Where The Streets Have No Name – U2

The music I chose this assignment is Where The Street Have No Name by U2. This song originally released in August 4, 1987. I thought this song reflects the environmental theme I chose which is environmental protection and conservation.

The song’s lyrics are very abstract. It does not mention the word environment specifically but the song has environmental message. In lyrics, there are lines that say “I wanna feel sunlight on my face. I see the dust cloud disappear without a trace. I want to take shelter from the poison rain. The city’s a flood, and our love turns to rust. We’re beaten and blown by the wind, trampled in dust. I’ll show you a place high on a desert plain.” The song is talking about environmental pollution and how he wants to see a better world without pollution. In the lyrics, the song points about environmental contamination such as acid rain, mentioned in the lyrics as “poison rain” and climate change due to the environmental pollution.

I believe the intended audience for this music is for everyone. There are no specific people who are in charge of environment protection. We should all make an effort to protect our own environment. I think the message that U2 tries to give to us is very effective because since it’s a song, everyone can pay attention by listening the song and the lyrics.

Since the song’s lyrics is written by Bono and his own experience, this creative expression creates an understanding of environmental experiences to the audience by the artist’s own experience. In this way, audience can empathize to the lyrics of this song.

There are a lot of ways environmental protections and conservation can be dealt with in conventional, institutional ways. Every country has its own law to protect its own environment and campaigns and movements to prevent polluting our environment so as to protect them. I agree that creative expression such as songs or movies facilitate the expression of the message to the public because campaigns and movement drags attention to only people who are interested in environment. However, creative expression such as songs and music can appeal to general audience. Even to people who does not care about environment can show interest through watching movies or listening music that has environmental themes.