The album Zooropa came out when I was buying every new U2 that came out. Zooropa is the eighth studio album by Irish rock band U2. Produced by Flood, Brian Eno, and The Edge, it was released on 5 July 1993. Zooropa remains in a class by itself as far as its sound and its concept. It’s “spacy” and intentionally so. One day in the future, people will look at Zooropa and see how far ahead of its time it was. I love this CD and played it on repeat when I got it. It went everywhere with me. It’s great music to drive with.
“There’s this image of the ‘overground’. It was a time when
everyone was all indie and grey and dull—the ‘underground’.
The overground was like coming out into the bright light
of a modern city. It’s an amazing place to be,
walking around these modern cities
like Houston or Tokyo. And the idea was coming out
into that, embracing it, going after it.”
—Bono
“Zooropa” is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the opening track from their 1993 album Zooropa. The song was the result of combining two pieces of music, the first of which was conceived in the studio, and the second of which was discovered by guitarist The Edge while listening to soundchecks the band had done while on tour. The lyrics were written by vocalist Bono, describing two characters in a brightly lit city in a futuristic version of European society. Lyrics in the song were based on advertising slogans, and also featured the phrase “dream out loud”, which has appeared in other U2 media. The song touched on several themes, including moral confusion and the future of European society.
During the Zoo TV Tour in 1992, U2 were trying to create a vision of an attractive future for Europe, as opposed to a negative, dystopian image that would be found in science fiction. With recent and ongoing events in Europe, such as the Revolutions of 1989, the enlargement of the European Union, and the Bosnian War, lead vocalist Bono created a surreal vision of a European location called “Zooropa”. Bono has referred to Zooropa as being a concept album, with a main theme of the exploration of interpellation within the European Union.
The lyrics in “Zooropa” begin with the Audi advertising slogan “Vorsprung durch Technik” (“Advancement through technology”) and the first three verses feature references to slogans for other brands, including Colgate, Daz, Fairy, and Zanussi.
(What do you want?)
(What do you want?)
Zooropa vorsprung durch technik
Zooropa be all that you can be
Be a winner
Eat to get slimmer
Zooropa bluer kind of white
Zooropa it could be yours tonight
We’re mild and green
And squeaky clean
Zooropa better by design
Zooropa fly the friendly skies
Through appliance of science
We’ve got that ring of confidence
And I have no compass
And I have no map
And I have no reasons
No reasons to get back
And I have no religion
And I don’t know what’s what
And I don’t know the limit
The limit of what we’ve got
Don’t worry baby, it’ll be alright
You got the right shoes
To get you through the night
It’s cold outside, but brightly lit
Skip the subway
Let’s go to the overground
Get your head out of the mud baby
Put flowers in the mud baby
Overground
No particular place names
No particular song
I’ve been hiding
What am I hiding from
Don’t worry baby, it’s gonna be alright
Uncertainty can be a guiding light
I hear voices, ridiculous voices
Out in the slipstream
Let’s go, let’s go overground
Take your head out of the mud baby
She’s gonna dream up
The world she wants to live in
She’s gonna dream out loud
She’s gonna dream out loud
Dream out loud
Songwriters: Adam Clayton / Dave Evans / Larry Mullen / Paul Hewson
Tao Talk 
U2 had a way of reinventing themselves with all of their albums.
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They are brilliant musicians, lyricists — and reinventors.
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That is a good coloring- music match up. I liked Zooropa too- hated POP though a few years later.
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Thank you, Hans. I looked in that spacy coloring book I have and found it and thought it fit. I’ve got Pop but not sure it’s even been listened to…
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It was a bit of a “challenging” record but it had its moments for sure and I applaud them for continuing with what they’d begun on “Achtung Baby”, in adapting or evolving their sound so they didn’t sound like they were just trying to write an imitation of ‘War” or ‘boy.’ “Stay )” really grabbed me right away. Nice illustrations btw!
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I’ve listened to Zooropa and Achtung Baby and a couple others way more than I ever listened to War or Boy. I love “Stay” and the rest of them on the CD as well. Thank you on the coloring :)
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I saw them on this tour in Birmingham AL. The only time I purposely went to Alabama. Love the picture.
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Really!? Cool. What songs did they play?
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Thanks to the magic of the internet…this is exactly what they played…I remember the Elvis cover to this day.
Zoo Station
The Fly
Even Better Than the Real Thing
Mysterious Ways
(with “Love to Love You Baby” snippet)
One
(with “Hear Us Coming” and “My Girl” snippet)
Until the End of the World
New Year’s Day
Whiskey in the Jar
([traditional] cover) (Larry on vocals)
Tryin’ to Throw Your Arms Around the World
Angel of Harlem
When Love Comes to Town
Satellite of Love
(Lou Reed cover)
All I Want Is You
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Bullet the Blue Sky
(with “Battle Hymn of the Republic” snippet)
Running to Stand Still
Where the Streets Have No Name
Pride (In the Name of Love)
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
Stand by Me
(Ben E. King cover)
Encore:
Desire
With or Without You
(with “Shine Like Stars” coda… more )
Love Is Blindness
Can’t Help Falling in Love
(Elvis Presley cover)
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What a stunning number of excellent songs! I bet you were in heaven.
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Yes I was… very cool October night… had a ball
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Imagining seeing them outdoors on an October night, the best time of year…
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Yes it was… had a fun trip down there with a buddy of mine. The only time I saw them
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I really, reaaly like that piece and your colouring, presures on now, I really like your music choices, no disappointments so far :)
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Sounds like you and I have similar musical tastes. Thank you for the compliment on the colouring. It has become my evening meditation.
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Yes, the little I have done informs that, the singular focus and flow.
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