The argument that launched U2’s comeback anthem ‘Stuck in a Moment’: “It’s not really resolved”
The greatest songs of all time are usually not steeped in the greatest emotions. People always love the idea of writing love songs, but most of the time, not everyone’s lives are that cut and dry, and while Bono could appreciate U2‘s love songs, any love can be steeped in anger now and again.
Because listening to many of the Irish legend’s greatest works, there is never a song that doesn’t have a little bit of melancholy behind it. As triumphant as a song like ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’ sounds, one only needs to take one look at the title to find the pain in the tune. But when the band finally started to make it big in the States, they managed to conquer the world a few times over.
And while Achtung Baby kept their momentum going by turning them into one of the kings of the post-ironic rock and roll scene, things were bound to take a turn. Bono was never going to be able to play ‘The Fly’ forever, and while Zooropa saw them still taking chances and rolling with the punches, Pop was the moment where things hit a dead end. No one wanted to hear one of the biggest bands in the world turn themselves into electronic slop, so if they wanted to move on, they needed to go back to basics.
Although All That You Can’t Leave Behind feels like a soft reboot of the classic U2 sound, one of its biggest calling cards was how honest it seemed after years away from the fold. As much as Bono tried to shove songs like ‘Discotheque’ down everyone’s throat, tracks like ‘Walk On’ practically felt like a personalised apology to all of the fans who had been holding out hope that they hadn’t completely lost it.
But being in the business that long also meant losing some friends along the way, and Bono was beside himself when hearing about the passing of Michael Hutchence. INXS had been longtime friends of the band, and while Bono was the last person to get off the soapbox half the time, he admitted that the frontman’s death was what helped him get back in touch with the human aspect of writing.
While ‘Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of’ helped put the band back on the right track, Bono always saw the tune as a one-way argument with Hutchence, saying, “This is for Michael Hutchence. He’s a great friend and a great singer and I wished that I had had this conversation with him. It’s kind of an argument, this song. It’s not really resolved.” But part of the beauty is the fact that everything is so open-ended.
Not only was this a great ballad, but it was a perfect way to get people back to hearing the U2 that they knew and loved. The electronic soundscapes were an interesting diversion, but hearing Bono sing with no effects on his voice about the earnest part of the human spirit is really what cemented the deal. ‘Beautiful Day’ sounded like the old U2, but this was the new version of themselves going back to making classic tunes.
A lot of the greatest songs of all time are driven by some sort of unresolved tension, and for anyone in the know, it’s tragic to hear Bono sing about this knowing that Hutchence was no longer going to be around to answer. He knew that his friend needed to get himself together, but sometimes even the greatest stars in the world fall victim to being caught up in their own sense of self-worth.
Although the tune is far from the most uplifting song in U2’s catalogue, it’s easy to look at this as the grown-up version of that kid from Dublin that had a lot of questions unresolved after a lifetime of rock and roll. Not every great song needs to have a clear happy ending, and while Hutchence may not be around to offer his rebuttal anymore, Bono will forever be both heartbroken over the loss of a friend but thankful that he was a part of his life.
