The band formed at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in 1976 when the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency. Within four years, they signed with Island Records and released their debut album, Boy (1980). Subsequent work such as their first UK number-one album, War (1983), and the singles "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "Pride (In the Name of Love)" helped establish U2's reputation as a politically and socially conscious group. By the mid-1980s, they had become renowned globally for their live act, highlighted by their performance at Live Aid in 1985. The group's fifth album, The Joshua Tree (1987), made them international superstars and was their greatest critical and commercial success. Topping music charts around the world, it produced their only number-one singles in the US, "With or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For".
Facing creative stagnation and a backlash following their documentary/double album, Rattle and Hum (1988), U2 reinvented themselves in the 1990s through a new musical direction and public image. Beginning with their acclaimed seventh album, Achtung Baby (1991), and the multimedia-intensive Zoo TV Tour, the band integrated influences from alternative rock, electronic dance music, and industrial music into their sound, and embraced a more ironic, flippant image. This experimentation continued through their ninth album, Pop (1997), and the PopMart Tour, which were mixed successes. U2 regained critical and commercial favour with the records All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000) and How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004), which established a more conventional, mainstream sound for the group. Their U2 360° Tour of 2009–2011 is the highest-attended and highest-grossing concert tour in history. The group's thirteenth album, Songs of Innocence (2014), was released at no cost through the iTunes Store, but received criticism for its automatic placement in users' music libraries.
U2 has released 14 studio albums and is one of the world's best-selling music artists in history, having sold more than 170 million records worldwide. They have won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other band, and in 2005, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. Rolling Stone ranked U2 at number 22 on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Throughout their career, as a band and as individuals, they have campaigned for human rights and philanthropic causes, including Amnesty International, Jubilee 2000, the ONE/DATA campaigns, Product Red, War Child, and Music Rising.
Foundation: The band originally formed in 1976 when Larry Mullen posted a bulletin in his school asking for musicians to form a rock band. The band then consisted of the four current members plus three additional guitarists, including The Edge’s brother Dick Evans (later a member of Virgin Prunes), Ivan McCormick and Peter Martin. According to legend, Bono originally auditioned as a guitarist but couldn’t play. He auditioned as lead vocals, but really couldn’t sing. He was, however, incredibly enthusiastic about the band, extremely charismatic, a great writer, and was strangely able to reach the audience when the band played, something he is known for still today. Bono will reach out into the crowd and dance or mess with someone in the crowd at every concert. He was kept as a member. The extra guitarists would soon leave the band and the group would go through the names “Feedback ” and “The Hype” before finally settling on U2.
The 70s & 80s: 1978 was a jumping point year for the band, finally finding their sound / voice. U2 won a talent contest in 1978: £500 and funds to make a record. Paul McGuinness became the band’s manager and U2 released an EP called Three and the single Another Day, the following year. U2 went on to release their first album, Boy and then more critically acclaimed albums incl.: October, War, Under A Blood Red Sky, and The Unforgettable Fire (featuring the song PlayMLK dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr). Seen by many as a political band with more charisma than others, they were called “a different kind” of band. After a short break U2 returned with The Joshua Tree & the USA music inspired Rattle And Hum (also a movie of the same name, based on the tour).
The 90s: Promising ”to dream it all up again”, they added industrial and dance styles to their music. Trying to drop a goody two shoes image, they went to Berlin (Germany), supposedly to develop new self-expressions. From there they started to make fun of themselves and had a good time of it in albums like Achtung Baby (meaning ”watch out, baby”, artwork feat. make-up artist Nassim Khalifa) & Zooropa. Bono took on many stage personae such as “The Fly”, “Mirrorball Man” and “Mr. MacPhisto” for the gigantic ZOO TV Tour. Later they continued to make fun of Pop culture and all its extremes with the album Pop and consequent PopMart tour which was announced to be launched at a Kmart store and included a giant golden arch across the stage.
The 00s: At the end of the 90’s into 00’s U2 became less image and more reality. With the death of Bono’s good friend Michael Hutchence, the lead singer of INXS, Bono wrote more songs from the heart surrounding ideas like life and death, children, hope, and the real world past all the pop culture and TV. Some say they’ve returned to a more band-centric sound with albums like All That You Can’t Leave Behind which features a song, Kite, dedicated to Bono’s father who passed away shortly after the album’s conception and 2004’s How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.
