] 13

Notes edit

  1. ^ Larry Mullen, Jr.'s bass guitar performance was uncredited.

References edit

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Stokes 2005, pp. 111–112.
  2. ^ a b Wenner, Jann (2 January 2006). "Bono: The Rolling Stone Interview Pt. 7: Zooropa – Achtung Baby" (MP3). Rolling Stone. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  3. ^ a b Keohane 1997, p. 293–294.
  4. ^ a b c d e f U2 2006, pp. 247–248.
  5. ^ a b c d e Jackson, Joe (19 May 1993). "The Magical Mystery Tour". Hot Press. Retrieved 22 November 2009.
  6. ^ a b c d Bono; The Edge (3 July 1993). . Westwood One (Transcript). Interviewed by Carter Alan. Verona. Archived from the original on 31 May 2008. Retrieved 14 December 2009.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Flood 2005, p. 130.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Zooropa (Media notes). U2. Island Records. 1993. 314–518 047.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ a b Calhoun, Scott (26 July 2013). "The @U2 Interview: Flood". atu2.com. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  10. ^ Flanagan 1995, p. 230.
  11. ^ Rosen, Craig (19 June 1993). "PLG Flies into Action With U2 Promo Plan". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 25. p. 89. ISSN 0006-2510.
  12. ^ a b Gill, Andy (1 July 1993). "ROCK / Albums: Take the Cash and run: Andy Gill on the latest from U2: is it their most adventurous recording yet? Plus a single Sugarcube". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2009.
  13. ^ a b c d Vagacs 2005, pp. 50–51.
  14. ^ a b DeCurtis, Anthony (3 August 1993). "Zooropa". Rolling Stone. No. 662. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  15. ^ a b Pareles, Jon (4 July 1993). "RECORDINGS VIEW; A Raucous U2 Moves Farther Out on a Limb". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  16. ^ Brothers 1999, pp. 256–257.
  17. ^ de la Parra 2003, p. 136.
  18. ^ "Lyrics: Always". U2.com. Live Nation. Retrieved 20 April 2009.
  19. ^ . U2.com. Live Nation. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2009.
  20. ^ Mallet, David (director) (1998). PopMart: Live from Mexico City (Concert film). Island Records.
  21. ^ a b U2 (1993). Zooropa (promotional single). United States: Island Records. PRCD 6792-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ a b U2 (1993). Zooropa (promotional single). Mexico: Island Records. CD SN 199.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ . Amp Visual. 7 March 2012. Archived from the original on 10 October 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  24. ^ de la Parra 2003, pp. 160–161.
  25. ^ Flanagan 1995, p. 265.
  26. ^ "Zooropa (1993)". Billboard.com. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
  27. ^ a b "Album Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 30–39. ISSN 0006-2510.
  28. ^ a b "Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 32–39. ISSN 0006-2510.
  29. ^ Brothers 1999, p. 247.
  30. ^ a b c Mühlbradt, Matthias; Axver, André Axver. "Zooropa". U2gigs.com. Retrieved 28 September 2010.
  31. ^ de la Parra 2003, pp. 168–169.
  32. ^ Flanagan 1995, pp. 374–376.
  33. ^ . The Independent. 23 June 2011. Archived from the original on 25 June 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
  34. ^ a b Clayton, Adam (2012). U22 (Media notes). U2. Island Records. U2.COM7.
  35. ^ "U2 Sao Paulo, 2011-04-10 Morumbi, 360° Tour". U2gigs.com. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  36. ^ McGee, Matt. "U2 Set List: Sao Paulo, April 10, 2011". atU2. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  37. ^ "Zooropa in Sao Paulo". U2.com. Live Nation. 10 April 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  38. ^ Lewis, Eric (1 August 2011). "'They're the coolest dudes'". The Daily Gleaner. p. A1.
  39. ^ Ahorro, Joe (1 June 2011). "Stadium will rattle and hum to these songs". Edmonton Journal. p. D1.
  40. ^ Sinclair, David (2 July 1993). "U2 boldly go where Euroman has been". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460.
  41. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Zooropa". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 May 2009.
  42. ^ Browne, David (9 July 1993). "Music Review: Zooropa (1993)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 7 May 2009.
  43. ^ Armoudian, Maria (3 July 1993). "Album Spotlight; U2's 'Zooropa' A Departure". Daily Variety. p. 8. ISSN 0011-5509.
