JOIN US‘Songs of Innocence’ is the 13th studio album by Irish rock band U2. Thematically, it revisits the group members’ youth in Dublin, Ireland, in the 70s, touching upon musical influences, childhood experiences, love and regret.
The album begins with The Miracle, a tribute to Joey Ramone, lead singer of the punk rock band Ramones, who influenced Bono strongly. The track starts with a powerful burst of guitar from The Edge. Every Breaking Wave is a classic U2 ballad that deals with the struggles of long-term relationships and distractions. California is a mid-tempo song about U2’s maiden trip to California in the early 1980s. (Everyone’s a star in our town/ It’s just your light gets dimmer if you have to stay.)
Song for Someone is a love song for Bono’s wife Ali Hewson. It begins with soft acoustic guitars, highlighted with a crescendo. Iris (Hold Me Close) is a song about Bono’s loss of his mother, Iris Hewson, who died when he was 14. The song, of course, is from the perspective of a middle-aged man looking back at his mother’s influence. Volcano is a driving track on a heavy bass sound. Raised by Wolves is a political song that recalls the 1974 car-bombing in Dublin.
Cedarwood Road is where Bono grew up with two close friends. You can’t return to where you never left, croons Bono. Sleep Like a Baby Tonight has synthesiser pulses reminiscent of Kraftwerk, the German electronic music group popular in the 70s.
This Is Where You Can Reach Me is inspired by a Clash concert that U2 attended in 1977. The Troubles appears to be yet another U2 song about the political situation in Northern Ireland. It features Swedish singer Lykke Li. ‘Songs Of Innocence’ is largely a concept album hailing the 70s.