Originally posted by rmann83[..]
Actually, the bar video was the last of the three to be filmed. That's why they used stocked live footage at the end. The first to be filmed was the berlin video with the band in drag and Bono's father. The song very much was about the HIV crisis at that point as well.
http://www.music-videos.duncans.tv/2006/u2-one-music-videos/
And in U2 by U2, Bono specifically quotes that the chorus came from a message he was sending to the Dali lama when invited to a Oneness (campaign was it?) and he sent a message back saying "one, but not the same'.
Sorry mate, I don't mean to step on ya toes or anything and I can totally understand your view. But as Bono says in the Vertigo Tour when introducing the song 'To be one is a great thing but to respect difference is even greater'. Definitely the song's central theme is diversity.
Oh, seems like a lot versions have been around. I got the info I gave to you from the BP Fallon book. I've gone to check it out. Now, you're partially right, the Berlin footage was first filmed but it wasn't meant to be a promotional video. It was meant to be running at the Zoo TV screens along with the song (same goes to the buffalo version). The promotional was to be the bar version, eventually was changed.
Now, I don't think diversity is the central theme on the song. I'd rather think that was the central theme on David Wonjarowicz's work and the song was brought into that by association, like Born in the USA is about how mean the soldiers at Vietnam were treated, but in some part has become a patriotic anthem. For instance, the sentence you mention comes from the Vertigo tour, had diversity be the theme, something similar should appear ever since Zoo TV. But I think it makes no sense to theorize about it, there too many years since the original inttentions.
