The prophet Jeremiah, Aung San Suu Kyi, and U2's All that you can't leave behind: on listening to Bono's jeremiad

Abstract

U2's recent<em>All That You Can't Leave Behind</em>(2000) is rich with biblical imagery and outspoken in its concern for human rights and social justice. This article explores how these two themes are creatively brought together in this collection of songs. A reference to the prophet Jeremiah on the album cover suggests this is an important source for the lyrics. Further, Burmese author and human rights activist Aung San Suu Kyi is mentioned two times in the album's liner notes. It is argued that Bono, principal songwriter for U2, observed parallels between Jeremiah and Aung San Suu Kyi, and used the ancient story to help make sense of the modern one.