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
One Three Hill
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As the day begs the night for mercy, love
The sun so bright it leaves no shadows
Only scars carved into stone
On the face of earth
The moon is up and over One Tree Hill
We see the sun go down in your eyes
You run like a river runs to the sea
And in the world, a heart of darkness
A fire zone
Where poets speak their heart
Then bleed for it
Jara sang, his song a weapon
In the hands of love
You know his blood still cries
From the ground
It runs like a river runs to the sea
It runs like a river to the sea
I don't believe in painted roses
Or bleeding hearts
While bullets rape the night of the merciful
I'll see you again
When the stars fall from the sky
And the moon has turned red
Over One Tree Hill
We run like a river run to the sea
We run like a river to the sea
And when it's raining
Raining hard
That's when the rain will break my heart
Raining, raining in your heart
Raining in your heart
Raining, rain into your heart
Raining, raining, raining
Rain into your
Raining, ooh, rain in your heart, yeah
To the sea
Oh, great ocean
Oh, great sea
Run to the ocean
Run to the sea
The lyrics to "One Tree Hill" by U2 are a sorrowful reflection on love, loss, and the darkness that lies within the world. The opening lines suggest a distancing from reality, the chill of the night contrasted with the warmth of love - but this warmth is no longer present. The sun's brightness provides no comfort, and instead, only scars are left behind, symbols of the pain that has been endured. The moon above One Tree Hill represents the cycles of life and death; life may end, but it will repeat.
As the song progresses, the mood shifts dramatically. A heart of darkness is revealed, a war-torn landscape with poets speaking their truths and paying the ultimate price. The lyrics of Victor Jara, a Chilean musician murdered in the 1973 Chilean coup d'état, inspired the song. Jara was an outspoken critic of the dictator Augusto Pinochet, and his music became a rallying cry for those who were suffering. He was arrested, tortured, and ultimately killed, his song a powerful weapon that still echoes through history.
The final lines are a plea for reunion, a desire to see lost loved ones again when the time is right. The metaphor of running like a river to the sea suggests the unstoppable nature of life, the way that a person's essence will always find its way back to the source. The rain symbolizes the cleansing and healing aspect of loss, and the hope that something new can arise from the darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
We turn away to face the cold, enduring chill
We are facing away from warmth and comfort, forced to endure the cold and discomfort of the situation.
As the day begs the night for mercy, love
The day is ending and the impending darkness is pleading for respite from the hardships of life.
The sun so bright it leaves no shadows
The brightness of the sun is so strong that it creates a world without any darkness or secrecy to conceal hardships.
Only scars carved into stone
Painful memories have been etched into unyielding natural materials as a permanent reminder of the emotional pain felt over time.
On the face of earth
This phrase acknowledges the existent pain which is marked on the face of nature itself.
The moon is up and over One Tree Hill
The natural phenomenon of the moon is affording a sequestered sentiment of hope and empathy for the predicaments currently faced by the afflicted.
We see the sun go down in your eyes
The singer is able to see the reflection of natural beauty in the eyes of those who are showing signs of sorrow.
You run like river on like a sea
The person referenced moves with the fluidity and strength of an unbridled force such as a river or a sea.
And in the world, a heart of darkness
The world is generally depicted as a space of darkness, hopelessness and despair.
A fire zone
The world is further described as a flammable area which has a potential to erupt into destruction at any moment.
Where poets speak their heart
Conversely, the poetry world is one that provides a safe haven for all the outpouring of emotions and heartbreaks.
Then bleed for it
The vulnerability and honesty shared through poetry often come at a heavy cost and pain.
Jara sang, his song a weapon
This is a reference to the Chilean singer, Victor Jara who used his music to crusade against oppressive regimes in South America.
In the hands of love
Victor Jara's songs were under the guidance of love and unity.
You know his blood still cries
Victor Jara's legacy still lives on and remaining voices of those who fought against injustice still echo today.
From the ground
Victor Jara's message of hope and love has spread from his mere existence and his fundamental stand against oppression.
I don't believe in painted roses
The artist does not fall victim to the false beauties or facades of life.
Or bleeding hearts
The singer will not be fooled by the less honest parts of lives where dishonest intentions lead towards superficial compassion.
While bullets rape the night of the merciful
Amidst other calamities that life presents, there are moments of extreme, undeserved affliction.
I'll see you again
This phrase refers to recognizing the persistence of love over time and through hardship.
When the stars fall from the sky
This is clearly a fleeting time but hope, love and other essential elements of life presist.
And the moon has turned red
This could mean both either the moon turning blood red in a lunar eclipse or a possible reference to any powerful event that was transpired.
Over One Tree Hill
The above-mentioned events take place in a specific hill overlooking the region.
Raining, raining in your heart
This phrase details the idea of sorrows heavily weighing on someone's heart.
Raining in your heart
Once again, this is an imitation of someone whose heart is weighed down by personal tragedy.
Raining, rain into your heart
This is a reference to the heavy weight of personal sorrows heavily relying not just on the mind but also the heart.
Raining, raining, raining
Sorrow upon sorrow upon sorrow seems like the only escape from the sheer amount of pain.
Rain into your
This fragment alone doesn't convey a distinct meaning, but when paired with the previous lyrics, it seems to imply that strains of sorrow are so immense that they envelop one's entire being.
Raining, ooh, rain in your heart, yeah
This phrase underscores the deep emotional pain that individuals may feel throughout their lives.
To the sea
These four simple words could mean that the weight of sorrow would never endure or could fade and be merged with the ocean of emotions brought by the sea.
Oh, great ocean
Here we see a shift in focus as the singer looks towards the great, mystical and powerful ocean for solace.
Oh, great sea
The ocean is once again referred to, emphasizing its vastness and vibrancy.
Run to the ocean
In times of trouble, it is beneficial to run to any sort of refuge, and the ocean provides just that to the artist.
Run to the sea
The artist hits his point home again, to any who listen that the ocean provides the most effecient solace in one's time of need.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adam Clayton, Dave Evans, 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