Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad

It's common knowledge that Bono is a spunk trumpet. Everyone knows that, and the reasons why.

And yet, and yet... he only went and wrote Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad. Was total and utter global domination with U2 not enough for the little fella? Apparently not. The story goes that The Ego was quite pally with Frank Sinatra. And, just because he could, he wrote a song for him. However, Ol' Blue Eyes passed away before he could commit it to tape. (Daughter Nancy, though, would later give it the Sinatra treatment.)

I don't remember how, when, why or where I first got hold of Matt Dusk's version of the song, but it's been living on my iPod for bloody ages. And, every now and again, it crops up on shuffle. As it did today. Interestingly, I only found out relatively recently that Bono had written it. Just goes to show, a good song is a good song. No matter who writes it. Still doesn't stop him from being a spunk trumpet.

Matt Dusk - 'Two Shots Of Happy, One Shot of Sad'

Spunk Trumpet

As in, 'Bono is a spunk trumpet.' Although the jury is still out as to whether or not it should be hyphenated, its definition, Urban or otherwise, is pretty self explanatory. For the most part.

Try and drop it into casual conversation, or maybe an email, today. Put it in "speech marks" or italics and no one will be offended. Let me know how you get on.

How to dismantle a tax return

You don't have to scratch your head for too long to come up with reasons to dislike U2's lead singer - the oversize ego, the silly glasses, phoning the Pope on stage, the coveting of hats,  killing wretched children with his hand clapping; I know, it's like shooting fish in a barrel.

But the main reason Bono is so despised is down to his and his band's reluctance to pay tax. U2 are up there with Google, Amazon and Starbucks with their virulent approach to tax evasion. When they moved their operations from Eire to the Netherlands it didn't just deprive the Irish economy of much needed funds: U2, and companies and individuals who currently share a similar cavalier attitude when dealing with the taxman, are costing the global economy an eye watering 160 billion dollars every year. That's enough to wipe out child poverty. And then some. Think about that next time I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For comes on the radio.