What is the meaning of the U2 song 'Sunday Bloody Sunday'?

Answer 1

I think, though not entirely sure, may need backing up on this.. but i believe Bono was trying to contrast the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre with Easter Sunday, a peaceful day Protestants and Catholics both celebrate.

Here's a little somthing i dug out on a website [it sounds more import then mine XD]

Bloody Sunday is the term used to describe an incident in Derry, Northern Ireland, on 30 January 1972 in which 26 civil rights protesters were shot by members of the first Battalion of the British Parachute Regiment led by Lieutenant-Colonel Derek Wilford and his second-in-command Captain Mike Jackson, who had joint responsibility for the operation, during a Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association march in the Bogside area of the city. Thirteen people, six of whom were minors, died immediately, while the death of another person 4½ months later has been attributed to the injuries he received on the day. Two protesters were injured when they were run down by army vehicles. Many witnesses including bystanders and journalists testify that all those shot were unarmed. Five of those wounded were shot in the back.

The Provisional Irish Republican Army's (IRA) campaign against Northern Ireland being a part of the United Kingdom had begun in the two years prior to Bloody Sunday, but perceptions of the day boosted the status of and recruitment into the organisation. Bloody Sunday remains among the most significant events in the recent troubles of Northern Ireland, arguably because it was carried out by the army and not paramilitaries, and in full public and press view.

This was an extremely important day in Ireland's history, and one that Bono felt deserved immortality not other for being such a gruesome day, but through his song as well.

Answer 2

I can't give you every fact about it, but I can tell you that Bloody Sunday was a day in the 70's on which Irish people protested against British oppression, and British soldiers killed fourteen of them and wounded many others.

The song is influenced by the events that happened in Dublin in 1920, where armed forces open fired into a crowd at a football match. 12 people were killed and hundreds were injured by the bullets and stampede.

A second incident in 1972, where British army troops killed 14 unarmed Irish citizens (7 of whom were only teenagers) during a civil rights demonstration in Derry (Northern Ireland). They called this day Bloody Sunday. And U2 did a protest song of it to spread awarness of the incident and convey peace to the audience. ;) Im currently doing a report and this is sum of the info i found :) X

Answer 3

"I can't believe the news today; I can't close my eyes and make it go away" means that he's just read/heard/seen something horrible on the news and he can't just close his eyes and pretend it didn't happen.

Answer 4

They use them lyrics because it was a deep terrible time for Ireland and the britsh people (I hate) killed Irish people