*Created and Presented in Fall 2016 in COMM101: Pop Culture, Mass Media, and Religion at Milligan College in Johnson City, TN by Cynthia Armstrong*
This is BONO.
Paul Hewson was born in May 1960 in Dublin, Ireland to a Catholic Father and Protestant Mother.
This is quite significant because at that time Ireland was a highly divided country. It is, by all means, a political divide, however it also runs parallel to a religious divide. The majority of Catholics are Nationalists, meaning they want Ireland to be a whole country again; while the majority of Protestants are Loyalists, who wish to remain with the United Kingdom.
His parents marriage, and the various schools that he attended showed a young Paul that compromise and balance is achievable.
There are some before and after shots on the slide (above) to show these five people who have been together for over 40 years, that is quite commendable.
So these four young men (above) in the early 1980's are balancing faith and music... what do they want to do with that?
U2 has had a long career in the music industry, from their first international release in 1980 to their ongoing world tour of 2017. The lyrics have always held a certain level of social awareness and christian principles. All of the lyrics are, without question, personal to the band.
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(short clips of the following music videos were shown in the presentation to emphasize certain lyrics)
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1981 - the song Gloria from the Album October features Latin phrases with Catholic influences and biblical references to Psalm 30, Cols 2, and James 5.
1983 - song Sunday Bloody Sunday from the Album War references the 1972 Easter Massacre in Ireland when British soldiers shot at 26 unarmed civilians during a peaceful protest. 14 people died. Bono and the other band members would have been 12 / pre-teens when this happened. The song is often mistaken to be a song written in rebellion to British rule, however, it was not intended as such, and Bono is often heard opening the song by stating "This song is NOT a rebel song..."
Some songs were simply just fun little songs, but they remain deeply personal. When Bono was busy in the studio and forgot his wife's birthday, he wrote The Sweetest Thing as an apology to her. It was released in 1998 and as a present to her, all of the profits from this song go straight to her favorite charity... The Chernobyl Children's Project.
1984 the song Pride (In the Name of Love) is written about Martin Luther King, Jr. but features lyrics that are clearly in reference to Jesus Christ and the kiss from Judas, his betrayer.
So by 1984, U2 has proven to the world that they have lasting power AND that they have a social conscience. So they were invited to be a part of the BAND AID project.
1984 - Do They Know It's Christmastime - Band Aid, Feed The World project
1985 was a significant year for the Hewsons. Following Live Aid they traveled to Ethiopia and other countries where they assisted and witnessed the lives of the children there first hand. They were moved and decided to take action. Over the last 30 years they have created charities that have helped the world.
In a Nutshell:
ONE Advocacy Organization that lobbies for Anti-Poverty Policies
(RED) - Major companies can fund grants to countries who wish to offer aid to their citizens
EDUN - a fashion company that utilizes sources from Africa and other poverty stricken countries to help boost their economies
Search for "Bono" on TED Talks for fascinating information on the above charities and the amazing impact they have had over the last 30 years.
*Debt relief must be matched with wise investments.*
They are obviously great humanitarians. So let's get back to the music career... by 1987 U2 had released The Joshua Tree which is one of the best albums in their history and in the history of rock and roll.
The lyrics continue to have nods to christian belief...
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For is one of their most famous songs and it is one that they consider to be a gospel song, according to The Edge (as stated in the following video). In the Rockumentary Rattle & Hum, they had the chance to present it as such.
So Which way is Paul Hewson running?
If the apple doesn't fall far from the tree... then the proof is in the pudding... and all those other cliches. Let's see what his children are up to.
Jordan Hewson, his eldest child, is the Activist.
Releases Speakable , a tech company that finds articles and news of charities and allows the websites to include this button at the bottom of the page which will take the reader directly to the charities website.
Eve Hewson, the second child, and second daughter, is the Performer/Actress.
Interviewers often note that she is quite down-to-earth considering that her father is a "Rock-God"... She answers:
His two sons, the youngest of his four children pictured here, are not in the news (yet) but are often found on tour with Dad or at a charitable event with Mom... that is when they aren't in school.
So what has Bono been up to for these last few years?
Back in 2002 he submitted a testimonial to The Message website giving thanks to Eugene Peterson for his translation of the Bible. This led to a friendship between the two. In 2016, David Taylor sat down with Bono and Eugene to discuss their love of the Psalms.
{presentation included small clips from the following video: at 10:17, at 13:07, and 17:04}
Glamour Magazine recently announced their 2016 Women of the Year, and for the first time in history, they included a man... Bono.
My closing slide is a song that U2 often closes their shows with on tour. It was written 40 years ago, by these folks who have been together all that time, and it is inspired by Psalm 40.
The song is called "40" (A Song for Thanksgiving).
-End Presentation-
For more details, see my post of my research paper. Thanks!
