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
Amazing Grace
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Miscellaneous
Amazing Grace
(John Newton)
Amazing grace
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
But now I'm found
Was blind
But now I see
The earth shall soon
Dissolve like snow
The sun forget to shine
But God who brought me here below
Will be forever mine
Through him many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come
'T was grace that brought me here thus far
And grace will lead me home
The song "Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn that speaks of the profound grace and salvation that people can find in their lives through God's love. It was written by John Newton, a former slave-trader turned Anglican clergyman who experienced a spiritual awakening after surviving a storm at sea. The opening lines of the song reflect the newfound sense of appreciation that Newton felt for his redemption, calling it "amazing grace" and describing it as sweet and life-changing.
The second verse of the song refers to the transience of the physical world, suggesting that all earthly things will pass away in time. However, this does not concern the singer because they know that God will always be with them, guiding and protecting them. The final verse of the song explains that despite the hardships and dangers that people face in life, it is God's grace that has carried them thus far and will continue to lead them home.
Overall, "Amazing Grace" is a song that celebrates the transformative power of divine love and the comfort that it can bring to people during difficult times in their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Amazing grace
The incredible and wondrous mercy shown by God
How sweet the sound
The beautiful and comforting nature of God's forgiveness
That saved a wretch like me
God's love and compassion was strong enough to redeem me despite my past mistakes
I once was lost
I was directionless and unaware of how to live a fulfilling life
But now I'm found
God's guidance has led me to a more fulfilling and purposeful existence
Was blind
I was unable to see the opportunities and blessings around me
But now I see
God's guidance has opened my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities and joy
The earth shall soon
The physical world is temporary and fleeting, and will eventually cease to exist
Dissolve like snow
The earth will break down and dissipate over time
The sun forget to shine
Even the most dependable and reliable parts of the natural world will eventually cease to exist
But God who brought me here below
God is the one who placed me on this earth and is responsible for my life and well-being
Will be forever mine
God will always be with me and remain by my side
Through him many dangers, toils and snares
With God's help, I have managed to overcome numerous obstacles and challenges
I have already come
I have already faced and dealt with numerous struggles in my life
'T was grace that brought me here thus far
It was only due to God's mercy and love that I have managed to make it this far in life
And grace will lead me home
I am confident that God's love and guidance will continue to support me on my life journey and eventually lead me to my eternal home
Writer(s): Billy Sherwood, David Delargy, Matthew Edward Kelly, Eric Prestidge, Aaron Joseph Neville, Dennis Charles, Michael Damien Hedges, Jim Ed Norman, Stephen Daniel Mason, Eugene O'hagan, Arthur H. Gorson, Gary Barlow, Jack K. Pleis, Walter H. Barnes, Jimmy Fortune, Sufjan Stevens, Luther Henderson, Bernie Herms, Jon Cohen, John E. Coates, Neil Diamond, Andre Leon M. N. Rieu, Richard Cole, Urs Buhler, Faryl Smith, Ugis Praulins, Bill Pursell, Carlos Marin, Pete Drake, Julian Smith, Eric D. Dawkins, Billy Cyrus, Sebastian Izambard, Eliot Cohen, Hans-Ullrich Sellnow, Salli Isaak, Martin O'hagan, John Hawkins, Katherine Jenkins, James Last, Joan Baez, Travis Meadows, B. J. Thomas, James Merrill Brickman, Charlie Lowell, Ken Casey, Aretha Franklin, John Newton, Obray Ramsey, Leonard Fox, Jo Huijts, Michael Omartian, don S. Reid, Lee Greenwood, George Henry Martin, George Cates, Stan Walker, Jimmy Owens, al L. Green, Rick Barton, Joseph Shabalala, Ray Byard, Tony Britten, Harold Wilson Reid, Walker Billy Joe Jr, David Miller, Matt Odmark, Willie Joe Ligon, Dan Haseltine, Philip E. Balsley Copyright: Bridge Building Music, New Spring Publishing Inc., Diamondsongs, Warner Olive Music LLC, Jon Cohen Music Ltd., East Memphis Music Corp., Universal Music Corp., Harry Von Tilzer Music Publishing Co., Decca Music Group Ltd., Underdog East Songs, Al Green Music Inc., Emi Music Publishing Ltd., E.D. Duz-it Music, Sunnageronimo Publishing Inc., Charlotte Church Music Ltd., Skinny Zach Music, Red Engine Music, Emi Music Publishing Australia Pty Ltd., Right Bank Music