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
Spanish Eyes
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wey hey hey, baby hang on
Empty heart, beat tight as a drum set
Empty love, she'd shine like a song
Wey hey hey, baby hang on (to anything)
Our love shines like rain
In those Spanish eyes
Wey hey hey, here she comes
She comes in colors
You know she gonna turn the daylight on
'Cause I love the way you talk to me
And I love the way you walk on me
And I need you more
Oh, than you need me
Our love shines like rain
In those Spanish eyes
Spanish eyes
I'll cross the world for green and gold
But it's those Spanish eyes
That get me home, home again
Wey hey hey, baby hang on
Wey hey hey, you know that
The night is young
Dazzled by lights that shine in your eyes
I'm standing in the shadows
And wait for the night
Forever in fever, forever in heat
You pick me up to put me out on the street
Wey hey hey, baby hang on, hang on
Wey hey hey, baby hang on, hang on
'Cause I love the way you talk to me
And I love the way you're mean to me
And I need you
The song Spanish Eyes by U2 is an emotional expression of the love and admiration of the singer for someone with Spanish eyes. The use of the phrase "empty heart, beat tight as a drum set" in the opening line paints a picture of loneliness and heartbreak, but when the person with the Spanish eyes comes into the picture, their love shines like rain in those Spanish eyes. In contrast to the singer's emptiness, the person with Spanish eyes has a shining love that lights up like a song.
The second verse in Spanish Eyes displays the singer's infatuation with the person's talkative and confident nature, as well as the irresistible magnetism of their walk. They appear to need this person in their lives more than the other way around, and they are drawn towards those Spanish eyes even if they must cross the world to find them. In the bridge, the singer waits for the night to be with the person, dazzled by the lights that shine in their eyes.
Overall, Spanish Eyes is a song that delivers a sense of longing mixed with admiration for someone with certain qualities. The person's Spanish eyes have become a beacon that guides the singer to them, and their love shines like rain.
Line by Line Meaning
Wey hey hey, baby hang on
Encouragement to hang on to something or someone in a difficult situation.
Empty heart, beat tight as a drum set
Feeling emotionally drained and anxious.
Empty love, she'd shine like a song
A superficial love that doesn't last but has a temporary shine.
Our love shines like rain
The artist's love is pure and refreshing like rain.
In those Spanish eyes
The person that the artist loves has Spanish eyes, which are dark and mysterious, and captivate the artist.
Wey hey hey, here she comes / She comes in colors / You know she gonna turn the daylight on
The person the singer loves is full of energy and brightens up everything around them.
'Cause I love the way you talk to me / And I love the way you walk on me / And I need you more / Oh, than you need me
The singer is deeply in love and admires everything about the person they love.
I'll cross the world for green and gold / But it's those Spanish eyes / That get me home, home again
The artist is willing to go anywhere for treasure, but ultimately their true home is with the person they love.
The night is young / Dazzled by lights that shine in your eyes / I'm standing in the shadows / And wait for the night / Forever in fever, forever in heat / You pick me up to put me out on the street
The night is full of excitement with the person the artist loves, and they feel intense desire for each other.
'Cause I love the way you talk to me / And I love the way you're mean to me / And I need you
The artist is so in love that they even appreciate the mean things the person they love does to them.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADAM CLAYTON, DAVE EVANS, LARRY MULLEN, PAUL ; HEWSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lucianolovito7283
Wey hey hey, baby hang on
Wey hey hey, baby hang on
Empty heart, beat tight as a drum set
Empty love, she'd shine like a song
Wey hey hey, baby hang on (to anything)
Our love shines like rain
In those spanish eyes
Spanish eyes
Wey hey hey, here she comes
She comes in colors
You know she gonna turn the daylight on
'Cause I love the way you talk to me
And I love the way you walk on me
And I need you more
Oh, than you need me
Our love shines like rain
In those spanish eyes
Spanish eyes
I'll cross the world for green and gold
But it's those Spanish eyes
That get me home... home again
Wey hey hey, baby hang on
Wey hey hey, you know that
The night is young
Dazzled by lights that shine in your eyes
I'm standing in the shadows
And wait for the night
Forever in fever, forever in heat
You pick me up to put me out on the street
Wey hey hey, baby hang on, hang on
Wey hey hey, baby hang on, hang on
'Cause I love the way you talk to me
And I love the way you're mean to me
And I need you
@markaliv
Joshua Tree's b-sides are a total treasure.
@Will21st
honestly just as good as the album tracks, they are great companions.
@Romchikthelemon
Not that one. I prefer The Unforgettable Fire bonus disc much more.
@Will21st
@Romchikthelemon I agree
@darellk3644
The b-sides from Unforgettable Fire, Joshua Tree, and Rattle & Hum would make their own awesome double album!!
@jessehammer4440
And if there hadn't been WNEW-FM to give airplay to such relegated tunes, then I sure wouldn't have known this incredible song existed!!!
@panoseddie9975
That is a U2 Anthem from the glorious 80's - greetings from Athens
@fedrapispitsou
hey I’m Greek
@panoseddie9975
@Fedra Pispitsou Γεια σου , οπαδοι των U2 ολοι...εγω ειμαι απο Αθηνα , εσυ ;
@fedrapispitsou
@panos eddie ναι κι εγωωω