Bono’s 10 greatest U2 lyrics
There have been more than a few rock and roll fans who would rather listen to Gene Simmons’s B-side material than hear Bono drone on and on again. Although the U2 frontman certainly has his fair share of musical chops, his political messages, both on and off the stage, have rubbed more than a few fans the wrong way. Underneath the preaching and the expensive sunglasses, though, there’s an Irish lad with a heart of gold.
Throughout U2’s career, Bono’s lyrics have always served as a gateway into his heart as he talks about the causes he believes in and how he might be able to make the world a better place. Although some of the pieces can be hard to stomach, when he pours thought into his lyrics, Bono deserves to be at the top of songwriter lists alongside Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger.
Despite being known as one of the most political figures in rock today, some of Bono’s greatest lyrics come from when he isn’t getting on his soapbox. Throughout records like The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby, Bono opened his heart to his audience, and fans were fascinated to see what was inside when he peeled everything back.
There are always greater concerns in the world, and Bono has no problem talking about the violence, anger, and prejudice that need to be brought to an end at the earliest opportunity. Whereas Jagger might have written about how “it’s only rock and roll”, Bono had his eye on something bigger than a few chords.
Bono’s 10 best U2 lyrics:
10. ‘Stuck In a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of’ – All That You Can’t Leave Behind
“I never thought you were a fool
But darling look at you (Oh)
You gotta stand up straight
Carry your own weight
These tears are going nowhere, baby“.
The loss of a friend is one of the hardest things to put into words. Even though this person may have meant a lot to the writer, it’s impossible to capture the essence of a person within a simple melody and a few words. Bono never claimed to be the best grief counsellor in the world, so he met most people at their lowest point on All That You Can’t Leave Behind.
After being hailed as the group’s comeback record in the 2000s, Bono wrote ‘Stuck in a Moment’ regarding the death of INXS’s Michael Hutchence. Since he had battled addiction and mental health issues for years, Bono imagines a conversation he could have had with his old friend, claiming that he found himself caught in one stage of his life and was never quite able to grow past it.
Although Hutchence may have been the rock and roll casualty, Bono is a master of subtlety with his words, painting a picture that’s so simple even the common man could relate to it. Even though most fans won’t know the struggles that come with being on top of the music world and having nowhere to go, everyone deals with struggles, and Bono is extending a hand on to help anyone he can survive the ride.
9. ‘New Year’s Day’ – War
“And so we’re told this is the golden age
And gold is the reason for the wars we wage
Though I want to be with you, be with you night and day
Nothing changes New Year’s Day“.
From the start of their career, U2 were always looking to ignite change in the world. Even if the problems in the world subsided for just a few seconds during their performances, that seemed to suit them fine. It’s all about keeping that sense of unity, though, and Bono knows how quickly that passion can be extinguished.
For a man known for some of the most optimistic lyrics of his generation, ‘New Year’s Day’ is a lot more jaded than before, using the topic of the new year as a way of making a clean slate. The goal might be to become better as the years go by, but Bono feels cynical in the verses, noting that nothing ever really changes and that people are always going to fall back on their bad habits and prejudiced feelings toward each other.
As he sings, “I’ll be with you again”, though, Bono could be speaking to the spirit of utopia that could be created if everyone dropped their preoccupations and took the values of starting anew to heart. It will be a long road to get there, but the conviction in Bono’s voice is assured that it will happen sometime. The road to tolerance is rough to tread but not impossible.
8. ‘Gloria’ – October
“I try to sing this song
I, I try to stand up
But I can’t find my feet
I try, I try to speak up
But only in you / I’m complete / Gloria, in the domine
Gloria, exultate
Gloria, Gloria
Oh Lord, loosen my lips“.
Even for die-hard U2 fans, it would be easy to call October a bit of a sophomore slump. Although the album’s messages about religion may have been taken straight from Bono’s heart, the rule about not talking about politics and religion in public applied here, with most fans getting turned off the minute they saw an album opener titled ‘Gloria’. Though there is a spiritual message behind the lyrics, Bono is looking for something that isn’t exactly liturgical.
While the song’s chorus falls back on biblical quotes and Latin phrases, the rest of the lyrics come from Bono’s inability to express his feelings in a compact song. Throughout the tune, Bono sounds conflicted, not knowing how to articulate before falling back on the Latin texts that raised him, almost needing another language to communicate what’s in his heart.