  44. ^ Vagacs 2005, pp. 48, 52–58.
  45. ^ Vagacs 2005, p. 60–62.
  46. ^ Gettelman, Parry (23 July 1993). "U2, Zooropa". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
  47. ^ Considine, J. D. (4 July 1993). "'ZOOROPA' Latest U2 album isn't 'bigger' and maybe that's better". The Baltimore Sun. p. 2. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  48. ^ a b Koenigsberger 2007, pp. 186–189.
  49. ^ Brothers 1999, p. 248.
  50. ^ Brothers 1999, p. 251.
  51. ^ Brothers 1999, p. 257.
  52. ^ Williams 2003, p. 250.
  53. ^ Bounds, Andrew (May–June 2008). . E!Sharp. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011.
  54. ^ Lynskey, Dorian (11 June 2005). "U2, King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
  55. ^ "Geldof expects 'glorious failure'". BBC News. 9 June 2005. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
  56. ^ Diez, Thomas (January 1999). "The Compass(es) of European Integration". H-Net Reviews. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
  57. ^ Knapp 2005, p. 111.
  58. ^ Bekaert & Hodrick 2008, pp. 374–375.
  59. ^ Vagacs 2005, pp. 83–85.
  60. ^ Laing, Rob (19 February 2009). "U2 – No Line on the Horizon". MusicRadar. Retrieved 24 June 2010.

Bibliography

External links edit

  • "Zooropa" lyrics – U2.com

zooropa, song, zooropa, song, irish, rock, band, opening, track, from, their, 1993, album, same, name, song, result, combining, pieces, music, first, which, conceived, studio, second, which, soundcheck, recording, from, group, concert, tours, that, discovered,. Zooropa is a song by Irish rock band U2 and is the opening track from their 1993 album of the same name The song was the result of combining two pieces of music the first of which was conceived in the studio and the second of which was a soundcheck recording from one of the group s concert tours that was discovered by guitarist the Edge The lyrics were written by lead vocalist Bono and describe two characters in a brightly lit city in a futuristic version of European society Some lyrics in the song were taken directly from advertising slogans and they also featured the phrase dream out loud which has appeared in other U2 media The song touched on several themes including moral confusion and the future of European society Zooropa Mexico promotional releasePromotional single by U2from the album ZooropaReleased5 July 1993 1993 07 05 RecordedMarch May 1993StudioWindmill Lane Studios Dublin The Factory Dublin GenreAlternative rockLength6 304 42 edit LabelIslandComposer s U2Lyricist s BonoProducer s FloodBrian EnoThe EdgeAudio sample source source filehelp Promotional recordings of the song were released in the United States and Mexico and the song appeared on two record charts shortly after its release in 1993 The song was briefly performed at three shows on U2 s Zoo TV Tour in 1993 The band had difficulties performing it in 1993 and it was not played again until the U2 360 Tour in 2011 The recording of the song received mostly positive reception from critics who praised it as the album s opening track Contents 1 Background and recording 2 Composition and themes 3 Release and chart performance 4 Live performances 5 Reception 5 1 Critical reception 5 2 Interpretations 5 3 Legacy 6 Formats and track listings 7 Personnel 8 Charts 9 Notes 10 References 11 External linksBackground and recording edit nbsp The song is set in a brightly lit city filled with advertisements such as Tokyo During the Zoo TV Tour in 1992 U2 were trying to create a vision of an attractive future for Europe as opposed to a negative dystopian image that would be found in science fiction With recent and ongoing events in Europe such as the Revolutions of 1989 the enlargement of the European Union and the Bosnian War lead vocalist Bono created a surreal vision of a European location called Zooropa 1 Bono has referred to Zooropa as being a concept album 2 with a main theme of the exploration of interpellation within the European Union 3 Zooropa was our attempt to create a world rather than just songs and it s a beautiful world The opening was our new manifesto and the audio equivalent of Blade Runner s visuals If you closed your eyes you could see the neon the giant LED screens advertising all manner of ephemera Bono 4 Bono and guitarist the Edge had been reading works by cyberpunk author William Gibson who wrote about a futuristic urban environment known as The Sprawl 1 Gibson was an influence in the texture of the song which Bono described as fucked up sci fi 5 Bono wanted to use noise to create a visual setting for the song similar to Gibson