The song did not get a commercial release. It was, however released as a promotional single only in Germany, simply to promote U2's appearance at the Loreley Festival in 1983. The single was released on a 7" gramophone record with a B-side of the album version of "Two Hearts Beat as One". Since its live debut on 26 February 1983 in Dundee, "40" has been a staple of U2's live concerts, having been performed over 300 times.
The song was recorded right at the end of the recording sessions for War. Bassist Adam Clayton had already left the studio, and the three remaining band members decided they didn't have a good song to end the album. Bono, The Edge, and Larry Mullen Jr. quickly recorded the song with The Edge switching off to both the electric and bass guitar. Bono called the song "40" as he based the lyrics on Psalm 40.
The first verse of the song is based on Psalm 40:1-2, and second verse of the song is based on Psalm 40:2-3. The chorus is loosely based on the first two verses of Psalm 40:3, which reads "He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God..."
During a live performance on April 29, 1987, Bono joked: "We spent ten minutes writing this song, ten minutes recording it, ten minutes mixing it, ten minutes playing it back, and that's got nothing to do with why it's called '40'."
"40" debuted live on 26 February 1983 in Dundee as the final song of the show, and closed every single concert on 1983's War Tour. It became very popular as a concert closer, and between its debut and 10 January 1990, there were roughly only twenty tour concerts that did not feature "40" as the closing song. During live performances, Adam Clayton and The Edge would swap instruments so that Adam played guitar and Edge played bass, and the band members would progressively leave stage, with Bono the first to depart, then Clayton, then Edge, and finally, Larry Mullen, Jr. The crowd would often continue to chant the refrain of "How long...to sing this song?" even after the band had left the stage. Live performances of the song are included on the live album Under a Blood Red Sky and the concert film Live at Red Rocks: Under a Blood Red Sky.
Between January 1990 and March 2005, full performances of "40" were extremely rare, though on 2001's Elevation Tour, it was regularly snippeted at the end of "Bad" before the song segued into "Where the Streets Have No Name". "40" made a return to the regular setlist in March 2005 on the Vertigo Tour and has closed many of the tour's shows: it closed most on the first leg, three on the second, rotated with other songs (mainly "Bad") for closing duties on the third leg, made only a few appearances on the fourth leg, and was snippeted a few times rather than being played in full on the fifth leg. It is U2's fourteenth most performed live song, or tenth most performed if snippets are included in its total.
"40"
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Waited patiently for the Lord
Inclined and heard my cry
He lift me up out of the pit
Out of the mire and clay
I will sing, sing a new song
How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song?
How long, how long, how long
How long to sing this song?
He set my feet upon a rock
And made my footsteps firm
Many will see
Many will see and hear
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song
(Sing it)
How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song?
How long, how long, how long
How long to sing this song?
Thank you, good night!
(How long to sing this song?)
(How long to sing this song?)
(How long to sing this song?)
(How long to sing this song?)
(How long to sing this song?)
(How long to sing this song?)
(How long to sing this song?)
The lyrics to U2's song "40" are rooted in the biblical Psalm 40. The song begins with the singer expressing their patience while waiting for the Lord to hear their cry. The Lord eventually delivers them from their troubles, lifting them out of their metaphorical pit of despair. The singer then praises the Lord with a new song, as they stand firm on a rock and witness others seeing and hearing the power of the Lord.
The repetition of "How long to sing this song?" throughout the song adds a sense of urgency and desperation. It's as if the singer is asking how long they must continue asking for help before the Lord comes to their aid. However, it can also be interpreted as a question of how long the singer will continue to sing praises to the Lord, a testament to their unwavering faith.
Overall, the song is a powerful expression of faith, patience, and the transformative power of the Lord. It speaks to the hope and comfort that can come from turning to a higher power during difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
Waited patiently for the Lord
I have waited for God's help with patience
Inclined and heard my cry
He listened and responded to my plea for help
He lift me up out of the pit
He rescued me from a difficult situation
Out of the mire and clay
Out of the muddy and messy condition of my life
I will sing, sing a new song
I will praise God with a new song for His goodness
How long to sing this song?
How long will I need to continue singing praises to God?
He set my feet upon a rock
He gave me a solid foundation to stand on
And made my footsteps firm
He gave me stability and direction in my life
Many will see
Many people will witness God's goodness in my life
Many will see and hear
Many people will hear about God's goodness in my life
Thank you, good night!
Closing remark after the song has ended
(How long to sing this song?)
Repetition of the question: how long will I need to continue singing praises to God?
(How long to sing this song?)
Repetition of the question: how long will I need to continue singing praises to God?
(How long to sing this song?)
Repetition of the question: how long will I need to continue singing praises to God?
(How long to sing this song?)
Repetition of the question: how long will I need to continue singing praises to God?
(How long to sing this song?)
Repetition of the question: how long will I need to continue singing praises to God?
(How long to sing this song?)
Repetition of the question: how long will I need to continue singing praises to God?
(How long to sing this song?)
Final repetition of the question: how long will I need to continue singing praises to God?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adam Clayton, David Evans, Laurence Mullen, Paul David Hewson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fabianapaulinadasilva7448
I waited patiently for the Lord
He inclined and heard my cry
He lift me up out of the pits
Out of the miry clay
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song
How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song?
How long, how long, how long
How long to sing this song?
