I remember one summer at camp that a friend of mine had The Joshua Tree playing non-stop in our cabin. It was as though I was hearing music for the first time. When I returned from summer camp, I headed to the record store and purchased every single U2 album available. I was up to Zooropa by that point and excitedly awaited the arrival of Pop.
A fan for life, I’ve gone to U2 concerts faithfully and purchased each album, single and B-side (there must be a song I haven’t heard yet!) from the incredibly unreachable Unforgettable Fire singles to the astonishing singles from Achtung Baby (“Salome” may well be one of their best B-sides).
Bono and the boys always stood for just a little more than the music. Albums like War clearly had a political slant and the band was always pointed in that direction. Bono became a celebrity all over again for his work with Africa and One.org.
Because of the band’s work with Africa and the global AIDS crisis, it’s no wonder that Africa would celebrate U2. So In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 is a more than fitting tribute to a band that always looked beyond their own borders at the broader.
We are closer than we think to each other. To problems. To solutions.
The jacket of the compilation begins with those words and a note from Shawn Amos about the impact U2 has had and how U2’s songs “belong to Africa.” Hearing the traditional tunes reworked by a set of marvellous African artists, I can’t help but agree with his assessment.
The album’s jacket also contains information about each artist on the album. There is also a fact sheet pertaining to the artist’s country of origin, breaking down the nation’s population, languages, main exports, major issues (i.e. child trafficking, malaria, etc.), and success stories. Each entry also has a website the reader can consult for more information.
Beginning with a remarkable version of “Mysterious Ways” by Benin’s Angelique Kidjo, In the Name of Love leads the listener on a breathtaking journey of U2’s music. The second son of Ali Farka Touré, Vieux Farka Touré of Mali, takes on “Bullet the Blue Sky” and turns it into a funky masterpiece. Guinea’s Ba Cissoko’s take on “Sunday Bloody Sunday” is touching and gives the song new meaning.
“Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own” never ceases to bring up strong emotions for me, but Vusi Mahlasela’s interpretation of the tune made it all the more powerful and I had to fight back the tears. Known as “The Voice,” South Africa’s Mahlasela is known for his strong song-writing talents which often highlight the politics of the region.
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