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
Even Better
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you'll be satisfied
Give me two more chances
You won't be denied
Well my heart is where it's always been
My head is somewhere in between
Give me one more chance
You're the real thing
Yeah the real thing
You're the real thing
Even better than the real thing
Give me one last chance
And I'm gonna make you sing
Give me half a chance
To ride on the waves that you bring
You're honey child to a swarm of bees
Gonna blow right through you like a breeze
Give me one last dance
We'll slide down the surface of things
You're the real thing
Yeah the real thing
You're the real thing
Even better than the real thing
We're free to fly the crimson sky
The sun won't melt our wings tonight
Oh now
Here she comes
Take me higher
Take me higher
You take me higher?
You take me higher?
You're the real thing
Yeah the real thing
You're the real thing
Even better than the real thing
Even better than the real thing
Even better than the real thing
The lyrics to U2's "Even Better Than the Real Thing" express the desire for a second chance to prove oneself to a lover. The singer is begging for an opportunity to show their partner that they can satisfy them better than anyone else. The singer is confident in their ability to be a good lover, and they want to prove that they are worth the investment of another chance. They ask for one more chance, promising that their partner won't be disappointed, and even guaranteeing that they will be better than anyone else.
The song also celebrates the power of attraction and chemistry between two people. The singer describes their lover as "the real thing," someone who is authentic and genuine. They confess their addiction to their lover, comparing them to honey that attracts a swarm of bees. The singer is intoxicated by their lover's presence and promises to take them higher.
Overall, "Even Better Than the Real Thing" is a high-energy, passionate love song that emphasizes the power of physical attraction and the importance of second chances.
Line by Line Meaning
Give me one more chance
The singer is requesting another opportunity.
And you'll be satisfied
The singer promises to meet the listener's expectations.
Give me two more chances
The singer desires multiple opportunities.
You won't be denied
The listener won't be deprived of anything.
Well my heart is where it's always been
The artist's emotions remain unchanged.
My head is somewhere in between
The singer's thoughts are divided.
Give me one more chance
The singer desires another opportunity.
Let me be your lover tonight
The artist wants to be the listener's companion for the night.
You're the real thing
The listener is genuine and authentic.
Yeah the real thing
The listener is the real deal.
Even better than the real thing
The listener surpasses expectations.
Give me one last chance
The artist desires a final opportunity.
And I'm gonna make you sing
The singer promises to induce happiness in the listener.
Give me half a chance
The singer desires a partial opportunity.
To ride on the waves that you bring
The singer wishes to join the listener's experiences.
You're honey child to a swarm of bees
The listener is highly attractive to many.
Gonna blow right through you like a breeze
The artist will have a powerful effect on the listener.
Give me one last dance
The singer desires a final dance.
We'll slide down the surface of things
The singer wants to enjoy simple pleasures with the listener.
We're free to fly the crimson sky
The artist and listener have freedom to explore life.
The sun won't melt our wings tonight
The artist and listener won't be stopped by obstacles tonight.
Oh now
The artist is indicating a change in the present moment.
Here she comes
The listener is approaching.
Take me higher
The artist desires to experience greater heights with the listener.
You take me higher?
The singer questions if the listener will elevate them.
You take me higher?
The singer questions if the listener will elevate them.
You're the real thing
The listener is genuine and authentic.
Yeah the real thing
The listener is the real deal.
Even better than the real thing
The listener surpasses expectations.
Even better than the real thing
The listener exceeds standards.
Even better than the real thing
The listener amazes the singer.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADAM CLAYTON, DAVE EVANS, LARRY MULLEN, PAUL HEWSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mattmcdermitt6482
THIS AGED SO WELL. WOW.
@AtomicPeace
True dat
@briancassidy4205
That's cos it was ahead of it's time! B-)
@billyjoefrancis
I recall Achtung Baby being the most anticipated album that I've ever witnessed in my lifetime. Brilliant track and album.
@elleericson2056
Agree!
@Boric78
Also a shock - many fans struggled with the new sound. I thought it was great - the sound of Pan European Harmony and the Futurism. Shame our Political Class aren't Bono.
@WRX2001
Absolutely i remember buying the album at midnight the day it was released..
@jackjude
@@Boric78 yeah, this is why the Achtung and Zooropa chapter is their best work, the music, tours, artwork are all inflected with with ideas and interesting concepts. The Irish band returning from a mythic America to a new Europe.
@eoinoneill9596
@Alfredo Jonstone Our political class are Bono: evading taxes and pretending to care about Africa
@FreddyRuiz
This song recharges the energies of the human being to 100%.