Dies irae, dies illa
Dies irae, dies illa
Tuba mirum spargens sonum
Decet in inferno
Dies illa, dies illa

A day of wrath, that day
A day of wrath, that day
The amazing sound scattering from the trumpet
As is fitting for hell
That day, that day


Lyrics submitted by Squirrly

Alex Descends into Hell for a Bottle of Milk/Korova 1 Lyrics as written by The Edge Bono

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Alex Descends Into Hell for a Bottle of Milk/Korova 1 song meanings
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14 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    If I remember correctly, this wasn't U2 - it was a side project that Larry and Adam did - it was for A Clockwork Orange (maybe a stage presentation of it?) Anyway, Alex is the main character from Clockwork, and this was a piece of music from the part of the story where he goes to the Milk Bar. (For those not familiar with the book, Alex is a teenage delinquent living in a future dystopian society; he and the other teens have adopted a particular slang that uses Anglicanized/bastardized versions of Russian words, thus the use of "korova." The milk bars are simply bars that serve milk spiked with drugs.) If you have not read this book, do yourself a favor and pick it up immediately!

    Blackwellon June 10, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Blackwell - is right. This is a Clockwork Orange reference. The Main character ALEX is a hoodlum. The writer is F. Alexander. The two are a mirror image of what happens in life when you allow an orange to grow from it's youthful bitterness to it's adult sweetness. Although that in itself makes little sense. The point is that youth takes time to blossom to adulthood.

    MilesSmileson February 15, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I've never actually heard this U2 song. The title is interesting, because Alex is a Russian name [Alexandre], and Milk // Korova is 'cow' in Russian.

    I don't know, I just found that weird and was curious.

    lizkaon June 23, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Alex actually dates back more than being a russian name, it dates back to ancient greece. Alexander the great of macedonia.

    Ghostlyon May 27, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Alex actually dates back more than being a russian name, it dates back to ancient greece. Alexander the great of macedonia.

    Ghostlyon May 27, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This was the B-Side to The Fly, and it's amazing. As I recall it was for either a new film version or stage production that didn't actually happen in the end. Anyone familiar with the Kubrick version will know that Alex gets whacked around the head with a bottle of milk, which could be the reference of descending into Hell.

    xdvron April 13, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is on the Johnny Neumonic Soundtrack. Not sure if that's spelled right. It starred Keanu Reeves.

    rae_94on December 18, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    if u've ever studyed or even read Revalations (the last book of the Bible) then u know that God went to hell after the crusifixtion of Jesus and saved us from sin, and in that moment, there was a MASEVE earthquake, The trumpet's wondrous call sounding abroad

    camohatmanon March 30, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    one of the best u2 songs.... and indeed it refers to a cloclwork orange

    stormbonoon January 07, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    According to the credits on The Fly single, this song is from the Royal Shakespeare Company's production fo A Clockwork Orange and is written by Bono and The Edge. I'm not sure if Adam or Larry had any part of the recording of this song.

    rager1969on March 01, 2007   Link

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