"Tripoli" (2009)
Demo Song
Background Information
In early January 2009, Rolling Stone published a piece regarding songs on the No Line on the Horizon album, including a song called “Tripoli”:
This strikingly experimental song lurches between disparate styles, including near-operatic choral music, Zooropa-style electronics, and churning arena rock.
It was later confirmed by Brian Hiatt at Rolling Stone Magazine, “Tripoli is the same song as Fez-Being Born; it was retitled sometime in December”, and it was also confirmed on U2.com, “And then there’s this song that is called ‘Tripoli’ at the moment, which is this guy on a motorcycle, a Moroccan French cop, who’s going Awol. He drives through France and Spain down to this village outside of Cadiz where you can actually see the fires of Africa burning…’ That song was eventually called Fez-Being Born and it’s streaming right now, along with the rest of the album.”
In the book accompanying the box set and the magazine versions of No Line on the Horizon a number of song titles are listed on a board above Edge’s head in one of the photos included. The song titles include songs we know about and a few other names that had not been seen. The full list included “I Was Lost,” “No Line on the Horizon,” “Moment of Surrender,” “Magnificent (French Disco),” “Chromium Chords,” “Tripoli,” “Cedars of Lebanon,” “For Your Love,” “Sexy Boots,” “Breathe,” “Hymn / White as Snow,” “Not as Yet,” “Diorama,” and “Kingdom of Your Love.” “I Was Lost” is likely an early version of “Unknown Caller.” “French Disco” was revealed to be “Magnificent.” “Chromium Chords” and “Tripoli” likely merged along the way becoming “Fez – Being Born.” “For Your Love” is an early title for “Stand Up Comedy,” “Sexy Boots” an early title for “Get on Your Boots” and “Diorama” an early title for “I’ll Go Crazy”.