Then again, Gloria in the song could easily be a reference to the rock classic of the same name, as Bono puts tremendous gusto into his voice to keep the audience engaged with every word. Bono had already begun to question his place in the world during U2’s success, so what better way to get in touch with reality than turning the stage into a makeshift church?
7. ‘Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses’ – Achtung Baby
“You’re an accident waiting to happen
You’re a piece of glass left there on a beach.
Well you tell me things
I know you’re not supposed to
Then you leave me just out of reach”.
The Bono that turns up on Achtung Baby is far from the same man most had gotten to know on U2’s first records. After reaching some of the biggest heights a frontman could ask for, Bono was unsure what to do once he finally had the public’s ear. Although he could have easily made countless other political tracks, ‘Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses’ was the first time he let his heart be his guide.
After a haze of guitar ambience from The Edge, Bono plays the dejected rock star, singing a breakup song about how his woman left him out to dry. While most of the lyrics behind him are the peak of confidence, his performance of them tells a more accurate story of what’s going on. Bono is playing the role of the pampered rock star who hates not getting his way, but him asking his lover who will take his place feels more desperate than anything, as if he has nothing else to live for.
That attitude may have been all too prophetic based on what Bono saw around him, witnessing the dozens of other rock stars that came up in his wake that took the people in their lives for granted in favour of their dreams of stardom. It’s easy to set one’s mind on something bigger than yourself, but Bono asks what good that mindset is if he doesn’t have anyone to share in his success at the end of the day.
6. ‘Bullet The Blue Sky’ – The Joshua Tree
“Across the field you see the sky ripped open
See the rain through a gaping wound
Pounding on the women and children
Who run
Into the arms
Of America“.
Bono has said numerous times that he had a particular view of what America was like before he ever arrived on its shores. In the documentary Rattle and Hum, each member of the band talks about their reverence for American music and how it changed their lives when they were first picking up guitars of their own. Once Bono tasted blood for the first time on American soil, ‘Bullet the Blue Sky’ was a brutal depiction of how the story really goes.
Although Bono came to the country with stars in his eyes, his takeaways aren’t exactly glowing, talking about the non-stop business mindset behind the country and how government officials are more effective at getting the job done than showing compassion for their fellow man. Since the Cold War fear hadn’t died down, The Edge’s guitar parts echo Bono’s words, painting a sonic picture of fighter planes flying over, always keeping watch over those who dare step out of line.
The most chilling aspect of the song comes towards the end, with Bono taking on the character of an American bigwig, throwing down as much money as possible on the table if it means his dreams will be realised. The ‘American Dream’ might seem like heaven for the uninitiated, but Bono is more concerned about the amount of damage some people might leave in their wake trying to achieve that dream.
5. ‘Walk On’ – All That You Can’t Leave Behind
“Walk on, walk on
What you got they can’t steal it
No, they can’t even feel it
Walk on, walk on
Stay safe tonight“.
All That You Can’t Leave Behind found U2 in a difficult spot. After experimenting throughout the ‘90s, Pop left most die-hard fans underwhelmed, with songs that sounded like Bono doing nothing but throwing his voice into a digital effects pedal and hoping for the best most of the time. U2 had to pick up the pieces, and ‘Walk On’ was the mission statement that came at the perfect time for the rest of the world.
Although Bono was known to get way too introspective and esoteric with his lyrics on their last records, this is one of the most cut-and-dry tunes he would ever write, talking about persevering even when times look rough. Since Bono was also struggling with losing his father around the same time, this could easily be a reminder to himself to keep both his feet on the ground and carry on without resentment in his heart.
Given that America had taken the band under its wing, this song became a glorified anthem for the US in the aftermath of 9/11, encouraging anyone affected by the tragedy to press on even when the world is putting them through their paces. The world may have looked like it was on fire in the early ‘00s, but Bono understood that humanity’s strength comes from how many times people can get back up after tragedy.
4. ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ – War
“And the battle’s just begun
There’s many lost, but tell me who has won?
The trenches dug within our hearts
And mothers, children, brothers, sisters torn apart“.
Bono was always known to have a certain amount of pride in his Irish heritage. Even though U2 has become one of the most universally acclaimed rock bands in the world, Bono always comes into every scenario with his Irish heart first, looking after his fellow man whenever he gets the chance. He doesn’t claim to be from a perfect country, and ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ indicates Ireland’s checkered past.
