MUSIC, TREE, HILL

One Tree Hill

It still looks pretty much the same as it did back in 1987, except for the thick
wire cables that now stretch in all directions from the top of the tree in an
attempt to prolong its life. All this as a result of a senseless act of
vandalism. More on that later...

One Tree Hill is so named after a lonely pine tree that grows on the summit of
one of the volcanic cones that are dotted all over the city of Auckland. These
cones were natural sites for pas, or fortified Maori settlements. Fierce
inter-tribal conflict in the 1820s led to there being little organized Maori
resistance to European settlement, and by 1840 the British had either beaten or
bought out (generally for a few trinkets) the Maoris.

The summit of One Tree Hill is the burial site of one of Auckland's 'founding'
fathers, Sir John Campbell, who played an important part in the city's early
development.

One Tree Hill has become an Auckland landmark. The distinctive, lone pine and
adjacent monument can be seen from many parts of the city, and the summit is very
popular as a tourist lookout.

The U2 connection:

In 1985, U2 met a New Zealand Maori by the name of Greg Carroll. He worked as a
roadie for the band on the New Zealand gigs and made quite an impression. Paul
McGuinness was one of the many who were impressed, and he suggested that they
invite Greg to Australia for the next part of the tour. It just went on from
there. He ended up working for the band in Dublin and became very close to them
(particularly to Bono) during that time.

On a wet Dublin day in 1986, Greg was running an errand on Bono's Harley. He
collided with a car and was killed instantly. This, of course, devastated the
entire U2 camp. The sense of loss for Bono was immense. Both he and Larry
attended the Maori funeral (Tangi) for Greg in Wanganui, New Zealand.

Greg had spoken keenly to Bono about One Tree Hill the first time they met. I'm
not sure at what point after Greg's death that the song was written, but I've
been told that some of it - possibly the coda (Oh, great ocean...) - was sung at
his Tangi. I could be wrong, so don't quote me on it.

During the U2 press conference which took place at Auckland airport in 1989, when
U2 were here in New Zealand for the Love Town tour, Bono talked somewhat uneasily
about the background to the song:

Press: "Can you tell us about One Tree Hill? What was the motivation [for]
where that song came from; what it's about?"

With a look of anxiety on his face, Bono attempts an answer. "Again, ya know,
it's hard to have sex in public - it's also hard to talk about things, arr..."
He suddenly thinks about what he's said and realizes the faux pas. "Actually
it's...", the press gallery now joins in on the joke as Bono thinks about how to
get out of it. He adds, "depending on your point of view!" to much laughter from
the media.

He gets serious again and continues, "One Tree Hill - we were there last night,
actually, [the] four of us just got up there but, ah... - It was the first night
we came into New Zealand [in 1984]. We went, ah - I actually couldn't sleep and
I met some people who also couldn't sleep who were hangin' in the hotel, and they
took me up to One Tree Hill. So I associate it with the first night. And also,
it was the first conversation I had with Greg Carroll - was about One Tree Hill
and what it was, a symbol for the Maori people, and the like."

It is obvious that Bono does not want to dwell on the painful past, and he seems
to be searching for a quick way out. He finds it by simply adding, "And it's
now... a song."

We turn away to face the cold, enduring chill
As the day begs the night for mercy love
The sun so bright it leaves no shadows
Only scars
Carved into stone
On the face of earth
The moon is up and over One Tree Hill
We see the sun go down in your eyes

You run like river, on like a sea
You run like a river runs to the sea

And in the world a heart of darkness
A fire zone
Where poets speak their heart
Then bleed for it
Jara sang - his song a weapon
In the hands of love
You know his blood still cries
From the ground

It runs like a river runs to the sea
It runs like a river to the sea

I don't believe in painted roses
Or bleeding hearts
While bullets rape the night of the merciful
I'll see you again
When the stars fall from the sky
And the moon has turned red
Over One Tree Hill

We run like a river
Run to the sea
We run like a river to the sea
And when it's raining
Raining hard
That's when the rain will
Break my heart

Raining...raining in the heart
Raining in your heart
Raining...raining to your heart
Raining, raining...raining
Raining to your heart
Raining...raining in your heart
Raining in your heart..
To the sea

Oh great ocean
Oh great sea
Run to the ocean
Run to the sea