He managed Live Aid and Live 8 action in 1985 and in 2005.
He has been awarded an honorary knighthood, and cannot consequently use the title "Sir".
Since The Boomtown Rats ended after their final album "In The Long Grass", Bob launched a solo career. His first album, "Deep In The Heart Of Nowhere" (released in 1986) was probably his most commercial, and it yielded a minor hit with the song "This Is The World Calling".
The next album "The Vegetarians of Love" was probably his most successful though, blending elements of traditional Irish music with great rock and pop. Songs like "Love or Something" and "The Great Song of Indifference" are all fun, upbeat songs.
Bob's third album was "The Happy Club", which continued the feeling of The Vegetarians of Love. Once again there are some great songs here - "Attitude Chicken" has some brilliantly clever lyrics, while "The Soft Soil" is beautiful and "A Sex Thing" has an awesome groove.
After this album, a best of called "Loudmouth" was released, which included some highlights from the careers of both Bob solo and The Boomtown Rats. It also included a new song - "Crazy", which was a duet with Sting.
Bob then took a long sabbatical from music before releasing "Sex, Age & Death" in 2001. This is a deeply personal album which combined once again a wide variety of musical styles. This album has been called "Bob Geldof's masterpiece".
The latest release is "Great Songs of Indifference - The Anthology 1986-2001" - a four disc box set which includes all of Bob's albums with a large number of bonus tracks.
Aside from his musical work, Geldof has also appeared in the Pink Floyd music video/film "The Wall," as the protagonist, Pink. He has also released an autbiography called "is this it?".
His latest album, released in February 2011, is called "How to Compose Popular Songs That Will Sell". Geldof considers it a sort of companion to "Sex, Age, and Death", showing his happier side. He had some success with it in the UK, and a special 3-disk limited edition of it was also released.
In 2013 it was announced that he has rejoined The Boomtown Rats and they played a number of festival and other gigs. There have been mentions of a new album, and Bob continues to run his solo band.
A Rose At Night
Bob Geldof Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Skirts that billow long after she's gone
Yes I could smell her smell on the pillow late at night
She's a rose that blooms at night
And all the streets were wet and slicked with rain
Outside my green front door
Number 48 seemed dull by comparison
That's one way out of this cold and lonely world
Yes I'll be a rose that blooms tonight
The city's quiet
The rioters have all gone home now
The fire brigades' sirens have been locked up for the night
There's a blackout down on Brown Street
Where all the blues come home
And yes there's a rose that blooms at night
Now Jim he packed up all his bags and said
"It's time to get out of here"
But his wife and children they were crying out in the kitchen
Out in the back
Once a year he remembers that scene
But it seems so long ago now
He tries to remember but he can't
You don't look back
Memories - they're like a rose that blooms at night
There's a clock that never strikes
In the Town Hall's towers of steel
There's a road that's never used
It's never kissed with the hiss of wheel
In your mouth is a rusted brace
That you flash with your junkyard smile
Shine on like a rose at night
*written by Bob Geldof
*taken from the album "The Vegetarians of Love"
The lyrics of Bob Geldof's "A Rose at Night" are complex and intriguing. The song tells the story of a woman who is compared to a rose that blooms at night. The song opens with the singer describing the woman and her presence in the wintertime. The woman is compared to a queen and her long billowing skirts stand out in contrast to the wet and slick streets. The singer can even smell her scent on the pillow late at night. The rose that blooms at night represents the woman and her beauty that is hidden and unknown to the world at large.
The song continues with the singer describing his own situation. He is alone in his dull house and he seeks solace at the pub. He realizes that he too can be a rose that blooms at night. The scene shifts to a quiet city where the rioters have gone home and the fire brigade is locked up. The singer describes a blackout on Brown Street and the blue mood that comes with it. Then, the singer talks about a man named Jim who leaves his wife and children behind. The memories of his former life bloom like a rose at night - in the darkness, they are the only thing visible.
Overall, "A Rose at Night" is a song about lost opportunities, regret and the beauty that is hidden in the darkness. The lyrics paint pictures of people trying to find meaning in their lives, trying to find something to hold onto in a world that seems to be slipping away. The rose that blooms at night represents the beauty that is hidden from view, and the possibility that things might be different if we were able to see it.
Line by Line Meaning
Here she comes like a Queen all through the wintertime
She exudes grace and beauty even during the harshest and bleak times.
Skirts that billow long after she's gone
Her essence lingers long after she's left, leaving a lasting impression.
Yes I could smell her smell on the pillow late at night
Her fragrance and essence are so strong that it remains even after she's gone.
She's a rose that blooms at night
She's unique and rare, blossoming during a time when most flowers fade away.
And all the streets were wet and slicked with rain
The environment is dull and gloomy, lacking life and cheerfulness.
Outside my green front door
The outside world is mundane, providing no solace or joy.
Number 48 seemed dull by comparison
His life feels lacking and empty compared to the liveliness and vibrancy he seeks.
I went on down to the pub to stock up for the long night by myself
He tries to find comfort and solace in alcohol, facing his loneliness head-on.
That's one way out of this cold and lonely world
Alcohol provides an avenue out of a painful and isolating existence.
Yes I'll be a rose that blooms tonight
He hopes to also be unique and remarkable, blossoming under the darkness of the night.
The city's quiet
The city has lost its vivacity, becoming dull and silent.
The rioters have all gone home now
The troubles and chaos of the city have ended, leading to a stillness and tranquility.
The fire brigades' sirens have been locked up for the night
Even the sounds of emergency and danger have come to a halt, giving way to a sense of calm.
There's a blackout down on Brown Street
The darkness has consumed one area of the city completely.
Where all the blues come home
The sadness and loneliness of people find solace in a place like Brown Street.
And yes there's a rose that blooms at night
Despite the darkness, there are still remarkable and unique individuals that thrive.
Now Jim he packed up all his bags and said, "It's time to get out of here"
Jim recognizes the hardships of his current environment and seeks to leave.
But his wife and children they were crying out in the kitchen
Leaving behind his family is a painful and difficult decision to make.
Out in the back
The back of the house, a place of memories and nostalgia.
Once a year he remembers that scene
The memory of his family crying remains deeply ingrained even after a year has passed.
But it seems so long ago now
The memory feels distant and far away, as if it was a lifetime ago.
He tries to remember but he can't
The memory is so painful that Jim tries to forget, but it's too deeply ingrained in his mind.
You don't look back
The past shouldn't be revisited, as it can bring immense pain and sorrow.
Memories - they're like a rose that blooms at night
Memories can be beautiful and remarkable, but only come to light in moments of darkness or pain.
There's a clock that never strikes
There's something broken or incomplete even in a place of order and time.
In the Town Hall's towers of steel
An establishment of power and authority, yet still has elements of brokenness and incompleteness.
There's a road that's never used
There are paths and journeys that are never taken or even known to people.
It's never kissed with the hiss of wheel
The road has never been explored, its essence still a mystery.
In your mouth is a rusted brace
There's something old and flawed within oneself that needs to be mended.
That you flash with your junkyard smile
Despite having flaws, one can still radiate brightness and joy.
Shine on like a rose at night
Despite challenges and difficulties, one can still blossom and radiate brilliance like a remarkable flower.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind