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
Don't Say Goodbye
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
in the shade of a willow tree creeps a crawling over me
over me and over you stuck together with God's glue
it's going to get stickier too…
it's been a long hot summer
let's get undercover
don't try too hard to think…don't think at all
afraid of what you'd find if you took a look inside
not just deaf and dumb I'm staring at the sun
not the only one who's happy to go blind
there's an insect in your ear if you scratch it won't disappear
it's gonna itch and burn and sting
do you want to see what the scratching brings
waves that leave me out of reach
breaking on your back like a beach…
will we ever live in peace?
'cause those that can't do often have to
those that can't do often have to preach
to the ones staring at the sun
afraid of what you'll find if you took a look inside
not just deaf and dumb…staring at the sun
I'm not the only one who'd rather go blind
intransigence is all around…military still in town
armour plated suits and ties…daddy just won't say goodbye
referee won't blow the whistle God is good but will HE listen
I'm nearly great
but there's something I'm missing I left in the duty free
though you never really belonged to me
you're not the only one starin' at the sun
afraid of what you'd find if you stepped back inside
I'm not sucking my thumb I'm staring at the sun
not the only one who's happy to go blind
The song "Staring at the Sun" by U2 has deep lyrics that explore themes of fear, avoidance, and denial. The opening verse describes a hot summer day where the heat and laziness make it difficult to think. The singer feels stuck, both in their own mind and in a relationship where they are "stuck together with God's glue." The verses imply a sense of foreboding, that something uncomfortable is lurking beneath the surface that they are avoiding.
The chorus emphasizes the idea of staring at the sun, using it as a metaphor for avoiding self-awareness. The singer admits to being afraid of what they might find if they looked inside themselves, and suggests that others feel the same way. The reference to being "deaf and dumb" implies a reluctance to speak out or confront problems head-on.
The third verse takes on a more political tone, referencing an "intransigence" that surrounds the singer, including military presence and powerful, unyielding figures like "daddy." The image of the referee not blowing the whistle implies a sense of powerlessness or a lack of justice. The final lines are bittersweet, as the singer has left something behind but recognizes that it "never really belonged" to them.
Overall, "Staring at the Sun" is a complex and introspective song that looks at both personal and societal anxieties. It suggests that avoidance and denial may be easier in the short term but can leave us feeling unfulfilled and disconnected from ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
SUMMER stretching on the grass…summer dresses pass
The song sets the scene of the summer season with people passing by in summer attire.
in the shade of a willow tree creeps a crawling over me
The setting is under a willow tree, and something unknown is creeping on the person.
over me and over you stuck together with God's glue
The person and their loved one are stuck together, bound by their faith in God.
it's going to get stickier too…
The bond between the couple is going to get stronger.
it's been a long hot summer let's get undercover
After a long, hot summer, the person wants to get out of the sun and take cover.
don't try too hard to think…don't think at all
The person is suggesting that they should avoid thinking too much and just enjoy the moment.
I'm not the only one starin' at the sun
The person isn't alone in avoiding looking within themselves and facing their problems.
afraid of what you'd find if you took a look inside
The person is afraid of what they might discover if they reflect on their fears and emotions.
not just deaf and dumb I'm staring at the sun
The person is fully aware of what they are doing, even if it may not be wise.
not the only one who's happy to go blind
Many people may choose to ignore their issues rather than face them head-on.
there's an insect in your ear if you scratch it won't disappear
There's a problem that won't go away simply by ignoring it.
it's gonna itch and burn and sting do you want to see what the scratching brings
Confronting an issue may be uncomfortable, but ignoring it will only make things worse.
waves that leave me out of reach breaking on your back like a beach…
The relationship between the person and their loved one is becoming distant and their love is breaking apart like waves on a beach.
will we ever live in peace?
The person is uncertain if they can find peace in their current situation.
'cause those that can't do often have to those that can't do often have to preach
Sometimes, people who can't solve their own problems will give advice to others to make themselves feel superior.
to the ones staring at the sun afraid of what you'll find if you took a look inside
The song repeats that many people are afraid to confront their internal struggles.
not just deaf and dumb…staring at the sun
There's a difference between ignorance and being fully aware of one's actions.
I'm not the only one who'd rather go blind
The person is not alone in choosing to ignore their problems rather than confront them.
intransigence is all around…military still in town
The world has many issues that are not easily solved, even if they are harmful to society.
armour plated suits and ties…daddy just won't say goodbye
Some people may wear protective armor or appear more powerful, but they may still struggle with personal issues.
referee won't blow the whistle God is good but will HE listen
The person may feel as though they cannot find help, even from a higher power or authority figure.
I'm nearly great but there's something I'm missing I left in the duty free
The person may feel as though they are missing something important in their life that they can't seem to find.
though you never really belonged to me
The person may have lost someone important to them, or feel as if they don't truly belong in their current situation.
you're not the only one starin' at the sun
The song repeats that many people choose to ignore their problems rather than face them head-on.
afraid of what you'd find if you stepped back inside
This line reinforces that people are afraid to confront their personal issues.
I'm not sucking my thumb I'm staring at the sun
The person is fully aware of the consequences of their actions.
not the only one who's happy to go blind
Many people may choose to ignore their issues rather than face them head-on.
Contributed by Isabella V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@robbycan
the first minute is really compelling, I wish sometimes it was its own song
@Franckdatank
Bongonese lol
@PH96Official
Blongna
@PoklonnikAnnLauer
¿Dónde están los fans de U2, que esto se ha publicado hace más de un año? O es que estas piezas no son tan raras...
@u2bootlegandrare346
U2 - 2007 - Unreleased & Rare
01. U2 - Montgomery's Visit
02. U2 - Get You Down
03. U2 - Wake Up And Take Me Down (Part 1)
04. U2 - Steering Wheel
05. U2 - Feel Free
06. U2 - Did You Wanna
07. U2 - Wake Up And Take Me Down (Part 2)
08. U2 - Doctor, Doctor
09. U2 - Don't Say Goodbye
10. U2 - Heaven And Hell
11. U2 - Get Together Now
12. U2 - High As A Kite (Salome)
13. U2 - Jitterbug Baby
@u2bootlegandrare346
Bootleg and rare......Esto significa que son canciones que no son parte de la discografía oficial
la salida es la canción de 2007
@PH96Official
Oof those vocals are rough