s futuristic world filled with advertisements on LED displays and neon signs as in the 1982 film Blade Runner 4 With Zooropa as the album s opening song Bono stated that he wanted the album s music to be like legal drugs that would create a trip where you come out of the other end and you feel like you ve been on some kind of a journey 6 The closing song on the album The Wanderer features Johnny Cash on vocals and was intended on being the antidote to the futuristic sounding opener 6 Zooropa was written and recorded during the album s sessions at Windmill Lane Studios and The Factory Studios in Dublin 7 which took place from March to May 1993 between legs of the Zoo TV Tour 8 The song was created from two separate pieces of music The first was a jam session recorded by the band in Dublin during the album s sessions 7 9 The second was a soundcheck the band had recorded a few years prior on tour in Australia or New Zealand that the Edge found while listening to cassette recordings of their soundchecks 4 7 Along with sound engineer Joe O Herlihy the Edge edited the best parts of the soundcheck using Sound Tools to create a song arrangement which served as a backing track 1 7 9 The two halves of the song were then edited into a stereo mix 7 Producer Flood created an atmospheric mix and then crossfaded it in with the song s sombre ethereal introduction 1 The bass guitar in the intro was played by drummer Larry Mullen Jr while the Edge was busy working on the album s guitar riffs 10 Synthesizer sounds were added by producer Brian Eno on a Yamaha DX7 keyboard including a squishy mad synth sound to create a dovetail connecting the different segments of the song The Edge later added guitar tracks as well as additional sounds to the song using an EMS Synthi A synthesiser 4 7 Once the song was almost finished the band had doubts about the first half s backing track Having established an arrangement for the song they performed it again in the studio and used the new recording for the first half while using portions of the new performance for the second half 1 The band had originally intended on recording an EP during the sessions but Zooropa eventually evolved into full length album Zooropa was one of five songs that were part of what would have become the band s EP which also included Babyface Numb Stay Faraway So Close and The Wanderer 4 Prior to the song s final title it had the working title Babble Zooropa as mentioned in a May 1993 issue of Hot Press 5 and was later titled Zooropa I amp II in a June 1993 issue of Billboard 11 Composition and themes edit Zooropa begins with a two minute long introduction As the song fades in sustained chords are played and a noisy collage of mainly indecipherable human voices from radio signals fades in at 0 19 6 8 12 The background voices include a clip of George H W Bush saying Peace talks and are referenced in the album notes as courtesy of the advertising world 13 A quiet piano and bass guitar are heard above the voices which get louder with each beat 5 At 1 30 the volume of the voices rises suddenly and the bass part changes 8 The introduction then begins to fade out fifteen seconds later while a guitar riff played with a delay and wah wah effect joins the mix The riff is briefly played on its own before the bass guitar and drums join in at 2 03 8 This is followed by background voices saying What do you want in both English and French Qu est ce que tu veux and De quoi as tu peur What are you afraid of 13 14 In response to the questions the lyrics in the first three verses of the song consist of various advertising slogans 1 15 At 3 45 following the first three verses a break in the song s instrumentation occurs except for guitar and the song returns to a state similar to the introduction s end 8 A rapid rhythmic synthesiser fades in and at 4 03 the drums and bass re enter and the song assumes an increased tempo 8 The theme of moral confusion and uncertainty becomes present in the remaining lyrics There s this image of the overground It was a time when everyone was all indie and grey and dull the underground The overground was like coming out into the bright light of a modern city It s an amazing place to be walking around these modern cities like Houston or Tokyo And the idea was coming out into that embracing it going after it Bono 1 The song describes two characters in a setting with a dull and grey appeal who emerge from blinking neon signs into a brightly lit modern city 1 The radio sound effects in the introduction were intended to create a mood and setting for the song DJ Carter Alan noted