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
Playboy Mansion
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If beauty is truth and surgery, the fountain of youth
What am I to do? Have I got the gift to get me through
The gates of that mansion?
If OJ is more than a drink and a Big Mac bigger than you think
And perfume is an obsession and talk shows, confession
What have we got to lose? Another push and we'll be through
I never bought a Lotto ticket, I never parked in anyone's space
The banks feel like cathedrals, I guess casinos took their place
Love, come on down
Don't wake her, she'll come around
Chance is a kind of religion, where you're damned for plain hard luck
I never did see that movie, I never did read that book
But love, come on down
And let my numbers come around
Don't know if I can hold on
Don't know if I'm that strong
Don't know if I can wait that long
'Til the colors come flashing and the lights go on
Then will there be no time for sorrow
Then will there be no time for shame
And though I can't say why
I know I've got to believe
We'll go driving in that pool
It's who you know that gets you through
The gates of the Playboy mansion
But they don't mention, the pain to reach
Then will there be no time for sorrow
Then will there be no time for shame
Then will there be no time for sorrow
Then will there be no time for shame
The lyrics to U2's song Playboy Mansion seem to be a commentary on the shallow, vapid culture of celebrity and excess that was prevalent in the late 90s when the song was released. The opening lines set the tone for this commentary, with the suggestion that shallow pleasures and fleeting fixations have become more important than substance and truth in our society. The singer then wonders if he has what it takes to fit in with this crowd, to gain access to the Playboy Mansion which serves as a symbol for the exclusive and indulgent world of the rich and famous.
The second verse takes a more cynical and pessimistic tone, suggesting that our society has already lost something valuable in the pursuit of these empty pleasures. The references to OJ Simpson, fast food, and talk shows suggest a culture that is obsessed with sensational and trivial things, and that has lost sight of what really matters. The singer wonders what there is to lose by continuing down this path, but also suggests that there may be some hope for something more meaningful, a chance at love or something greater.
Overall, the lyrics suggest a deep dissatisfaction with the superficial and shallow world of the celebrity elite and a longing for something more real and authentic. The idea that chance and luck play a huge role in determining our fate adds to this sense of disillusionment, but there is also a glimmer of hope that by holding onto that belief in something greater, we might be able to find a way out of this cycle of emptiness and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
If Coke is a mystery, Michael Jackson, History
If the popularity of the Coca-Cola company and the life of Michael Jackson are both enigmatic, then what else should be expected to be unclear in this world?
If beauty is truth and surgery, the fountain of youth
If beauty is simply a matter of looking young, and plastic surgery is the way to achieve it, then what is the true value of honesty?
What am I to do? Have I got the gift to get me through
The gates of that mansion?
What should I do to gain entrance into the luxurious and exclusive Playboy Mansion? Do I have the necessary skills or connections to do so?
If OJ is more than a drink and a Big Mac bigger than you think
And perfume is an obsession and talk shows, confession
If the name OJ can refer to both a brand of orange juice and a notorious celebrity criminal trial, and if fast food is even more unhealthy than we realize, and if our culture is obsessed with both fragrances and people sharing intimate personal details on TV, what else is hidden beneath our surface understanding of the world?
What have we got to lose? Another push and we'll be through
The gates of that mansion?
We have little to lose by continuing to strive for access to the Playboy Mansion; we must keep trying even if we face obstacles or setbacks.
I never bought a Lotto ticket, I never parked in anyone's space
The banks feel like cathedrals, I guess casinos took their place
I have never gambled or taken what isn't mine, but banks now seem to wield the same kind of power as religious institutions, and casinos may actually be replacing them.
Love, come on down
Don't wake her, she'll come around
Love, please reveal yourself and make yourself known; don't bother trying to force it or wake someone up who isn't ready.
Chance is a kind of religion, where you're damned for plain hard luck
I never did see that movie, I never did read that book
In life, chance plays a huge role in determining outcomes, and even if luck goes against you, it's not necessarily your fault; and even though I may not be familiar with a particular aspect of pop culture, that doesn't make my perspective any less valid.
But love, come on down
And let my numbers come around
Love, please manifest itself in my life and come to me when the time is right, like winning numbers in the lottery.
Don't know if I can hold on
Don't know if I'm that strong
Don't know if I can wait that long
'Til the colors come flashing and the lights go on
I'm not sure if I can persevere in difficult circumstances or if I can endure waiting for something good to happen; it will take a dramatic and exciting moment to inspire me to continue on.
Then will there be no time for sorrow
Then will there be no time for shame
And though I can't say why
I know I've got to believe
In some magical future moment, there will be no room for negativity or regret and even though I don't know exactly what will happen or why, I must have faith that the outcome will be positive.
We'll go driving in that pool
It's who you know that gets you through
The gates of the Playboy mansion
But they don't mention, the pain to reach
We will drive around in the mansion's pool and we might gain entry by having the right connections; but nobody talks about the struggles or sacrifices one must make to get there.
Then will there be no time for sorrow
Then will there be no time for shame
Then will there be no time for sorrow
Then will there be no time for shame
Repeating this refrain emphasizes the idea that some future, ideal moment is coming where all bad feelings will disappear and everything will be perfect.
Contributed by Camilla I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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