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  1. Hey everyone, I just wondering if this murder thing was the reason that U2 no longer play Exit live? It's a great song, and my opinion fantastic on R&H, and a whole lot better than other songs that seem to have lasted the distance. I always wondered why they didn't play it anymore - I heard somewhere that Bono felt evil when he sang it.
  2. "Exit" is the tenth track from U2's 1987 album, The Joshua Tree. Inspired by Norman Mailer's The Executioner's Song, "Exit" is a somber song about a psychotic murderer obsessed about something he called the "hands of love". The song starts off so quietly, it is barely audible. It then gently builds to a crescendo, then dies back down again. It is one of the darkest and most intense songs U2 has ever recorded.

    It was frequently played live during the Joshua Tree Tour, often followed by a snippet of Van Morrison's "Gloria". One of these performances, in Denver, Colorado, was featured in the Rattle and Hum movie.

    The original CD pressings of the album incorrectly indexed the ending of "One Tree Hill" at 4:43 and the beginning of "Exit" at 4:53. This error has been corrected on later editions.

    The song caused major controversy shortly after the The Joshua Tree's release, being played at the American trial of a subsequently convicted murderer of a young actress, in his defence he claimed his actions were inspired by the lyrics of "Exit". This story drew comparisons with Charles Manson, who was the leader of a cult and caused destruction and murdered people, claiming that he was inspired by the song "Helter Skelter".

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    That's interesting to read.

    Not related to Exit however, I read that the band were going to play 'Pride' and almost decided against it because there was a gunman apparently ready to shoot Bono if he sang the 'Early morning, April fall...' part and he just closed his eyes, and when he reopened them Adam was standing in front. Lots of U2 songs have caused anger like this. Remember the Sunday Bloody Sunday incident on R&H and the IRA and he had a threat against him by them for his 'Fuck the revolution!' bit.
  3. Originally posted by adamlosthisspoonsHey everyone, I just wondering if this murder thing was the reason that U2 no longer play Exit live? It's a great song, and my opinion fantastic on R&H, and a whole lot better than other songs that seem to have lasted the distance. I always wondered why they didn't play it anymore - I heard somewhere that Bono felt evil when he sang it.


    Yes, I read he felt evil or strange when he sang it.

    Catch you later from a fellow Adelaidean.
  4. strange how music can affect people...reminds me of a boy who commited suicide after repeatedly listening to 'suicide solution' a song from 'blizzard of ozz'.Ozzy Osbourne's first solo album.
    Definitely no excuse to kill people though
  5. Originally posted by zaintaurianstrange how music can affect people...reminds me of a boy who commited suicide after repeatedly listening to 'suicide solution' a song from 'blizzard of ozz'.Ozzy Osbourne's first solo album.
    Definitely no excuse to kill people though


    It is strange.


  6. Not related to Exit however, I read that the band were going to play 'Pride' and almost decided against it because there was a gunman apparently ready to shoot Bono if he sang the 'Early morning, April fall...' part and he just closed his eyes, and when he reopened them Adam was standing in front. Lots of U2 songs have caused anger like this. Remember the Sunday Bloody Sunday incident on R&H and the IRA and he had a threat against him by them for his 'Fuck the revolution!' bit.


    Don't mean to be trivial but the lyrics aren't 'April fall'. It's 'April 4', the date of Martin Luther Kings assasination

  7. Originally posted by Dougiel[..]

    Don't mean to be trivial but the lyrics aren't 'April fall'. It's 'April 4', the date of Martin Luther Kings assasination




    So it is too, April 4 - I should have known. Another interesting fact of that song:

    The first line of the last verse erroneously refers to King's shooting as "Early morning, April 4", when it was actually after 6PM. Bono admits the error and in live performances he occasionally changes the lyric to "Early evening...". It is also played 746 times; the second-most played song.

    And I can confirm those two facts are correct.

    A third interesting fact which I thought about though I'm sure some of you know: Pride and MLK both reference King - and they're on the same album: The Unforgettable Fire.
  8. Originally posted by drewhiggins[..]

    So it is too. Another interesting fact of that song:

    The first line of the last verse erroneously refers to King's shooting as "Early morning, April 4", when it was actually after 6PM. Bono admits the error and in live performances he occasionally changes the lyric to "Early evening...". It is also played 746 times; the second-most played song.


    On the VT he sang if often correctly as in "Early evening".
  9. Originally posted by BelgianBonoNever heard of this story, but as said, Everything can be an excuse for some lunatics who start murdering...
    Ever heard of the song "Bloomy Sunday" of Werther, a German who lived in i think the 15th century ?
    It was a song about suicide and really hundreds of people killed themselves after hearing that...
    What a great but bizar and powerful strenght does music have hey...


    You probably refer to "Die Leiden des jungen Werther" which was a novel written by Johann Wolfgang Goethe in 1774. Young Werther looks out for a job, love, respect, true meaning, etc. and kills himself in the end.

    After the book was printed there was not only a "Werther- fever" with blue- and- yellow clothing, a "Werther- cup" and thousands of readers but also a significant increase in suicides among teen and twen men in Germany who could easily identify with Werther. Some even wore blue- and- yellow clothes. In some cities the book was called "a recommendation of suicide" and banned. Goethe himself had a quite cynical view to the point, explaining: "If anyone's too stupid and weak to stand a simple book like this, it might very well be the best for him and the world to have his little light blown out".

    Alex
  10. Originally posted by Alex[..]

    You probably refer to "Die Leiden des jungen Werther" which was a novel written by Johann Wolfgang Goethe in 1774. Young Werther looks out for a job, love, respect, true meaning, etc. and kills himself in the end.

    After the book was printed there was not only a "Werther- fever" with blue- and- yellow clothing, a "Werther- cup" and thousands of readers but also a significant increase in suicides among teen and twen men in Germany who could easily identify with Werther. Some even wore blue- and- yellow clothes. In some cities the book was called "a recommendation of suicide" and banned. Goethe himself had a quite cynical view to the point, explaining: "If anyone's too stupid and weak to stand a simple book like this, it might very well be the best for him and the world to have his little light blown out".

    Alex


    Yeah sorry i was messing up things...
    Die Leiden des jungen Werther was a book which created suicides all over Europe and Bloomy Sunday was a song that created a lot of suicides, but i don't know the writer of that anymore...
    Once again sorry and thanks for your info and correction Alex


  12. Ow it's even Gloomy Sunday instead of Bloomy Sunday...
    Now THAT was a fault of my teacher Dutch then !! Luckely he didn't counted it fault at my oral exam