Peace of Music

U2 Part 3: The Joshua Tree - Inside God's Country

Our series on U2 continues with a look at the band's 5th album The Joshua Tree (1987). Barry journeys into the personal meaning, political messaging, and reaction to some of the most iconic lyrics within this Grammy award-winning album. Get a full history of the thought and care that U2 put into crafting The Joshua Tree as well as how their experiences within the United States heavily influenced the overall themes of the record.

U2 Part 2: The Early Years - The Unforgettable Fire of 1984

On this edition of U2: The Early Years, Barry dives into the 1984 album, The Unforgettable Fire. Learn the stories behind how the band came up with some of the most iconic songs from the record, why this was a deeply personal record for the band, and how these songs influenced and touched U2's fans around the world. Barry also gives his take on five of the most impactful tracks from this, U2's fourth studio album.

U2 Part I: The Early Years (1980-1983)

Welcome to the first installment of our series on U2! In this episode, Barry dives into U2's early albums, including the lyrical intentionality Bono established for the band right out of the gates. Learn all about the history behind some of U2's earliest hits, as well as the deep meaning behind some of their lesser played tracks on those first few albums. As always, Barry shares some personal stories and connections he has to U2 and their massively prolific catalogue. Albums Mentioned: * Boy (1980) * October (1981) * War (1983) Topics: U2 early albums, U2 Boy album analysis, U2 October album meaning, U2 War album review, Bono’s lyrics about grief, U2 songs about loss, New Year’s Day U2 meaning, Spiritual themes in U2 music, U2 and punk rock influence, Like a Song U2 lyrics, Two Hearts Beat as One U2, U2 and social justice, Red Light U2 analysis, Drowning Man U2 meaning, Peace of Music podcast

The Winds of Change: Part 3, Issue 3: How I Evolved Musically from an Innocent Six-Year Old Feeling Patriotic Songs During the Mid-1960’s, to a Practical-Minded Adult by the Time of 9/11

On this episode, Barry Dwork shares the music and stories behind the evolution of his own feelings toward patriotism over the course of his life. From the mid-1960s through the events of 9/11, music has seen its fair share of hopeful anthems, protest songs, and moments that accurately captured the cultural feeling of the times. On this edition of The Winds of Change series, Barry dives into the music that he connected to the most. Whether it was as a grade school student hearing My Country Tis of Thee or as an adult trying to cope with the horrors of a national tragedy, Barry gives a thorough account of these historic moments in U.S. and music history. Artists Mentioned in This Episode: Grand Funk Railroad U2 Bruce Springsteen The Highwaymen Elton John Styx Kansas Topics: patriotic music history, Vietnam War songs, American patriotism evolution, post 9/11 reflections, Bruce Springsteen The Rising, 60s patriotic songs, America the Beautiful history, My Country Tis of Thee meaning, Michael Row the Boat Ashore spiritual, Grand Funk Railroad patriotism, Elton John Daniel meaning, Kansas Song for America lyrics, Styx Suite Madame Blue meaning, U2 In God’s Country analysis, musical evolution and patriotism, songs about American history, Civil Rights era music, emotional impact of 9/11 music, generational views on patriotism, America in classic rock

The Winds of Change Part 2 - How Music Helps Me Cope with the New Normal in the United States: Race Relations/Civil Rights

On this episode, Barry dives into songs of peace, unity, and freedom. From the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in the 1960s right up to the current climate around social justice, Barry explains how and why some of these iconic songs impacted him, as they did so many. Some artists Barry examines within this episode are Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Three Dog Night, Marian Anderson, Joan Baez, and many more.