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 360Β° Tour of 2009β2011 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 Edgeβs brother Dick Evans (later a member of Virgin Prunes), Ivan McCormick and Peter Martin. According to legend, Bono originally auditioned as a guitarist but couldnβt play. He auditioned as lead vocals, but really couldnβt 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 βFeedback β and βThe Hypeβ 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: Β£500 and funds to make a record. Paul McGuinness became the bandβs 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 βa different kindβ 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 βto dream it all up againβ, 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 βwatch out, babyβ, artwork feat. make-up artist Nassim Khalifa) & Zooropa. Bono took on many stage personae such as βThe Flyβ, βMirrorball Manβ and βMr. MacPhistoβ 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 90βs into 00βs U2 became less image and more reality. With the death of Bonoβs 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 theyβve returned to a more band-centric sound with albums like All That You Canβt Leave Behind which features a song, Kite, dedicated to Bonoβs father who passed away shortly after the albumβs conception and 2004βs How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.
The 10s: U2 went on the U2 360Β° 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 βYou tooβ and βYou twoβ, etc. Nonetheless the official line on the nameβs origins remains unknown. The band has been quoted as saying that they did think of the U2 spy plane, but remain hushed about other reasonsβ¦ U2
People Get Ready
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a train a-coming
Picking up passengers
From coast to coast
faiht is the key
To hear the diesels humming
Don't need no ticket
You just get on board
People get ready
For the train to Jordan
Picking up passengers
From coast to coast
Faith is the key
Open the doors and board them
There's room for all
among the loved the most
There ain't no room
for the hopeless sinner
Who would hurt all mankind just
To save his own
Have pity on those
whose chances are thinner
Cause there's no hiding place
From the Kingdom's Throne
So people get ready
for the train a-comin'
You don't need no baggage
you just get on board!
All you need is faith
to hear the diesels humming
Don't need no ticket
you just thank, you just thank the Lord
Yeah
Ooh
Yeah
Ooh
I'm getting ready
I'm getting ready
this time I'm ready
this time I'm ready
The lyrics of U2's song "People Get Ready" convey a message of hope and faith to listeners. The "train a-coming" symbolizes the metaphorical journey towards a brighter future. It speaks of how everyone is welcome on the train, regardless of their background, and how faith is the key to boarding it. The train is going to Jordan, which in the Bible is known for being a symbol of deliverance, and picking up passengers from coast to coast.
The lyrics go on to describe the role of faith in being saved from damnation. The lyrics state that there is no place for sinners whose actions hurt people to save themselves. The song acknowledges the importance of appreciating the chances and opportunities that life affords us and the need to be grateful for them. Only then can one truly be ready to board the train and move towards a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
People get ready
Prepare yourself, get ready for the upcoming events.
There's a train a-coming
A metaphor signaling something important is forthcoming.
Picking up passengers
The events are impacting everyone.
From coast to coast
The events are pervasive throughout the country.
Faith is the key
Believing in something is essential to be successful.
To hear the diesels humming
Believing in something will allow you to experience the full effect of the upcoming events.
Don't need no ticket
Access to the events is open to everyone.
You just get on board
Everyone should participate in the events.
For the train to Jordan
The metaphorical event is related to religious beliefs and significance (Jordan refers to the river in Israel).
Open the doors and board them
Everybody is welcome to participate in the event.
There's room for all
There is space for everyone to participate.
among the loved the most
Participants in the event will be among those who are highly regarded.
There ain't no room
There is no space available.
for the hopeless sinner
Those who are evil and do not have faith will not be accepted.
Who would hurt all mankind just
This line emphasizes the wrongs of the sinner.
To save his own
The sinner does not care about anyone but themselves.
Have pity on those
The song asks for empathy towards those who do not have opportunities.
whose chances are thinner
Those who are disadvantaged and have fewer opportunities.
Cause there's no hiding place
One cannot escape the consequences of their actions.
From the Kingdom's Throne
The ultimate judgment lies with God.
you don't need no baggage
You do not need past experiences or preconceptions to participate in the event.
you just thank, you just thank the Lord
The song reminds us to be grateful and thankful for the opportunities presented to us.
I'm getting ready
The song encourages listeners to prepare for the metaphorical event.
this time I'm ready
The singer is more prepared than ever before to participate in the event.
Writer(s): Curtis Mayfield Copyright: Mijac Music, Warner-tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Contributed by Alyssa L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@TheKidEATER
Only Bono would give an music lesson during an concert. That's why u2 are so amazing. They're human
@bonofidefan
they should have added that girl to the band. She and Bono had instant chemistry and she was a natural!
@phennigan
She was a plant.
@ObamaFromKenya
@@phenniganwhat leads you to that conclusion
@chat099
This video made me go "Oh my God!" halfway through! If I was the blonde, I'd get my mind blown! Thank you so much for putting this up!
@taragreenetarotastro
nice version I hadn't heard it till now
@ignasi360
With those 3 chourds you can change the whole world
@cambacon1981
Same cords as the chorus of one
@timbertown.vintage
Poor Curtis was still alive and probably watched this.
@MrVmrodrigues
I have all this concert...I really love U2!!! =) Great video, great performence!!