Uk Limited, Springtime Music Inc., Brickman Songs, Throwing Music, Hill & Range Songs Inc., Warner Domain Music Inc., Warner-tamerlane Publishing Corp., Spoone Music Corp., Polygram Music Publishing B.V., Warner/Chappell Music Ltd., Songs Of Universal Inc., New Jerusalem Music, Il Divo, Greenhorn Musikverlag Gmbh & Co. Kg, Music Corp. Of America Inc., Dr. Zeuss Music, Marathon Key Ii Music, Associated Music International Ltd., Universal Tunes A.D.O. Songs Of Univers, Alto Madness Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing (Uk) Limited, Warprise Music Inc., Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, G650 Music, Duchess Music Corp., Chandos Inc., Irving Music Inc., Apache Red Music, Salli Isaak Music Publishing Ltd., Gallo Music Publishers, Canadian Brass Publc., Pogostick Music, Universal Music Publishing Ltd., Happy Musikverlag Gmbh & Co. Kg, Polygram Int. Music Publishing Ltd., Word Music LLC, Dayspring Music LLC
Contributed by Levi K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@7believe7
beforethefoundationoftheworld...Yes, we're human and will sin from time to time. Yes, it's all of God living through us if we allow Him to, that He may speak, correct, teach, and love others through our lives. But, that doesn't mean we live a life thinking that b/c we're human and will sin at times, that we don't have responsibility for our actions, our words, and our motives in everything we say and do. God tells us to be holy, for He is holy (But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. B/c it is written, be ye holy, for I am holy." [1 Peter 1:15-16]).
God indeed knows that we will sin from time to time, BUT, we are to STRIVE for holiness, not passing off any sinful way/motives/words with an "oh well, it's all of God, none of me anyway" attitude.
As for the translation I quoted, it says the same thing in King James version you refer to:
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and HAVE NOT CHARITY (LOVE), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and HAVE NOT CHARITY, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and HAVE NOT CHARITY, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is KIND; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself UNSEEMLY, seeketh not her own, is not EASILY PROVOKED, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but REJOICETH IN THE TRUTH;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." ~ 1 Corinthians 13: 1-7 KJV
FYI: "Agape"accurately translated means love. For some reason the KJ Bible has translated it using the word "Charity", which is not accurate (https://gotquestions.org/Bible-charity.html). There are other sources you can refer to for your own perusal, however, I've just listed this link for convenience sake.
I'm not trying to insult you, I'm merely pointing out what the Bible says very clearly.
May God bless His children as we continue to strive for holiness for His Name's sake!
Your sister in Christ :)
@erickamacdonald2706
I am so absolutely floored . I have never taken notice to this band or it’s storey but now I am on a mission to learn . This was beautiful to observe incredible talent being used for the good ❤ So many people all walks I am so inspired by this!
@lisaforte4347
It's 3:22 in the morning, I am listening to this amazing song tearing up and smiling at the same time. I have been a U2 fan since 1981, there are not enough words that describe how amazing this band is. Thank you Bono for your amazing voice, your music has helped me through the darkest times of my life and just, WOW with this band !!
@dancornmell6574
Amen brother
@felicialefay
What an utterly, breathtakingly beautiful version of this song. I didn’t know U2 could outdo themselves on this beautiful song, but they managed to do it here. The echoing harmonies in the chorus are sublime. Thank you, U2. You restore my faith in humanity at a time when it is sorely needed.
@doviehudson9535
The GREATEST band in the history of this
Planet. Bar none and I am their biggest fan!
The intro of When the streets have no name gives me chills all the time 🤙🏻🙌🏻
brings me tears n shivers. the streets will have no name indeed.grace is amazing
@mariadelbon7931
Lindo demais!!!
@RGV_9
U2's passion and sincerity in each one of their songs is something so rare to find in this world. Their concerts might not be as highly built as Roger Water's The Wall, but you can certainly be sure that Bono and The Edge will always put on an amazing show, passionate up until their last breath. Role models in life, to say the least.
@MrGarmston
The GREATEST band in the history of this
Planet. Bar none and I am their biggest fan!
@MatthewSaville
Happy 10th birthday to one of the greatest moments in rock music history...
@Nisspecvan
Had the pleasure of seeing this performed live. Amazing show and this was by far the highlight of it.