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About This Track
In an interview with The Guardian Bono revealed that he became tired of writing in the first-person, noting that “I’d just worn myself out as a subject matter”; as a result he created several characters, including a traffic cop, a junkie, and a soldier serving in Afghanistan.The soldier’s character appears in “White as Snow”, which focuses on the soldier’s last thoughts as he dies from the wounds caused by an improvised explosive device.Bono came up with the idea after reading Pincher Martin, written by William Golding.
“White as Snow” was recorded in one take during two weeks of recording sessions in Fez, Morocco in 2007, though it received some minor editing in the final sessions in December 2008.At this time, it was taken out of the ‘Maybe’ pile to balance out the rockier tunes present earlier on, with Adam Clayton noting that “it gave the listener a break.” Original plans were for the track to start with an explosion, though this was later scrapped.Richard Watkins played the French horn in the song.The melody of the song is based on that of the traditional Advent hymn “Veni, veni Emmanuel”.Bono noted that, with the exception of “White as Snow”, the band had tried to keep the theme of war out of the album.
“White as Snow” appears as the fourth track in the Anton Corbijn film Linear, based on a story by Corbijn and Bono where a Parisian traffic cop travels across France and the Mediterranian Sea to visit his girlfriend in Tripoli.
“White as Snow” was recorded in one take during two weeks of recording sessions in Fez, Morocco in 2007, though it received some minor editing in the final sessions in December 2008.At this time, it was taken out of the ‘Maybe’ pile to balance out the rockier tunes present earlier on, with Adam Clayton noting that “it gave the listener a break.” Original plans were for the track to start with an explosion, though this was later scrapped.Richard Watkins played the French horn in the song.The melody of the song is based on that of the traditional Advent hymn “Veni, veni Emmanuel”.Bono noted that, with the exception of “White as Snow”, the band had tried to keep the theme of war out of the album.
“White as Snow” appears as the fourth track in the Anton Corbijn film Linear, based on a story by Corbijn and Bono where a Parisian traffic cop travels across France and the Mediterranian Sea to visit his girlfriend in Tripoli.
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Albums featuring this track
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No Line On The Horizon
U2
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Shouts
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KappaNeko wrote:
The only song from the current album that I like..
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JuniorMcCartney wrote:
make me cry...
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JuniorMcCartney wrote:
Who can forgive forgiveness when forgiveness is not? Only the land as white as snow...
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Joelrio wrote:
I don't know if I get the line "Who can forgive forgiveness where forgiveness is not ." Does it mean who can forgive someone who doesn't forgive someone else or what?
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heaventree22 wrote:
it's a gorgeous take on the hymn
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isitbeer30yet wrote:
sometimes change is good.
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foucault63 wrote:
For those who mentioned this song sounds like "O come, o come, Emmanuel" - this is stated right in the song description: "The melody of the song is based on that of the traditional Advent hymn “Veni, veni Emmanuel”."
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misery-machine wrote:
Not a big fan of U2 - in fact, 99 per cent of the time I can't stand them. But this is nice...
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xtekinhax wrote:
This song took a while with me. At first I didn't like it all. Then I gave it a chance and it started to grow on me. Now it's one of my favorites from NLotH. [2]
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StardustMontage wrote:
this song makes me wanna cry :-(
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VitorMach wrote:
This song took a while with me. At first I didn't like it all. Then I gave it a chance and it started to grow on me. Now it's one of my favorites from NLotH.
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Rowan5215 wrote:
The song "Winter" was written for the movie "Brothers", DavidLostInAcid. This song is written over the time it takes for a soldier serving in Afghanistan to die, and as he looks over what he did in his life (so, basically, what PowerHour24 said). And, yes, this is a very beautiful song...
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steveisbruin wrote:
Glad I wasn't the only one who thought it sounded like "O Come, O Come Emmanuel"...
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Danielcarmoo wrote:
I think this song meaning is two soldiers dying.
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towersOfSong wrote:
I love this song. So calm, so beautiful, and to the tune of my favourite Christmas carol... definitely my favourite song off of NLOTH.
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PowerHour24 wrote:
And also yes Katelin that was the point, the music is credited as such on the album.
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PowerHour24 wrote:
The 'lamb as white as snow' is an allusion to Jesus, the idea behind the song was that it's written from the perspective of a soldier as he contemplates the choices he made in his life, according to Bono the song takes place during the span it takes him to die.
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331930157 wrote:
Is there any meaning in it? If u know please tell me:ywjnpeter@gmail.com
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Terrasidius wrote:
love it
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Katelin123 wrote:
This song sounds just like the hymn "O Come, O Come Emmanuel".
Track Stats
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