Monday, December 04, 2006

postmodern phone call from hell

For a song that is "supposed to be" about "a guy making a phone call from hell...but he admits he likes it there," (Bono's usual spin); the classic U2 piece "The Fly" sure works on multiple levels.


For such a mysterious and multiplex song; which teases a lot about what "the secret" is...the secret is pretty open on the recent tour:

And it is, in recent incarnation, not just/anymore a "phone call from hell," but also/instead a "text message from heaven." But like many words from God, there a few places where God doesn't spell out the whole revelation...we get to, by faith and guesswork, piece together the message.

What do I mean?

What does this text, prohected as a backdrop to THE FLY mean?

LETTERSBECOME WORDS
BECOME SENTENCES
BECOME LIES
BECOME YOU.

I _____ my friend
she always _____
it never really _____
What is the _____
Why do you _____
You fill in the gaps
You are the difference


You need to watch the amazing video below. But for context..



As she often does, Beth Maynard offers hugely helpful insights on the most recent concert version. Please preview her 3-part series on the song here, here, and here...with the third post full of good stuff on the intent behind the "text message" version you can watch here.




The video version I have chose in extra intriguing; as it was filmed in Brazil, and incudes some of the "fill in the blank" projections in Portuguese...
.


Clip of English version:




The secret is BEHIND YOU
The secret is INVISIBLE NOW
The secret is LOUD ENOUGH
THE SECRET IS WHAT YOU never want to see/never want to hear/never want to believe

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