that the sounds seemed to draw a connection from Achtung Baby but Bono stated that it was not intentional and that he didn t want it to have anything to do with the past 6 The lyrics in Zooropa begin with the Audi advertising slogan Vorsprung durch Technik Advancement through technology and the first three verses feature references to slogans for other brands including Colgate Daz Fairy and Zanussi 1 Following the first three verses of advertising slogans the song continues with the lyrics I have no compass and I have no map and No reason to get back referring to the uncertainty of the new direction of U2 s music at the time 2 The following verse begins with And I have no religion which was included in the lyrics because Bono stated that he believes religion is the enemy of God 1 A review of the album in Melody Maker compared the lyric Uncertainty can be a guiding light towards the end of the song to the line If you walk away I will follow from U2 s 1980 single I Will Follow The reviewer stated The man Bono that once had so many answers now sounds simply confused 16 The theme of moral confusion was first used in U2 s song Acrobat from Achtung Baby 5 The coda in Zooropa features the lyric dream out loud which Bono included as a reference to Acrobat 1 The phrase dream out loud was first used by Bono during the Lovetown Tour in 1989 17 and has appeared several times in U2 s work since then The phrase was also used in the song Always 18 a B side to the Beautiful Day single released in 2000 19 and was spoken by Bono in the PopMart Live from Mexico City video 20 Release and chart performance edit nbsp The cover art to the Zooropa promo released in Mexico features the circle of stars from the Flag of Europe Zooropa was the opening track from the eponymous album and promotional recordings promos of the song were distributed by Island Records in the United States and Mexico The U S promo features an edited version of the song that fades in at the first guitar riff removing the intro 21 and the Mexico promo features the album version of the song along with Numb as a second track 22 The cover art of the Mexico promo features the same logo from the Zooropa album cover a sketch of the circle of stars from the Flag of Europe with an astrobaby figure in the middle based on the graffiti babyface from the Achtung Baby album artwork 23 24 The logo represents an urban legend about a Soviet cosmonaut left floating in orbit for weeks after the collapse of the Soviet Union 25 Zooropa was one of four songs from the album to be featured on the Billboard charts and was the only song to chart that was not released as a single 26 On 24 July 1993 it appeared on the Album Rock Tracks chart at number 26 and remained on the chart for ten weeks eventually peaking at number eight 27 Zooropa also appeared on the Modern Rock Tracks chart on 7 August 1993 at number 28 and peaked at number 13 during its eight weeks on the chart 28 Live performances edit nbsp After an 18 year hiatus U2 played Zooropa on the 360 Tour where it was performed behind the stage s expanded video screen During the Zoo TV Tour clips of Zooropa were played during the beginning of the show The clips included the lyric What do you want repeated twice which was displayed on video screens in various languages and interspersed with a voice saying It s very simple This part of the opening segment was intended to create confusion among the audience regarding the show s message and eventually lead to information overload 29 U2 performed Zooropa live at three consecutive concerts during the fourth leg of the Zoo TV Tour in 1993 30 Bono originally discussed how the song would be played live during the album s recording sessions saying that the Edge s guitar riffs may be extended in concert 5 The song debuted live at a concert in Glasgow in August 1993 and was performed in the middle of the set list following Numb The live version was much shorter than the album version skipping the piano intro as well as the first three verses starting with the line I have no compass and I have no map U2 had difficulty performing the song live which Bono acknowledged to the audience following its debut According to the book U2 Live A Concert Documentary the song s first performance sounded shaky and needed more rehearsal although its subsequent Zoo TV performances sound ed better 31 Bassist Adam Clayton suggested performing the song as the show opener during the rehearsals for the tour s fifth and final Zoomerang leg 32 but it was not performed again on the tour 30 After Zoo TV Zooropa was not performed live for 