U2 – Gloria

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  General Comment:I think, as many of U2's songs are, Gloria is about many things at once. On the surface, on one level, it is about religion and the kind of sudden exultant understanding that can come with it, but also about the similar conveyances of that feeling, through music and through love, and through life in general. I think mainly this song is about religion, but also about a general wonder at the world, the beauty of its order and chaos and of the human interaction and capacity for feeling within and belief.
  
  This seems to be many times an overlooked song, perhaps because it isn't played very much anymore. It had a powerful impact on me and is a powerfully expressive song, as U2's songs tend to be. I think there's a quote somewhere that they are "the band who never has any trouble expressing how they feel"...'Gloria', through Bono's vocals, Edge's guitar, and through the energy in the song, all of which shape the incredible wonderment and amazement that seems to permeate the music, carries so much and so completely the ideas behind it that perhaps even without words it is a translation of this feeling.

  Flag Little1Caton July 28, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:Iam no Latin scholar, but I have been told that the latin in the song is awkward and almost "pidgeon" but I think that adds to what the song means to me.
  
  A simple man in love with his religion and finds that you dont need to know all the proper words to express your love of God.
  
  He wants to be alongside God 'inside' the church, but is embarrassed he doesnt know the right words "I try, I try to speak up". He doesnt know high latin of the priests (I try to sing this song) so recites what he has heard/remembered but hence the Latin phrases are apparently not sentences, just 'one-liners'. He is frustrated by this "loosen my lips" but it doesn't matter because "the door is open" and he realises that you can express your love of God however you want, when he realises this he is willing to "give it to you(God)"
  
  Well, thats how I see it
  

  Flag gingermickon March 22, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:I first heard this song back in '82 when I was 14 and have been a U2 fan ever since, for obvious reasons. Even back then I remember thinking that Bono's vocal performance on this track sounded very "sexual"... But as a Catholic schoolgirl I also "got" the religious references in the song, ex: "Gloria" meaning "glory to God".
  
  IMO the two approaches seemed very dichotomous, at least until recently when I read Niall Stokes' book Into the Heart. To quote Bono: "It is a love song. In a sense it is an attempt to write about a woman in a spiritual sense and about God in a sexual sense. But there certainly is a strong sexual pulse in there".
  
  This may not be as bizarre as it sounds. Most of Bono's life-defining events happened within a short space of only a year or two (losing his mother in sudden and tragic circumstances; finding God; joining a rock band, meeting his future-wife Ali) so they are probably all intrinsically linked in his mind/heart.

  Flag Lantaon June 10, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:Alright, something everyone has to understand, since their freely throwing around the word,:
  
  This song is not religious. It *is* about God and expressing his love for Him, but your not using the word right. He didn't write this song because he *had* to. Religion is a mandate. This song is not.
  
  In fact, nothing truly by-the-book Christian can be religious because you don't have to do anything, everything you do is a decision made by the goodness of your heart.
  
  In the same way that after Christ, believers did not have to give tithes(or weekly payments) but instead could give as much or as little as they wanted with no penalty, you don't have to write a song to God, you choose to.

  Flag LilGrim1991on February 06, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:I am in a choir where we sing a lot of chamber music. Although I'm not very religious, this song just reminds me of all the concerts i've performed at. I wish we could have sang this song rather than the traditonal stuff!

  Flag spleemckeeon January 30, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:The Edge does beautiful slide here. I love the bass, the vocals, everything here. Lovely lyrics, and great example of how awesome U2 were when they were young guys.

  Flag suede67on January 13, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:fave u2 song!!!
  
  I remember watching 'Under a blood red sky' going 'Oh yeah u2...'One' and 'Beautiful day blah blah'' but then I heard this and saw a younger Bono going nuts on stage and I nearly died...early U2 excites me more than life itself.

  Flag mirandajuneon August 11, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:As a small boy growing up in Ireland, Bono would have attended Latin masses and thus would have a familiarity with the old prayers that is not understood by today's young people. The song is indeed moving, but the part near the end where Adam extemporises on the bass unfortunately reminds me of the "freeform jazz exploration" in Spinal Tap and spoils the effect.

  Flag Mentaton February 25, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:It's my favorite religious song of all time.

  Flag freewayon June 24, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:Beautiful song. I love it.

  Flag GabrielDeRoseon June 17, 2007   Link

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