The One New U2 Line Bono Wouldn't Change for Carnaval de Luz
Bono says U2 pushed back on one new lyric, but he kept it for "The Greatest Show on Earth" on upcoming album Carnaval de Luz.
One line on U2's next album nearly went a different way. Bono says the rest of the band tried to steer him away from it, but on this occasion he held firm.
Bono said he insisted on keeping the lyric "We were once the greatest show on Earth" in U2's new song "The Greatest Show on Earth," even after his bandmates objected.
The track appears on the upcoming album Carnaval de Luz. In the clip below, fans can hear the song that sparked the debate. Bono said the reaction inside the band was essentially disbelief that he planned to sing the line as written. He recalled The Edge offering a more forward-looking alternative, "We could still be the greatest show on Earth," while Adam Clayton suggested, "I think we're the greatest show on Earth."
Bono said neither rewrite fit what he wanted to express. He said the original wording worked because, when he sings it, it carries the feeling of confronting "look what might have been," and that, for him, is what gives the line its sense of hope.
What makes the moment notable is that Bono also said he does not usually come out on top in these arguments. He described U2's internal process as "the Soviet" and said it has grown more difficult over time. Borrowing a line he attributed to Marianne Faithfull, he added, "Never underestimate the male ego, darling," before saying that men can respond to losing physical, sexual or mental power by "flexing."
Mullen gave a broader explanation for how the group functions, saying that if the band fully understood its own method, it might have left rock and roll for political consulting. He said the key is being able to go into a room, share and stay open to most circumstances.
The Edge took a more joking approach, saying he sometimes fantasizes that the others will one day do what they are told, but has given up on that idea. He added that if they ever did follow orders, the result would be "an absolutely sh--- album."
For listeners, the bottom line is simple. When Carnaval de Luz arrives, "The Greatest Show on Earth" will feature Bono's original line, not the softer versions proposed by his bandmates.
