Friday, November 03, 2006

Confucius has a puzzling grace

So, I'm driving to work today, listening to Siouxsie and the Banshee's Hong Kong Garden, when I suddenly realized the influence that this band had on U2. When you listen to Hong Kong Garden, and then listen to Boy, U2's first album, you can hear Bono trying to sound like Siouxsie -- rather, a male version of Siouxsie. Hong Kong Garden was apparently released in 1978, with Boy following in 1980, so I guess that the influence Siouxsie had is evident.

Admittedly, lyrics such as: "Slanted eyes meet a new sunrise/A race of bodies small in size/Chicken chow mein and chop suey/Hong Kong garden takeaway" are probably about as deep as "Boys and girls/Go to school and girls/They make children." But it's the whole infectious package of the songs that makes you forgive the lyrics some days.

The funny thing about this is that I really, REALLY want to hear U2 do Hong Kong Garden now. Forget the Saints are Coming with Green Day (even though that's a pretty good song too), I want to hear Bono wail like Siouxsie Sioux while Edge goes back to the jangly, post-disco, pre New Wave sound of Boy.

1 comment:

divine m said...

You are so right! and I always love to hear Bono wail in a new way. . . .