Some songs are great from their first to their final second. Other songs have blinding moments of brilliance that spring up in the midst of mediocrity (or worse). “Cedars of Lebanon” would be in that first category for me, but there is one part – two lines, really – that stand out for me. So many individual lines resonate and they all fit together, tightly, telling a story and painting a deep, emotionally complex picture of the world in 2009.
When I started this piece, I was fixed on the line “This shitty world sometimes produces a rose.” We'll call today's entry "part one" because there are a lot more lines in the song worth coming back to discuss. Bono isn't the first person to say it (or something like it) but there's something about him saying it and the way he presents it that sticks with me.
For one thing, it's very un-Bono. It's not in his nature to see a shitty world with the occasional rose. Bono is more of a rose garden with the occasional weed kind of guy. There's the saying in journalism that it's not news when dog bites man but rather when man bites dog. Bono has fallen into pessimism before, but U2 has built a career by singing anthemic songs of possibility. “Cedars of Lebanon” is not one of them.
There is a seductive weariness and despair in the vocal – on that line and throughout the song – almost but not quite to the point of resignation. The character in this song is stuck in a personal and global quagmire and isn't sure if he's staying because he wants to, has to, or because he doesn't know what else to do or how to go back to his old life. He's not sure if he's making a difference or if anyone can. He's losing himself.
For all U2's glorious bombast, they are capable of moments of great delicacy and nuance. “Cedars of Lebanon” is one of them.
Article comments
1 - Phillip Winn
This is a song that has among the best and worst lyrics on that album.
"A soldier brings oranges that he got out from tank" is just a clumsy line.
But yeah, overall, an interesting song. The "gonna last with you longer than your friends" is worth much meditation.
2 - Josh Hathaway
I actually don't hate that line, Phillip. I bet it's something war correspondents like the character in this song have actually seen. It's not great poetry but I think the juxtaposition of the war machine and humanitarian aid in that line serves the song well.
As for the ending of the song, 11 and I were talking about that. It's the most interesting part and does demand some meditation. 11 thinks it is a warning and neither of us think it's an accident they ended the album on that note. It's a great song, easily the best on the album to me.
3 - Jon Stroop
My favourite line is the definitely the last, and I agree it's a very intentional closing lyric.
It's a thought that's been on Bono's mind since at least 2005: in the podcast/interview he did for Rolling Stone he said: "Your enemies will define you, so make them interesting."