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
Luminous Times
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey, oh my love, you turn me around tonight
Hey, sister love
Save my soul, save my soul
Hold on to love, hold on to love
Love won't let you go, love won't let you go
Hold on to love, see the sunshine in her soul
Hey, sister love, hey, see the sun aground
She come likes carnival, she is a big wheel
She turned my head around, turn my head around
She is the speedway
She is the slipstream
She is coming 'round
Hold on to love, hold on to love
Love won't to let you go
Hold on to love, hold on to love
See the sunlight in her soul
See the sunlight in her soul
She is the gun fire, she is the car crash
She is the avalanche, she is the thunder
She is the waves and she pulls me under
I love you 'cause I need to, not because I need you
I love you 'cause I understand, that God has given me your hand
Holds me in a tiny fist, and still I need your kiss
Hold on to love
See the sunlight in her soul
See the sunlight in her soul, yeah
The lyrics to U2’s song Luminous Times are a testimony of brotherly love and a search for salvation. The song is a beautiful tribute to the power of love as a force that holds us through the darkest of times. The singer implores his sister to hold on to love, for it is the only thing that can save his soul. The light of love shines through the darkness, and it is embodied in the sister’s spirit, the sunshine in her soul.
The sister is a metaphor for the sun that shines brightly, just like a carnival that comes aground, bringing joy and radiance to life. She is the supreme energy that propels the speedway of life, the slipstream that transforms our existence, and the avalanche of emotions that can sweep us off our feet. She is the thunder that sounds a call to arms, and the waves that pull the singer under, but through it all, he loves her because he understands that God has given him her hand, tiny as a fist, yet powerful enough to hold him through the toughest of challenges.
The core message in the song is the redemptive power of love, and the need to hold on to it, even when we are faced with darkness and despair. The sunshine in the sister’s soul is a powerful force that turns the singer’s head around and illuminates his path. The song serves as a reminder to all that in moments of doubt, we can look up to the sunshine in our sisters’ and brothers’ souls and hold on to the promise of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, sister love, hey, sister sun
The singer is addressing his love interest as 'sister love', indicating a familial bond of love and respect between them. 'Sister sun' is a metaphor for her radiant presence in his life.
Hey, oh my love, you turn me around tonight
The singer expresses how his love has an uplifting effect on him, changing his emotions and outlook for the better.
Hey, sister love
The singer again addresses his love using the affectionate term 'sister love'.
Save my soul, save my soul
The singer makes an appeal for his love to help him find meaning and purpose in his life.
Hold on to love, hold on to love
The singer urges his love to never let go of their bond and to hold on to their love.
Love won't let you go, love won't let you go
The singer reassures his love that their love is strong enough to endure any challenge or obstacle.
Hold on to love, see the sunshine in her soul
The singer again urges his love to hold on to their love and to see the goodness and beauty within her soul.
Hey, sister love, hey, see the sun aground
The singer repeats himself, telling his love to see the sun or light within herself.
She come likes carnival, she is a big wheel
The singer describes his love interest as a dynamic and influential force in his life who captivates him like a carnival or funfair attraction.
She turned my head around, turn my head around
The singer reiterates how his love has had a profound effect on him, changing his perspective on life.
She is the speedway
The singer compares his love interest to a high-speed racetrack, a place of excitement and thrill.
She is the slipstream
The singer uses the term 'slipstream' to convey the idea that his love interest is constantly moving forward and creating a breeze for him to follow.
She is coming 'round
The singer suggests that his love interest is always present and reliable, as well as implying a sense of recurring seasons or cycles.
See the sunlight in her soul
The singer once more urges his love to recognize the warmth and positivity emanating from within her.
She is the gun fire, she is the car crash
The singer now presents his love interest in a more dangerous light, using violent imagery to convey her intense and powerful nature.
She is the avalanche, she is the thunder
The singer continues this theme of power and intensity, using the natural phenomena of an avalanche and thunder to describe his love interest.
She is the waves and she pulls me under
The singer uses the metaphor of waves to describe how his love interest can overwhelm him with her intensity and passion.
I love you 'cause I need to, not because I need you
The singer expresses that his love for his love interest is not based on necessity or dependency, but rather a deeper feeling of affection.
I love you 'cause I understand, that God has given me your hand
The singer attributes his love and the connection between him and his love interest to a higher power or destiny.
Holds me in a tiny fist, and still I need your kiss
The singer describes how the love from his love interest can be both gentle and powerful at the same time, yet he still craves her affection.
Hold on to love
The singer repeats this line, emphasizing the importance of holding onto love.
See the sunlight in her soul
The song ends with another repetition of the line, reminding the listener to see the goodness and positivity in their own love.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ADAM CLAYTON, BRIAN PETER GEORGE ENO, DAVID EVANS, LAURENCE MULLEN JNR., PAUL DAVID HEWSON, BRIAN ENO, LARRY MULLEN, PAUL HEWSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
A me
on eleven o' clock tick tock
And girls can make children but not like this one...so will just have to walk around with a painted face then...
LMewdowlark
on One
Baby, baby, baby, I know I'm not alone
Ha, ha, ha
Oh, it's not a hill it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
You see, for me, I've been shouting
Let's shout into the darkness, squeeze out sparks of light
You know we're gonna go crazy, you know we'll go crazy
You know we'll go crazy, if we don't go crazy tonight
Oh, slowly
Oh
Hold me slow
Again, these are the wrong lyrics. They are not the lyrics for 'One' but a different song. I pasted the correct lyrics in my other comment.
LMewdowlark
on One
And there's a part of you that wants me to riot
Everybody needs to cry or needs to spit
Every sweet-tooth needs just a little hit
Every beauty needs to go out with an idiot
How can you stand next to the truth and not see it?
Oh, change of heart comes slow
It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
Do you believe me or are you doubting?
We're gonna make it all the way to the light
But I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight
Every generation gets a chance to change the world
Pity the nation that won't listen to you boys and girls
Is the sweetest melody the one we haven't heard?
Is it true that perfect love drives out all fear?
The right to be ridiculous is something I hold dear
Oh, but change of heart comes slow
It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
You see, for me, I've been shouting
But we're gonna make it all the way to the light
But I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight
Is it getting better
Or do you feel the same?
Will it make it easier on you now
You got someone to blame?
You say, one love, one life
When it's one need in the night
One love, we get to share it
Leaves you, baby, if you don't care for it
Did I disappoint you
Or leave a bad taste in your mouth?
You act like you never had love
And you want me to go without
Well, it's too late tonight
To drag the past out into the light
We're one, but we're not the same
We get to carry each other, carry each other
One
Have you come here for forgiveness?
Have you come to raise the dead?
Have you come here to play Jesus?
To the lepers in your head
Did I ask too much? More than a lot
You gave me nothing, now it's all I got
We're one but we're not the same
Well, we hurt each other then we do it again
You say love is a temple, love a higher law
Love is a temple, love the higher law
You ask me to enter but then you make me crawl
And I can't be holdin' on to what you got
When all you got is hurt
One love, one blood
One life, you got to do what you should
One life with each other
Sisters, brothers
One life but we're not the same
We get to carry each other, carry each other
One
One