Dirty Day

I've found these comments really helpful. For some reason I always interpreted this song a bit more politically - still about a father son relationship but also about how those of us who look at difficult periods of recent history from the outside are "looking for explanations" while those caught up in them are the first to admit that they "don't even understand", and to warn that "nothing's as simple as you think". "You can't even remember what I'm trying to forget". On the page of the Zooropa album booklet where the Dirty Day lyrics are printed are the words "Nie Wieder" (Never again) which I always took to be a direct reference to the Nazi period but could perhaps apply to more recent painful periods like the Troubles or the contemporary (to Zooropa) war in Bosnia and Croatia. These kind of father son conversations about what happened during those dark periods are happening now.

Favourite line: 'If you need someone to blame, throw a rock in the air, you're gonna hit someone guilty.'

Love it!

"Days Run Away Like Horses Over the Hills" (the closing lines of this song) is the title of a book by Bukowski.

In Niall Stoke's book Into The Heart, you will learn that Bono wrote this in a dark state of mind, being burdened by tour and recording pressure and feeling homesick. So, I think, that gave the song that chilling pessimistic atmosphere, very Bukowskian indeed. You can feel some brutality in the lyrics too, great version in the ZooTV DVD.

there's some good interpretations here but I wanted to add my 2 cents to "get it right, there's no blood thicker than ink" I think that he was referring to writing a song, it being published. So, ink is not used like it commonly was before for newspapers, books,etc, but I think that Bono is saying to himself and other lyricists that they better not mislead their followers or say something stupid. When you have something published, you have people's attention. Say something that helps someone out even if it's a joke & you made someone laugh.

   This song by U2 is a very enlightening song,for myself I have lived some of the metaphorical inlays of the lyrics(words) and can identify with personal life expirences between myself and my only son.The song also gives an aura of look before you leap,hold your mud,or harsh words because they can hit,in the song where it says "be careful where you aim,because where you just might hit" and its just plain old hard to live something down or take it back,even if its the truth,some people can't handle the truth at times because of not seeing,or have not yet had life expirence in matters.The part of the song where it says " there's no blood thicker than ink" for me became a reference of money and biblical scriptures--there is no blood thicker than ink--the ink that is printed on money and the ink used to print biblical scriptures---both can and have caused problems,also ink that is printed on newsprint...these ink references I have placed can cause issues and arguements and words can be spoken or printed you just can't take back and as we realize cause troubles. The part of the song where it states " I had a staring roll--I was the bad guy who walked out " I been there a prodical son,and it I suspect it can idicate "you have reasons for it,but you reason will probably not be understood or accepted and the part of the song " nothing is a simple as you think" for this an apology or exppression of remorse and explination of it can be ruined with a excuse or excuses.Finally here the song is one of U2 best works and basicly says for me anyway "every saint has a past--every sinner has a future" is a complicated process with time,reasoning,and I don't have all the anwsers,so move forward and loke the song says somethings you can't get around,you can't get around them,SO WE WILL JUST HAVE TO GO THROUGH THEM TOGETHER TILL DEATH SEPARATES US.   thankyou

Bluebird

there's a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out but I'm too tough for him, I say, stay in there, I'm not going to let anybody see you. there's a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out but I pour whiskey on him and inhale cigarette smoke and the whores and the bartenders and the grocery clerks never know that he's in there.

there's a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out but I'm too tough for him, I say, stay down, do you want to mess me up? you want to screw up the works? you want to blow my book sales in Europe? there's a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out but I'm too clever, I only let him out at night sometimes when everybody's asleep. I say, I know that you're there, so don't be sad. then I put him back, but he's singing a little in there, I haven't quite let him die and we sleep together like that with our secret pact and it's nice enough to make a man weep, but I don't weep, do you?

Charles Bukowski

I think this song is deceptively simple. I think this is about Bono's father, but even if it isn't, I can identify with it. I remember things one way, when my father was in a haze and can't remember at all (alc/drugs). Making excuses for everything and pointing the finger at everyone but himself. No blood is thicker then the worthless ink that signed the birth certificate. Wake up, you can't avoid responsibility. I'll take these experiences with me when they put me in the ground.

I believe "Dirty Day" is a too often over looked mastertrack. The dynamic differences between the Zooropa version and the b-sides edition are truly striking. Like entirely different tunes both running through the same emotions just containing varying levels of desperate mania. An excellent tune for the surreal fog of living in the eye of a hurricane and making it wink to a subtle onlooker. I can relate to the idea of only being able to justify poor choices for so long before consequences and your own adrenalised sense of responsibility catches up. Even if the veins of such a path come from raw desperation.

This is one of my favourite U2 songs and yet is virtually unknown. It's a bit of a sleeper from Zooropa, as the whole album was a bit of a wash out after Achtung Baby. I just wish the whole "Father To Son" bit wasn't in it, to be honest, as it really singles it down to being about a father/song relationship, whereas without it it could be applied to any relationship.

There's some brilliant lines in this song, well - actually the entire first verse is brilliant one liners to throw at people who have upset you to the point of resignation. I especially like the "bad guy" line, it's always someone elses fault and the way Bono sings the entire song is quietly resigned and shattered. There's almost a wry twist in his voice when he sings "It was a dirty day" that sounds very much to me like "Oh well... get on with things then".