He set my feet upon a rock
And made my footsteps firm
Many will see
Many will see and hear
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song
(Sing it!)
How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song?
How long, how long, how long
How long to sing this song?
@handbonewade
5. DID
5 DID NOT
REVELATION 11 10
ANOINT OLIVE OIL DAILY OR STAY
GOD IS IN THE OIL!!! Like the Horn of oil Samuel poured over the head of David, it represented a saturation of God himself upon David's life for kingship. God is in the oil! Always have oil on one's person for anointing people, for healing, for deliverance, for casting devil's out! He lives in US, and he lives in the oil. Chew on it!
THEY ATE THE FOOD OF ANGELS
Psalms 78:24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.
Psalms 78:25 Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.
Psalms 78:26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.
Psalms 78:27 He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
Psalms 78:28 And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
THE SEALMENT
IS NOW
OLIVE OIL
NOT YOUR SANCTIFICATION OF BAPTISM
HIS HIS HIS
THE HOLY GHOST
NOWWWWWWWW
OR
STAYYYYYYY
OR u u u could Perish
OR FIGHT WITH no power
There is to RECEIVE the Holy Spirit and to be FILLED with the Holy Spirit.Any person who believe the gospel of Christ and have Faith in Him you are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise( Ephesians ♥️1:13): fruit of the Spirit is love,joy, peace,..etc
Once you have the Holy Spirit it will manifest in your life through a process called sanctification. You will start producing fruits(Galatians ♥️ 5:22-23) and it will also gift you individually as He wills(1 Corinth 12:1-11):gift of working of miracles, healing, prophecy...etc
To be filled with the Holy Spirit of God is when God's power rest on you and manifest in you in different ways:
1.You can prophesy,see visions,)Acts
- 2:17-18)
2.Speak in Tongues (Acts 2:4)
3.Miracles happen (Acts 8:39)
4.You can see the Glory of God (Acts
- 7:55)
5: You can sing and pray (Acts 16:25)
6.in some cases on baptism (Mathew
- 3:16,Acts 9:18)
7.You have power (judges 15:14)
8.You may be turned into another person e.g Saul the King and also Paul
(1 Samuel 10:6,Acts 9:18-20)
THEY ATE THE FOOD OF ANGELS
Psalms 78:24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.
Psalms 78:25 Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.
Psalms 78:26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.
Psalms 78:27 He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
Psalms 78:28 And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
THE SEALMENT
IS NOW
OLIVE OIL
NOT YOUR SANCTIFICATION OF BAPTISM
HIS HIS HIS
THE HOLY GHOST
NOWWWWWWWW
OR
STAYYYYYYY
OR u u u could Perish
OR FIGHT WITH no power
There is to RECEIVE the Holy Spirit and to be FILLED with the Holy Spirit.Any person who believe the gospel of Christ and have Faith in Him you are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise( Ephesians ♥️1:13): fruit of the Spirit is love,joy, peace,..etc
Once you have the Holy Spirit it will manifest in your life through a process called sanctification. You will start producing fruits(Galatians ♥️ 5:22-23) and it will also gift you individually as He wills(1 Corinth 12:1-11):gift of working of miracles, healing, prophecy...etc
To be filled with the Holy Spirit of God is when God's power rest on you and manifest in you in different ways:
1.You can prophesy,see visions,)Acts
- 2:17-18)
2.Speak in Tongues (Acts 2:4)
3.Miracles happen (Acts 8:39)
4.You can see the Glory of God (Acts
- 7:55)
5: You can sing and pray (Acts 16:25)
6.in some cases on baptism (Mathew
- 3:16,Acts 9:18)
7.You have power (judges 15:14)
8.You may be turned into another person e.g Saul the King and also Paul
(1 Samuel 10:6,Acts 9:18-20)
@tracysnow349
We sat out there, in the rain, waiting, waiting, waiting...there were supposed to be two opening bands (The Alarm and The Divinyls) neither could take the stage. I remember people coming out and dumping vats of cola on the stage to make it sticky and then after what I think was a two or three hour delay the long awaited moment. My best friend and I were only 16 at the time and it was pure magic when the announcer came out and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, a warm Red Rocks welcome please. From Dublin, Ireland....U2!!!!! I still get goosebumps on my goosebumps when I think about it and I am almost 55 years old.
@dzed4674
Great story. I've seen this concert so many times.
@lborg960
Same age. You are right.
@cosmicvagrant3980
@@lborg960 I'm a bit younger, but I tell myself that U2 will be played in a hundred years... And only the most seeking, the most deserving, will know of 40...
@lborg960
@@cosmicvagrant3980 Damn right.
@calebthomas9530
Thanks for sharing
@rickneal4967
Forget all that million dollar stage show nonsense. This is when U2 was at their best. Just four dudes on a stage kicking ass.
@michaelthomas3316
That's damn right
@KaiPonte
Unfortunately it no longer works. I saw them twice in 1987. On the first tour, they played a 15000 seat arena. It was good.
The second time around, they played a 70,000 seat arena and the sound was TERRIBLE. Also, you could barely see them.
@noreenhendley6473
I’m 82 and was preparing for a Bible study class and a commentary from “Working Preacher” stated the connection between the Psalm 40 and U2’s “40,”. I’ve been playing this version constantly ever since. Never to old to appreciate great music.