“Song about a mermaid we met once”

AtU2.com have published an article from MTV News about the filming of U2’s video for Electrical Storm. The Anton Corbijn directed video sees Larry Mullen hugging a mermaid.

The mermaid in question is played by Samantha Morton, best known for her role in “Minority Report”. She will also star in Irish director Jim Sheridan’s new semi-autobiographical film “East of Harlem“, the soundtrack of which is currently being recorded by Gavin Friday and Maurice Seezer. The team (musicians and Sheridan crew) is working on the final edit this week on a soundstage in London. [source: GF]


The film tells the story of Sheridan’s early career when he moved from Ireland to New York to open the Irish Arts Theater.

… the title of this post refers to a rather old U2 interview. Anyone remember it and the song involved?

12 thoughts on ““Song about a mermaid we met once”

  1. just like to post a thought on here about the latest that the BBC1 broadcast was a demo of the song.. well that would be quite possible.. considering the DJ had the song in her possesion since edge’s wedding and they videoclip was being shot only last week.. plenty of time to change a few things there.. i remember reading that the background vocals to ‘staring at the sun’ were done the a day before the album deadline ! so there ya go.. just my thoughts on that.. cheers all.. dont forget to join up with u2.meetup.com ! 🙂

  2. just like to post a thought on here about the latest that the BBC1 broadcast was a demo of the song.. well that would be quite possible.. considering the DJ had the song in her possesion since edge’s wedding and they videoclip was being shot only last week.. plenty of time to change a few things there.. i remember reading that the background vocals to ‘staring at the sun’ were done the a day before the album deadline ! so there ya go.. just my thoughts on that.. cheers all.. dont forget to join up with u2.meetup.com ! 🙂

  3. The interveiw was TV GaGa in 1986… Bono and Larry are interveiwed by (i think) Dave Fanning, and talk about Live Aid, Phil Lynott (?) overdosing and how Larry was offended at the anti-heroin campaign set up too soon in his name… Bono goes on to talk about bands not getting along and how it makes him sick… They talk to a couple of crazy looking guys (1986) in the crowd who are in bands, and Bono mentions several Irish bands they later sign to Mother Records like Operating Theatre… They then walk off the interveiw stage and onto a real stage where Adam and The Edge are waiting for them, and a girl that co-hosts TV Gaga comes on to introduce them, and has to scream to be heard over The Edge’s guitar feedback, and the start the one and only preformance of the song “Womanfish”, which Bono says “This song is about a mermaid I met once in America”… They also play “I Trip Through Your Wires” which is a very early version and has lyrics like “In this Town, change is coming” instead of “Angel, Angel or Devil I was thirsty and you wet my lips”… Then during “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” they get the 2 guys from the band to come finish the song for Bono and Edge… Does anybody think I am a nerd yet??? I know I am, it’s OK!!! Do I win anything, besides the nerd olympics???

  4. The interveiw was TV GaGa in 1986… Bono and Larry are interveiwed by (i think) Dave Fanning, and talk about Live Aid, Phil Lynott (?) overdosing and how Larry was offended at the anti-heroin campaign set up too soon in his name… Bono goes on to talk about bands not getting along and how it makes him sick… They talk to a couple of crazy looking guys (1986) in the crowd who are in bands, and Bono mentions several Irish bands they later sign to Mother Records like Operating Theatre… They then walk off the interveiw stage and onto a real stage where Adam and The Edge are waiting for them, and a girl that co-hosts TV Gaga comes on to introduce them, and has to scream to be heard over The Edge’s guitar feedback, and the start the one and only preformance of the song “Womanfish”, which Bono says “This song is about a mermaid I met once in America”… They also play “I Trip Through Your Wires” which is a very early version and has lyrics like “In this Town, change is coming” instead of “Angel, Angel or Devil I was thirsty and you wet my lips”… Then during “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” they get the 2 guys from the band to come finish the song for Bono and Edge… Does anybody think I am a nerd yet??? I know I am, it’s OK!!! Do I win anything, besides the nerd olympics???

  5. It was me, by the way on the last post!!! I started to post, and clicked back… Then I forgot to put my name on it… Come on, who else would want credit for knowing that much???

  6. It was me, by the way on the last post!!! I started to post, and clicked back… Then I forgot to put my name on it… Come on, who else would want credit for knowing that much???

  7. I like the goofy guys who come in at the end of the show to play along during Knockin’on heavens door. (My favorite eighties kids!!)

  8. I like the goofy guys who come in at the end of the show to play along during Knockin’on heavens door. (My favorite eighties kids!!)

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