As soon as I grew out of my childish affection for their song “Vertigo”, I have always disliked the band U2. Maybe that’s unfair as I haven’t listened to the one album people tend to say is ‘actually good’ (Joshua Tree), but everything I have heard is trite. ‘Beautiful Day’ especially. Eurgh.
On another note, I have always revered the work of Brian Eno, especially his production on one of my favourite albums of all time, Remain In Light by Talking Heads. Many of his other works too, from his aptly titled ambient work Ambient 1/Music For Airports, to his collaborations with David Bowie in the 70s, are excellent.
So when my dad showed me this beautifully solemn song called “Miss Sarajevo” and then said, “This is U2 and Brian Eno,” I was certifiably bemused.
It certainly served as a lesson for not writing off artists entirely. I never thought Bono would inspire me lyrically, but his tender couplets here paint an vivid portrait of teenage years fading all too quickly against the backdrop of war.
“Is there a time for first communion?
A time for East-17?”3
It’s easily the best thing U2 have ever creatively generated, and you might think that’s my bias speaking, but Bono is quoted saying this is his favourite U2 song4, so there.
As for Eno, this is right up there with some of his best work. The orchestral implementation is brilliant, and so is the addition of guest vocalist Luciano Pavarotti – yep, Pavarotti. Crazy, isn’t it? I would say ‘Lets get more opera in pop songs!’, but I have a feeling nothing would top the way the two genres intertwine here.
Song Of The Week is, of course, “Miss Sarajevo” by U2 and Brian Eno under the moniker Passengers. My favourite part is when Pavarotti makes his grand entrance as the strings swell at 3 minutes and 23 seconds, but his whole performance is so, so good.
3Passengers. “Miss Sarajevo”. Original Soundtracks 1. Island Records, 1995.
4Brian Boyd. “Just the 2 of U”. The Irish Times. 27 February 2009.
Jachin's Songwriting and Performance Journal 