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
Hold MeThrill MeKiss MeKill Me
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You just know what you've got
Oh Lordy, you've been stealing
From the thieves and you got caught
In the headlights of a stretch car
You're a star
Dressing like your sister
They don't know what you're doing
Babe, it must be art
You're a headache, in a suitcase
You're a star
Oh no, don't be shy
You don't have to go blind
Hold me, thrill me, kiss me, kill me
You don't know how you got here
You just know you want out
Believing in yourself
Almost as much as you doubt
You're a big smash
You wear it like a rash
Star
Oh no, don't be shy
It's a crime to cry
Hold me, thrill me, kiss me, kill me
They want you to be Jesus
Now go down on one knee
But they want their money back
If you're alive at thirty-three
And you're turning tricks
With your crucifix
You're a star
Ooh child
Of course you're not shy
You don't have to deny love
Hold me, thrill me, kiss me, kill me
U2’s song ‘Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me’ is heavily influenced by the comic book character, Batman. The dark and brooding lyrics are a perfect match for the iconic superhero, highlighting the internal struggle between good and evil that Batman is known for.
Opening with “You don’t know how you took it, you just know what you’ve got,” the song speaks to the feelings of power and control that come with achieving success. But that success also entices theft, as the lyric “Oh Lordy, you’ve been stealing from the thieves and you got caught” suggests. This theme of moral ambiguity continues as the song portrays the singer as someone who is simultaneously “dressing like your sister, living like a tart,” and creating art with their existence.
In the second verse, the lyrics highlight the struggle between self-belief and doubt that comes with success. Despite the success they have achieved, the singer wants out, and the line “Almost as much as you doubt” reveals the internal struggle they face. The narrative continues to build as they are compared to Jesus on one hand, and yet turn tricks with their crucifix.
Overall, ‘Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me’ is a complex exploration of the dark side of success and the toll it takes on one’s morality.
Line by Line Meaning
You don't know how you took it
You're not aware of how you ended up in your current situation.
You just know what you've got
But you have a clear sense of what you possess and what you're capable of.
Oh Lordy, you've been stealing
You've been living a life of theft, robbing from the rich and the powerful.
From the thieves and you got caught
But eventually, you became a victim of your own actions and got caught.
In the headlights of a stretch car
Now, you find yourself in the spotlight, illuminated by the headlights of a luxurious car.
You're a star
You have become a celebrity of sorts, despite the difficulties you have faced.
Dressing like your sister
You're presenting yourself in an unconventional way, defying societal norms.
Living like a tart
You're living recklessly, indulging in hedonism and pleasure-seeking.
They don't know what you're doing
People around you are clueless about the ways in which you're trying to express yourself.
Babe, it must be art
You are firm in your belief that your unconventional lifestyle is a form of artistic expression.
You're a headache, in a suitcase
Your behavior is difficult to comprehend, but at the same time, it's something that people find interesting and captivating.
Oh no, don't be shy
Despite all the attention you're getting, you shouldn't be afraid to be yourself and take chances.
You don't have to go blind
You don't have to give up your values and principles in order to attain success.
Hold me, thrill me, kiss me, kill me
Embrace all the intense emotions that come with living life to the fullest, no matter the consequences.
You don't know how you got here
You find yourself still unsure of how you arrived at your current success, but grateful for it nonetheless.
You just know you want out
However, you realize that you're also struggling to find a way out of this cycle of fame and notoriety.
Believing in yourself
Through it all, you maintain a strong sense of self-belief and confidence.
Almost as much as you doubt
But at the same time, you remain skeptical about your own abilities and the road ahead of you.
You're a big smash
You're a huge success, but also a bit of a wild card, with an unpredictable personality.
You wear it like a rash
Your fame and fortune comes with a cost, and it's something that you wear on your skin like a rash.
They want you to be Jesus
The public has put you on a pedestal, expecting you to be a role model and do great things.
Now go down on one knee
But even with all the glory and admiration, you're being forced to bow down to the public's expectations and demands.
But they want their money back
And if you don't live up to their expectations, you'll fall out of favor and lose everything you've earned.
If you're alive at thirty-three
The public is cruel and unforgiving, and even the slightest mistake could ruin everything, especially if you're still young.
And you're turning tricks
You feel like you're being used and manipulated, like a prostitute turning tricks for the money.
With your crucifix
And the one thing that you thought was constant - your faith - is now being called into question.
Ooh child
It's a difficult and trying time, but it's essential to hold onto hope and optimism.
Of course you're not shy
Despite everything, you know that you're a strong individual, and you're not afraid to show it to the world.
You don't have to deny love
At the end of the day, you know that love and human connection are the most important things, and you won't let fame and fortune get in the way of that.
Hold me, thrill me, kiss me, kill me
You're determined to live life to the fullest, no matter the consequences, and you'll do everything you can to hold onto that.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADAM CLAYTON, DAVE EVANS, LARRY MULLEN, PAUL HEWSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MarvelousM1225
This is one of those songs that reminds you , that you grew up in an epic era of everything
@briandivincenzo279
Facts.... born in 1988.... remember all of the cool shit the 90s and 2000s had to offer....I had the Batman Forever soundtrack on cassette.
@aaronhemme8913
Born in 1991, Child of the 90s and early 2000s. I had Batman Forever on VHS 📼 as a kid. Although the first live action superhero movie I saw in theaters was the first Spider-Man movie by Sam Raimi. Good times.
@patrickbyrne5070
Amen
@Jmacd799999
@@briandivincenzo279 you were 2 when the 90s hit you didn't experience shit except some epic cartoons at best
@j.rduran1915
music epic!
@ghariiscool
The violins and guitars on this song are phenomenal
@kepler5842
violines y guitarras es la combinación genial!!
@hubertbarrett3934
Satan is a bitch.....
🥊🕊️💞🔥💞✝️💞🔥💞🕊️🥊
@Janky2912
Instruments, it's how music used to be made,