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
Atomic City
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come all you angels forgetting to fly
Come all who feel we're not on our own
All UFOs come on your way home
Alone, that's no way to be carrying on
Come on, we're betting on a future that's long
Gone, in look of a song
You just have to be right one more time then you're wrong
Atomic City (Atomic)
Oh, oh
Atomic City (Atomic)
Oh, oh
I'm free
Where you are is where I'll be
I'm free
So unexpectedly
Come all who serve above and below
Come all believers and all who don't know
Come quick, come soon, comme ci, comme ça
Then you dive into your eyes and blah blah blah
Guitars, she pulls the strings et cetera
Sinatra swings, a choir sings
Love is God and God is love
And if your dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough
Atomic City (Atomic)
Oh, oh
Atomic City
Atomic Sun for everyone
For everyone
Roll the dice
That's roulette
The beat has not stopped
Speeding yet
I'm free
Where you are is where I'll be
I'm free
So unexpectedly
I'm free
I see what's in front of me
And your freedom is contagious
What you've got I wanna be
I'm free
It took me my whole life
I got the keys to the cages
I'm ready for bright lights
I'm free
I came here for the fight
I'm front row in Las Vegas
And there's a big one on tonight
The lyrics to U2's "Atomic City" convey a sense of unity, hope, and freedom amidst a chaotic and uncertain world. The song begins by calling out to all the stars and angels, suggesting a collective longing for connection and a desire to transcend our individual limitations. The mention of UFOs hints at the idea of otherworldly beings or experiences that can bring us back to a sense of belonging.
The chorus emphasizes the theme of freedom, with the repetition of "I'm free" expressing a newfound liberation. The lyrics suggest that freedom is not only about personal liberation but also about being in the right place with the right people. It highlights the power of unexpected moments and connections that can lead to a sense of freedom and fulfillment.
The song also touches on themes of faith and love. The reference to believers and those who don't know suggests that regardless of one's beliefs or knowledge, everyone is invited to participate in this shared experience. The line "Love is God and God is love" expresses the idea that love is a unifying and divine force that transcends religious boundaries.
Overall, "Atomic City" encourages listeners to embrace the unpredictability of life, to take risks, and to find freedom and fulfillment in the connections we make with others.
Line by Line Meaning
Come all you stars falling out of the sky
Welcome all those who are famous and successful, but are experiencing a downfall.
Come all you angels forgetting to fly
Join us, heavenly beings, who seem to have lost our ability to soar and achieve great things.
Come all who feel we're not on our own
Gather all those who believe that we are not alone in this world and that there is a higher power guiding us.
All UFOs come on your way home
All unidentified flying objects, return to your place of origin.
Alone, that's no way to be carrying on
Being solitary is not a suitable way to continue living.
Come on, we're betting on a future that's long
Let's have faith and place our bets on a prosperous and enduring future.
Gone, in look of a song
Lost, searching for inspiration and meaning in our lives.
You just have to be right one more time then you're wrong
All it takes is one instance of being correct, and suddenly all your other opinions and actions become flawed.
Atomic City (Atomic)
Oh, oh
Atomic City (Atomic)
Oh, oh
Referring to an energetic and powerful city where atomic elements rule and dominate.
I'm free
Where you are is where I'll be
I'm free
So unexpectedly
I am liberated from constraints, and I will always be by your side, even though it may come as a surprise.
Come all who serve above and below
All individuals who dedicate themselves to higher forces and those who serve both in heaven and in the earthly realm.
Come all believers and all who don't know
Everyone, regardless of their beliefs or lack thereof, is welcome to join us.
Come quick, come soon, comme ci, comme ça
Hurry and arrive promptly, whether things are going well or just so-so.
Then you dive into your eyes and blah blah blah
You immerse yourself in the depths of your own thoughts and emotions, disregarding the trivialities and shallow conversations.
Guitars, she pulls the strings et cetera
Wield the power of guitars to control and influence various aspects of life, among other things.
Sinatra swings, a choir sings
Frank Sinatra's music carries a palpable rhythm and charm, while a choir harmoniously adds their voices to the mix.
Love is God and God is love
Love is a divine force, and the concept of God is inseparable from love.
And if your dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough
Your aspirations should be so grand and ambitious that they evoke fear within you; otherwise, they are not significant.
Atomic City (Atomic)
Oh, oh
Atomic City
Atomic Sun for everyone
For everyone
Emphasizing the dominance and accessibility of the powerful Atomic City to all, just like the radiant sun.
Roll the dice
That's roulette
The beat has not stopped
Speeding yet
Take risks and leave things to chance, similar to playing roulette, as the fast-paced rhythm of life continues without interruption.
I'm free
Where you are is where I'll be
I'm free
So unexpectedly
I am liberated from constraints, and I will always be by your side, even though it may come as a surprise.
I'm free
I see what's in front of me
And your freedom is contagious
What you've got I wanna be
I am untethered and fully aware of the present moment, and your own freedom is inspiring and infectious. I desire to possess what you have.
I'm free
It took me my whole life
I got the keys to the cages
I'm ready for bright lights
Finally, after a lifetime of struggle, I have attained the means to escape from my confinements. I am prepared to embrace fame and success.
I'm free
I came here for the fight
I'm front row in Las Vegas
And there's a big one on tonight
I am liberated and willing to engage in a battle. I am in a prime position in Las Vegas, and an important event is about to unfold.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Adam Clayton, Bono, Debbie Harry, Girogio Moroder, Larry Mullen Jr., The Edge
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@frankmcconnellogue3351
I went to the first ever slane castle concert in Ireland ,headlining that day was the brilliant Thinlizzy with support acts of rose tattoo,mamas boys, sinead O’Connor and a little known band called U2 . Those were the days.
@roryandtheisland
I doubt it was Sinead I Connor ? Unless she was 12
@great_live_music
Hazel O'Connor not Sinead.
@frankmcconnellogue3351
Hazel O’Connor is correct.👍
@deputyvanhalen6386
Back when Bono had a spine. Shame on him. Genocide, apartheid deniar.
@oldschoolcollodion
Can you imagine this being your job? It boggles my mind.
@markgreene516
My feelings exactly. Difficult to get your head around.
@WhizMitchell
Best job is a job that you love. They are all very fortunate.
@user-ut9nc3dy9s
I really like this tune. Saw them do it live at The Sphere back on 1/26. It rocked!
@allison2732
I saw it live at Sphere Feb 15th!