18 years until it was played towards the end of the U2 360 Tour in 2011 Clayton said that adding the song to the tour s set list was very experimental and that it was a bit cheeky to introduce to the tour as the band had little experience performing it 33 34 The song debuted on the tour on 10 April 2011 in Sao Paulo and was rehearsed at soundchecks several days prior 35 The return of the song was so popular that the word Zooropa became a trending topic on Twitter during the evening of its tour debut 36 37 Zooropa was performed at the remaining 26 concerts on the tour in addition to a private show in Denver As of 2011 update Zooropa has been performed live at 31 shows 30 During performances the stage s 360 retractable video screen would expand its full length and U2 would perform behind the screen as it took over the stage 38 The Edmonton Journal commented that by hiding themselves from the fans during the performance the combination of advertising slogans and flickering lights help portray this Blade Runner type world that U2 wants us to escape 39 A live recording of Zooropa from the U2 360 Tour was featured on the U2 com member exclusive album U22 taken from the performance in Baltimore on 22 June 2011 34 The song was not performed during the first leg of the Innocence Experience Tour but at the first show of the European leg in September 2015 a stripped down version was performed during the second half of the concert This interpretation of the song lacks the piano intro and first verses serving as a segue from Bullet the Blue Sky into Where the Streets Have No Name Reception editCritical reception edit David Sinclair of The Times and Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone both felt that Zooropa set the album s tone from the start DeCurtis described Bono s singing and lyrics as a Mephistophelean seducer 14 40 Allmusic compared Zooropa to the anthems of U2 s The Joshua Tree album 41 and Entertainment Weekly s David Browne described the song as Where the Streets Have No Name transported into the land of cyberpunk comparing parts of the song to the techno and metallic music genres 42 The Independent felt Zooropa was a sprawling multi sectioned piece that drifts from two minutes of gentle radio babble into a more familiar reverb rock structure 12 Jon Pareles from The New York Times said that the track was reminiscent of old U2 songs but added new elements such as distorted vocals and repeating guitar squealing 15 Daily Variety praised the title track over the rest of the songs on the album stating how it was the only song that explores the sort of melodic range usually associated with U2 43 Interpretations edit Where the Streets Have No Name is about the Kingdom of God It is about eventual fulfilment and completion It is about certainty hope and shalom Zooropa on the other hand offers no fulfilment no certainty no hope no compass no map no religion Zooropa is hell on earth Robert Vagacs author of Religious Nuts Political Fanatics 13 Robert Vagacs author of the book Religious Nuts Political Fanatics U2 in the Theological Perspective describes the song as the antimatter of Where the Streets Have No Name in both musical and thematic aspects Vagacs discusses the concept of Zooropa in detail throughout the book and refers to Zooropa as a wasteland and a dystopia due to its lack of fulfilment and certainty He also states how the Babylonian like location uses its demigods to control its people through scientism technicism and economism 13 The final track from Achtung Baby Love Is Blindness is described as an interpretive bridge into the land of Zooropa which Vagacs explains is the setting for the album as well as the setting for songs on U2 s following album Pop 44 Beautiful Day the opening song from U2 s 2000 album All That You Can t Leave Behind describes a fresh start in Zooropa 45 The use of consumer slogans as song lyrics was also commented on by various sources Critic Perry Gettelman interpreted them as meaning to signify the emptiness of modern godless life 46 Kieran Keohane of York University stated that the slogans in Zooropa were to express an alienating form of interpellation 3 while J D Considine of The Baltimore Sun referred to the slogans as a parody of the economic hype used to pass the Maastricht Treaty through the promising of impossibilities such as Be a winner and Eat to get slimmer 47 English professor Kurt Koenigsberger of Case Western Reserve University stated that the consumer advertisements constitute Zooropa as a sardonically dystopic location 48 In the book Reading Rock and Roll Robyn Brothers