The 10s: U2 went on the U2 360° Tour in 2009 and 2010. This tour set records for the highest-grossing concert tour. The band worked with producer Danger Mouse for their thirteenth album Songs of Innocence, which was released on 9 September 2014 for free to all Apple iCloud users.
The Name: There are many theories as to the origin of the name U2. For example, U2 was an intelligence airplane that was in use by the United States during the Cold War. Other obvious candidates include “You too” and “You two”, etc. Nonetheless the official line on the name’s origins remains unknown. The band has been quoted as saying that they did think of the U2 spy plane, but remain hushed about other reasons… U2
05. Drowning Man
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know I'll be there
If you can
I'll cross the sky for your love
For I have promised
Oh, to be with you tonight
And for the time that will come
You know I'll be there
If you can
I'll cross the sky for your love
And I understand
These winds and tides
This change of times
Won't drag you away
Hold on, and hold on tightly
Hold on, and don't let go of my love
The storms will pass (the storm will pass)
It won't be long now (it won't be long now)
His love will last
His love will last, forever
Take my hand
You know I'll be there
If you can
I'll cross the sky for your love
Give you what I hold dear
Hold on, hold on tightly
Hold on, hold on tightly
Rise up, rise up
With wings like eagles
You run, you run
You run and not grow weary
(Take my hand, take my hand)
Hold on, and hold on tightly
Hold on, hold on tightly
To this love,(this love, this love) last forever
To this love,(this love, this love) last forever
Take my hand
Take my hand
The lyrics to U2's song Drowning Man show the singer offering their hand to someone in need, someone who is drowning in the rough sea of life. The singer promises to do anything they can to help this person, even if it means crossing the sky for their love. They understand that there are many things that can try to pull this person away, such as winds and tides and the change of times, but they urge them to hold on tightly and not let go of their love. The singer tells the person that the storm will eventually pass, and that his love will last forever. They offer everything they hold dear in order to help this person.
The song seems to be about offering a lifeline to someone who is struggling, whether it be a romantic partner or a friend. The lyrics show a level of commitment and devotion that is rarely seen in modern music. The message is one of hope and perseverance, even in the face of adversity. The repeated refrain of "Hold on, and hold on tightly" emphasizes the importance of staying strong and not giving up.
Line by Line Meaning
Take my hand
I am offering my support to you.
You know I'll be there
I will be by your side, whenever you need me.
If you can
If it is within your power.
I'll cross the sky for your love
I will go to great lengths to show my love for you.
For I have promised
I have made a commitment to you.
Oh, to be with you tonight
I long to be with you tonight.
And for the time that will come
And for all the time we have together in the future.
And I understand
I know and acknowledge.
These winds and tides
The challenges and changes in life.
This change of times
The passing of time and the changes it brings.
Won't drag you away
Won't separate us from each other.
Hold on, and hold on tightly
Stay strong and don't let go.
Hold on, and don't let go of my love
Stay strong and don't let go of our love.
The storms will pass (the storm will pass)
The difficult times will come to an end.
It won't be long now (it won't be long now)
The end is near.
His love will last
The love of a higher power will endure.
His love will last, forever
The love of a higher power is eternal.
Give you what I hold dear
I will share what is most precious to me with you.
Rise up, rise up
Stand tall and be strong.
With wings like eagles
With determination and grace.
You run, you run
You move forward and persevere.
You run and not grow weary
You continue on without losing strength or motivation.
(Take my hand, take my hand)
I am offering my support to you.
To this love,(this love, this love) last forever
Our love will endure forever.
To this love,(this love, this love) last forever
Our love will endure forever.
Take my hand
I am offering my support to you.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adam Clayton, Dave Evans, Larry Mullen, Paul Hewson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Steppings
Great and underrated song, one of their best in my opinion.
Steppings
Great and underrated song, one of my top 10 U2 songs and from a fabulous album.
lennomenno
34 years later and still loving it.
U2coholics
This song is so powerful !!
Tanicka Bland
I love U2 and Bono. I heard this song for the first time on Queen Sugar.. Amazing song.. I love the falsetto in vocals. While listening to the lyrics I realized this song is prophetic... I can't stop listening to it. I'm hooked!!
Michael Graham
Powerful...mysteriously eerie song from one of the greatest bans of all time....WOW....another great one!
Sloppify
Phenomenal song.
Jennifer
Such a beautiful song.
Jack White
40 years of great music
chris
one of my favorite songs from the war album. excellent slideshow. thanks for posting this.