Speaking out against the infamous ‘Bloody Sunday’ massacre, Bono is shellshocked in these verses, closing his eyes so he doesn’t have to picture the carnage that has unfolded in what may as well be his backyard. Although the cries of “Sunday Bloody Sunday” in the chorus sound like a sad lament about the violence, Bono’s impassioned screams are more angry than melancholic.
Instead of looking back on the situation with pure disdain, Bono paints the incident with a broader brush, asking what makes men take each other’s lives through acts of terrorism, especially at the expense of children who have their whole lives ahead of them. Bono would get even more impassioned when playing the song live, often breaking from the usual script to talk about other problems in the world. Bono’s words can verge on “holier than thou” territory sometimes, but outside of the talks of tragedy is a frightened man looking at how far humanity has fallen.
3. ‘Pride’ – The Unforgettable Fire
“Early evening, April four
A shot rings out in the Memphis sky
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride“.
After War set U2 up as one of the most political bands of their time, The Unforgettable Fire took everything one step further. Although every band member had shared opinions about the world’s problems, they were also fascinated by the practices going on half a world away in America, as evidenced by songs about Elvis Presley and political tunes like ‘Bad’. Although nearly every song on the album hits like a sledgehammer, ‘Pride’ was the first time it felt like this Irish band could take on the world through their music.
Having explored different areas of injustice, Bono is reporting on this tune, telling the story of Martin Luther King Jr’s quest for civil rights during the 1960s. Although the song could have easily become a history lesson, Bono treats every word coming out of his mouth with reverence, having a tremendous amount of respect for what King had done by choosing to live his life fighting for the equality of all men.
Rather than see King as this messianic figure of civil rights, Bono still captures the image of the man underneath it all, knowing how much ‘Pride’ King put into his ideals and his determination to live in a world where both black and white men can live together in the same space. Not every rock band was looking to make songs dealing with real-life issues, but the need to highlight the need for peace and equality is something that John Lennon would have recognised instantly.
2. ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’ – The Joshua Tree
“I believe in the kingdom come
Then all the colours will bleed into one
Bleed into one
But yes I’m still running“.
U2’s music has always had a spirituality behind it. Though Bono has been known as an outspoken Christian and has made songs about his struggles with faith, his language is so universal that nearly anyone can understand his commitment to his art. Even if he’s singing a simple love song, Bono knows that love alone is never enough to satisfy him.
When originally workshopping ‘I Still Haven’t Found’, Bono used the placeholder title ‘The Weather Girls’ to keep everything moving. Once he heard a traditional melody from producer Daniel Lanois, Bono found the key for the lyrics, morphing the entire song into a hymn of devotion as the sounds of a choir echo him in the background.
Although the hallmarks of blues and traditional rock and roll are accounted for, this is practically a gospel song in U2’s hands, as Bono talks about that something more missing from love that might exist on the spiritual plane instead of here on Earth. While Bono might not find that spiritual plane until he meets his maker, he’s fine with his music being the only outlet for those feelings. No one can claim to have seen the face of God on Earth, but every time U2 plays this song, they seem to be getting a bit closer.
1. ‘One’ – Achtung Baby
“You say love is a temple, love a higher law
Love is a temple, love the higher law
You ask me to enter but then you make me crawl
And I can’t be holdin’ on to what you got
When all you got is hurt“.
After The Joshua Tree blew up worldwide, U2 should have been in one of the happiest periods of their career. Since they had spent most of their career working towards songs that could shake the world around them, they finally had fans who were willing to follow them to the ends of the Earth. As the times started changing, though, Bono was the most insecure of all going into Achtung Baby.
With the age of irony upon them, U2 were struggling to work on anything until ‘One’ took form, as Bono talked about his uncertain emotions in the wake of becoming famous. Telling the story of a bitter breakup, Bono struggles to come to terms with his feelings, wondering why he loves someone if it means he’ll be left with less than nothing should he break up with them. Even though it might hurt to try and save his tattered relationship, Bono knows that it’s about getting through life together, supporting and lifting each other when things look bleak.
Rather than just a simple love song, Bono’s words read like a prayer to humanity, knowing that nothing will be salvaged if people lose their empathy for their fellow man. While Bono is one of the first people to say that ‘One’ is not a love song by nature, the desire to maintain some sort of compassion for humanity is about as pure as love can get on this planet.
