Shadows And Tall Trees
by U2

Album: Boy (1980)
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Songfacts®:

  • This song was inspired by William Golding's book Lord Of The Flies, which is about a group of boys who get stranded on an island and set up their own cruel society. "Shadows And Tall Trees" is the name of the seventh chapter in the book.

    "It's a story about how fear of one another - or fear of 'the other' in a metaphysical sense - can shape our imagination and twist our thinking," Bono wrote in his memoir Surrender. "It's a story about the end of innocence that still shapes my thinking and writing today."
  • One of the first U2 songs, "Shadows And Tall Trees" evolved out of early live sets and was included on their debut album, Boy. It was the only song from U2's first demo to make it on an album.

Comments: 3

  • Trenton from Minneapolis , MnI like the book and this song. Both are awesome.
  • Angela from Hagerstown, Mdactually, it's Ch. 7 Ch. 4 is painted Faces and Long Hair, which doesn't make as good of a title for a song. awesome book. Golding is a genius.
  • Amy Friel from Barrie, CanadaI noticed while doing a literature project that this came from Lord Of The Flies. I've never been fond of the book, but I think the song does a good job with the theme of loss of innocence, or the corruption of youth. A highly underrated song... from an even more underrated album.
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