A Tree, a Hill – and a Tribute

Most people have probably heard the phrase “One Tree Hill”.  And on hearing it, I’d guess the vast majority of people think of a TV show.

In a way that’s a shame.  Because the phrase has far more meaning, and is far more significant, than as just the name of a TV show.

The phrase has other meanings.  It’s a geographical reference – to a place of spiritual significance to an ancient culture.  And that geographical reference is related to a relatively recent song as well.

The song referenced by phrase is IMO exceptional. It too predates the TV show.  Indeed, the TV show reputedly takes its name from the song and/or geographical reference, or perhaps both – though it’s at best only tangentially related.

The “backstory” of the song is also IMO moving, and worth knowing. It details how the place, the song, and individuals associated with its creation are interrelated.  And yeah, you’re right:  I’m about to wander “off the reservation” a bit once again.

Consider yourself forewarned.  (smile)

. . .

Of deep spiritual significance to the Maori people of New Zealand is a place they have given multiple names.  One of those names is Maungakiekie. It overlooks what today is the city of Auckland.

It’s a hill – or if you prefer, at 597 feet a smallish mountain – formed by cone of an ancient volcano.  Milennia ago, it and a couple of smaller, adjacent volcanoes spewed forth the second largest lava flow in New Zealand.

In geological terms, Maungakiekie is relatively recent.  But in human terms, it’s indeed ancient.  It’s believed to be at least 28,500 years old.

English colonists founding the town of Auckland also found the place intriguing.  When they arrived, they noted that the hill had a single tree at its summit.  Accounts differ as to whether that tree was a pohutukawa or a totara; the latter is a tree sacred to the Maori, and in fact the totara was responsible for one of the multiple Maori names for the hill.

The single tree gracing its summit led to the mountain’s English name.  The colonists called it “One Tree Hill”.

Reputedly it’s a truly beautiful place.  From its summit, one can reportedly view both of Auckland’s harbors.

. . .

In the mid-1980s, a song was written about Maungakiekie.  The song was written by the Irish band U2.  Their lead singer Bono wrote the lyrics; the music was a group collaboration between the band and their then-producer, Brian Eno.

It was a tribute to one of their roadies, Greg Carroll, who died young.

So, one might ask:  how in the world did this happen?  How did a man from New Zealand happen to influence a band from Ireland so deeply?  And why did they write a song in his honor?

I’ll tell you.

Carroll was a native New Zealander – in the truest sense of the word.  Carroll was of Maori ancestry.  His heritage was thus that of New Zealand’s aboriginal people.

Greg Carroll began work for U2 in 1984.  That year, the band came to New Zealand on tour.  On arriving – after 24 hours of travel – the band’s singer, Bono, had difficulty in sleeping due to jet lag.  A group of local people took him on a nighttime tour of the Auckland area.

Carroll was a member of the group showing Bono the local Auckland sights.  One Tree Hill was one of the places they visited.

Carroll was hired to work for the band while they toured New Zealand – initially, for a single show.  He turned out to be a natural as a band “roadie” and stage hand.  He simply had a rare talent for such work – and for dealing with people.  He eventually became their stage manager.

U2’s manager recommended they hire Carroll to work for them for the remainder of the tour.  The band agreed, assisted Carroll in getting a visa, then flew him to Australia to become a part of their road crew for the remainder of the tour.

When the band returned to Dublin, Carroll continued his employment with the band. He packed up, and went to Ireland with them.

Carroll also became close friends with Bono and his wife Ali.  Why? How?  Hell, I don;t know.  Fate, the hand of God, random chance . . . whatever. How does anyone choose their friends?  Regardless of the reason, it happened.

But it wasn’t just Bono and Ali.  Carroll was also respected and well-liked by the other members of the band, and their organization.  By all accounts, he was simply a damn fine young man.

Unfortunately, these friendships were to be short-lived.

On July 3, 1986, Bono asked Greg Carroll to take his motorcycle from the recording studio where the band was working on their next album to his home.  While riding Bono’s motorcycle, a car unexpectedly pulled out in front of Carroll.  He could not stop in time.

He was killed on impact.

Greg Carroll was 26 years old when he died.

. . .

Carroll’s body was flown back to New Zealand.  There, he was buried in his hometown of Wanganui in a traditional Maori funeral.  Bono, Ali, and the band’s drummer Larry Mullen – along with some other members of the band’s organization – accompanied Carroll’s remains to New Zealand and attended Carroll’s funeral.

Bono sang at Carroll’s funeral.

Think about that for a moment.  Bono, his wife Ali, and a number of others flew literally halfway around the world to attend the funeral of someone they’d known for a relatively short time – less than 2 years.

Was Greg Carroll someone they considered a worthy friend?  Yes, I think you could say that.

Bono, Ali, Mullen, and the others returned from the funeral to Ireland.  Soon afterwards the band resumed recording.  The sessions would produce an album called The Joshua Tree.  Even after nearly 27 years, it’s the work I consider their best.

Carroll’s passing affected all of the members of the group, as well as their work.  The tone of the album is simply different from their previous work – noticeably so.  And Bono’s memory of the funeral and his earlier visit to New Zealand inspired a tune on the band’s album – the ninth song, to be precise.  It was a bit over 5 minutes long.

The tune was called “One Tree Hill”.  On the surface, it’s a generic tribute to departed friends – with an element of politics added.  (U2 was heavily into political statements in the 1980s.)

In reality, the song was a direct, moving tribute to Carroll.  The band also dedicated their album The Joshua Tree to his memory.

Bono recorded his vocals for the song in a single take.  He did so because was so emotionally affected that he didn’t feel he could sing the lyrics a second time.  After the final mix of the song was made, he also couldn’t listen to it for a rather long time.

Losing a friend can have one helluva effect.

. . .

After it was released, the song was exceptionally well-received.  But for a long period of time, the band would not perform the song live.  U2 finally performed it live in September 1987 – over a year after Carroll’s untimely death, and after completing 2/3 of their next tour – for the first time.  It’s a song the band still performs only irregularly today; they only perform it at what they consider special occasions.

The studio version of the song, from The Joshua Tree, may be found here; a live version (an outtake from the band’s 1987 Rattle and Hum concert recordings) may be found here.  Both are IMO worth a listen.

Either version qualifies as a fitting tribute to a departed friend.

. . . 

Why this article?  I can’t really say with certainty.

But I did recently attend a friend’s funeral; maybe that’s what prompted it.  Like I said above:  losing a friend can indeed have one helluva effect.

And as you get older . . . that effect seems to get stronger.

Maybe that’s it.  Who knows.  I certainly don’t know for sure.

Anyway, thanks for reading.

Category: Pointless blather, Who knows