said that the song conveys a sense of confusion in the wake of a technology speeding beyond our control while referencing the lyrics I hear voices ridiculous voices I m in the slipstream 49 Brothers also compared the song to Acrobat stating both songs reference a response to uncertainty and an unavoidable feeling of alienation 50 51 Legacy edit Zooropa producer Flood said that Zooropa was one of his favourite songs on the album along with Daddy s Gonna Pay for Your Crashed Car The First Time and Numb 7 Mullen felt that the song was absolutely mesmerizing 4 Following the release of Zooropa references to the song have appeared in professional writings and in other media On the day of the U2 concert in Sarajevo during the PopMart Tour in 1997 tour set designer Willie Williams wrote about waking up that day with Zooropa playing in his head and stated that Sarajevo is the city of Zooropa if there ever was one 52 Jose Manuel Barroso president of the European Commission quoted the song s lyrics at a 2005 press conference after enlisting Bono in an effort to get governments in the European Union to give more money to developing countries 53 54 and stated that the lyrics inspired an article he wrote about the future of Europe 55 Thomas Diez of the Copenhagen Peace Research Institute made references to Zooropa s lyrics in a 1999 book review about the history of the European Union 56 lyrics also appeared in a 2005 German English dictionary under its listing for Vorsprung durch Technik 57 Kurt Koenigsberger s book The Novel and the Menagerie mentioned Zooropa in a section discussing Salman Rushdie and his appearance on the Zoo TV Tour 48 In 2008 the word Zooropa was used in an international finance textbook as the name of a fictional generic city 58 The book Religious Nuts Political Fanatics lists Zooropa as one of 22 U2 songs for recommended listening 59 A 2009 review of U2 s album No Line on the Horizon MusicRadar described the song Magnificent as New Year s Day meets Zooropa 60 Formats and track listings editU S promo 21 No TitleLyricsMusicLength1 Zooropa edit BonoU24 42 Mexico promo 22 No TitleLyricsMusicLength1 Zooropa BonoU26 292 Numb The EdgeU24 17Personnel editU2 Bono vocals The Edge guitar piano synthesisers backing vocals Adam Clayton bass guitar Larry Mullen Jr drums percussion bass guitar note 1 Additional personnel Robbie Adams engineering Brian Eno synthesisers Flood mixing engineering Rob Kirwan engineering assistance Willie Mannion mixing assistance engineering assistance Joe O Herlihy second half of backing track recording at soundcheckCharts editChart 1993 Position US Album Rock Tracks Billboard 27 8 US Modern Rock Tracks Billboard 28 13Notes edit Larry Mullen Jr s bass guitar performance was uncredited References editFootnotes a b c d e f g h i j k Stokes 2005 pp 111 112 a b Wenner Jann 2 January 2006 Bono The Rolling Stone Interview Pt 7 Zooropa Achtung Baby MP3 Rolling Stone Retrieved 8 October 2009 a b Keohane 1997 p 293 294 a b c d e f U2 2006 pp 247 248 a b c d e Jackson Joe 19 May 1993 The Magical Mystery Tour Hot Press Retrieved 22 November 2009 a b c d Bono The Edge 3 July 1993 Carter Alan interviews Bono and The Edge Westwood One Transcript Interviewed by Carter Alan Verona Archived from the original on 31 May 2008 Retrieved 14 December 2009 a b c d e f g Flood 2005 p 130 a b c d e f Zooropa Media notes U2 Island Records 1993 314 518 047 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link a b Calhoun Scott 26 July 2013 The U2 Interview Flood atu2 com Retrieved 5 July 2018 Flanagan 1995 p 230 Rosen Craig 19 June 1993 PLG Flies into Action With U2 Promo Plan Billboard Vol 105 no 25 p 89 ISSN 0006 2510 a b Gill Andy 1 July 1993 ROCK Albums Take the Cash and run Andy Gill on the latest from U2 is it their most adventurous recording yet Plus a single Sugarcube The Independent Archived from the original on 7 May 2022 Retrieved 14 December 2009 a b c d Vagacs 2005 pp 50 51 a b DeCurtis Anthony 3 August 1993 Zooropa Rolling Stone No 662 Retrieved 3 November 2014 a b Pareles Jon 4 July 1993 RECORDINGS VIEW A Raucous U2 Moves Farther Out on a Limb The New York Times Retrieved 8 October 2009 Brothers 1999 pp 256 257 de la Parra 2003 p 136 Lyrics Always U2 com Live Nation Retrieved 20 April 2009 Beautiful Day U2 com Live Nation Archived from the original on 15 October 2013 Retrieved 20 April 2009 Mallet David director 1998 PopMart Live from Mexico City Concert film Island Records a b U2 1993 Zooropa promotional single United States Island Records PRCD 6792 2 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint