The Significance of Song in History and How U2's Song 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' Expresses the Feelings of a Nation After the Events of Bloody Sunday 1969.

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Historians use many sources to help them piece together our past – whether oral, written or visual. Songs are a form of oral sources and many historians use old songs and lyrics to help them discover more about the past. Tunes, lyrics, recordings and sheet music can all serve as evidence of people, places and attitudes of the past. Musicians often utilize their musical skills to send out a message to their listeners. Among these, many musicians have written political songs by means of protest to current political affairs. One of these musical groups is U2 – an Irish rock band from Dublin, formed in the late 1970’s. Their song “Sunday Bloody Sunday” was one of their most overt and blatant political protest songs. The title “Sunday Bloody Sunday” refers to the two Bloody Sundays in Irish history. The first was in 1920 when British troops opened fire into a crowd at a football match in Dublin during the Irish War of Independence. This was done in retaliation for the killings of British undercover agents. The second was on January 30th in Co. Derry, Northern Ireland when British Army soldiers opened fire on unarmed civil rights marchers, killing 13 civilians. The main message of the song however is a reference to the ongoing cycle of violence seen in Ireland’s history and it calls for a plea of peace. The words in the song; “Broken bottles under children’s feet, Bodies strewn across the dead end street” conjure horrific images and enforce the message of this song; that violence is not the answer to arguments. The phrase; “How long must we sing this song” is a plea for an end to the violence, saying that this has gone on long enough and it is time for it to end. This is a very powerful song and sends a very clear message to its

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