numeric names authors list link a b U2 1993 Zooropa promotional single Mexico Island Records CD SN 199 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint numeric names authors list link U2 5 Logos Amp Visual 7 March 2012 Archived from the original on 10 October 2014 Retrieved 2 November 2014 de la Parra 2003 pp 160 161 Flanagan 1995 p 265 Zooropa 1993 Billboard com Retrieved 8 September 2009 a b Album Rock Tracks Billboard Vol 106 no 30 39 ISSN 0006 2510 a b Modern Rock Tracks Billboard Vol 106 no 32 39 ISSN 0006 2510 Brothers 1999 p 247 a b c Muhlbradt Matthias Axver Andre Axver Zooropa U2gigs com Retrieved 28 September 2010 de la Parra 2003 pp 168 169 Flanagan 1995 pp 374 376 Adam Clayton of U2 on the song Zooropa The Independent 23 June 2011 Archived from the original on 25 June 2011 Retrieved 20 July 2011 a b Clayton Adam 2012 U22 Media notes U2 Island Records U2 COM7 U2 Sao Paulo 2011 04 10 Morumbi 360 Tour U2gigs com Retrieved 14 July 2014 McGee Matt U2 Set List Sao Paulo April 10 2011 atU2 Retrieved 11 April 2011 Zooropa in Sao Paulo U2 com Live Nation 10 April 2011 Retrieved 14 April 2011 Lewis Eric 1 August 2011 They re the coolest dudes The Daily Gleaner p A1 Ahorro Joe 1 June 2011 Stadium will rattle and hum to these songs Edmonton Journal p D1 Sinclair David 2 July 1993 U2 boldly go where Euroman has been The Times ISSN 0140 0460 Erlewine Stephen Thomas Zooropa AllMusic Retrieved 7 May 2009 Browne David 9 July 1993 Music Review Zooropa 1993 Entertainment Weekly Retrieved 7 May 2009 Armoudian Maria 3 July 1993 Album Spotlight U2 s Zooropa A Departure Daily Variety p 8 ISSN 0011 5509 Vagacs 2005 pp 48 52 58 Vagacs 2005 p 60 62 Gettelman Parry 23 July 1993 U2 Zooropa Orlando Sentinel Retrieved 18 October 2010 Considine J D 4 July 1993 ZOOROPA Latest U2 album isn t bigger and maybe that s better The Baltimore Sun p 2 Retrieved 14 May 2010 a b Koenigsberger 2007 pp 186 189 Brothers 1999 p 248 Brothers 1999 p 251 Brothers 1999 p 257 Williams 2003 p 250 Bounds Andrew May June 2008 Miracle or mirage E Sharp Archived from the original on 20 July 2011 Lynskey Dorian 11 June 2005 U2 King Baudouin Stadium Brussels The Guardian Retrieved 22 November 2010 Geldof expects glorious failure BBC News 9 June 2005 Retrieved 22 November 2010 Diez Thomas January 1999 The Compass es of European Integration H Net Reviews Retrieved 5 December 2009 Knapp 2005 p 111 Bekaert amp Hodrick 2008 pp 374 375 Vagacs 2005 pp 83 85 Laing Rob 19 February 2009 U2 No Line on the Horizon MusicRadar Retrieved 24 June 2010 Bibliography Bekaert Geert Hodrick Robert J 2008 International Financial Management Prentice Hall ISBN 978 0 13 116360 7 Brothers Robyn 1999 Time to Heal Desire Time In Dettmar Kevin J H Richey William eds Reading Rock and Roll Authenticity Appropriation Aesthetics New York Columbia University Press ISBN 978 0 231 11399 1 de la Parra Pimm Jal 2003 U2 Live A Concert Documentary 2nd ed London Omnibus Press ISBN 978 0 7119 9198 9 Flanagan Bill 1995 U2 at the End of the World New York Dell Publishing ISBN 978 0 385 31157 1 Flood 2005 1993 The Zooropa Story In Savona Anthony ed Console Confessions The Great Music Producers in Their Own Words San Francisco Backbeat Books ISBN 978 0 87930 860 5 Keohane Kieran 1997 Traditionalism and Homelessness in Contemporary Irish Music In Mac Laughlin Jim ed Location and Dislocation in Contemporary Irish Society Emigration and Irish Identities Cork Cork University Press ISBN 978 1 85918 054 9 Knapp Robin D 2005 German English Words A Popular Dictionary of German Words Used in English Lulu com ISBN 978 1 4116 5895 0 Retrieved 12 May 2009 Koenigsberger Kurt 2007 The Novel and the Menagerie Totality English and Empire Columbus OH Ohio State University Press ISBN 978 0 8142 1057 4 Stokes Niall 2005 U2 Into the Heart The Stories Behind Every Song 3rd ed New York Thunder s Mouth Press ISBN 978 1 56025 765 3 U2 2006 McCormick Neil ed U2 by U2 New York HarperCollins ISBN 978 0 00 719668 5 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint numeric names authors list link Williams Willie 2003 Click Inside PopMart In Gittins Ian ed U2 The Best ofPropaganda 20 Years of the Official U2 Magazine New York Thunder s Mouth Press ISBN 978 1 56025 487 4 Vagacs Robert 2005 Religious Nuts Political Fanatics U2 in the Theological Perspective Eugene OR Cascade Books ISBN 978 1 59752 336 3 External links edit Zooropa lyrics U2 com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Zooropa song amp oldid 1185931738, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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