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
Sweet Jane
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Took inside and maids by buck-bye
More than dreams and the bottom come
When she would come back, right and well
And if you catch me I'll take your time
Ride on home in Monday's own
And this whole world riding home
Sweet baby jane, sweet baby jane
Sweet baby jane, sweet baby jane
And if you call, I'll come running
And if you ask, I will be given
And if you need me, I will be there
When you rush when the feeling's gone
I'll give you hope, I'll give you hate
By the burden's own, by the sun but it burns on
The lyrics of U2's song Sweet Jane are somewhat difficult to interpret, as they seem to be fragmented and not entirely coherent. However, there are several themes that emerge from the words, including the ideas of saying goodbye, the passage of time, and the fickleness of emotions.
The first stanza of the song seems to be about leaving someone behind, perhaps for a long time or even permanently. The line "maid by buck-bye" suggests this, as it could mean "maid by goodbye." The next line, "more than dreams and the bottom come," is more difficult to parse, but it may mean that the person leaving has more than mere dreams to sustain them during their absence. The line "when she would come back, right and well" seems to suggest that there is an expectation of return, and that perhaps the separation is not permanent after all.
The next stanza is more focused on the present moment, with the line "ride on home in Monday's own" suggesting a sense of routine or habit. The line "of this coldness in my heart" seems to suggest a feeling of detachment or emptiness, perhaps related to the earlier theme of separation. The repetition of the phrase "sweet baby jane" throughout the song is somewhat enigmatic, but it may function as a kind of mantra or refrain, suggesting a connection to someone or something that is lost or distant.
Line by Line Meaning
And I'll come to say goodbye
I will visit to bid farewell
Took inside and maids by buck-bye
I took in or internalized and stored away the memories
More than dreams and the bottom come
More than mere aspirations, and the inevitable lows will also ensue
When she would come back, right and well
When she decides to return, in good health and in the right mindset
And if you catch me I'll take your time
If you apprehend me, I will consume your attention
Ride on home in Monday's own
Travel homeward in tranquil solitude
Of this coldness in my heart
Of the emotional distance I feel
And this whole world riding home
As I traverse this world to get back home
Sweet baby jane, sweet baby jane
Endearing nickname for a loved one
And if you call, I'll come running
If you beckon me, I will hurry to your side
And if you ask, I will be given
If you request something of me, I will provide it
And if you need me, I will be there
If you require my presence, I will not hesitate to be there
When you rush when the feeling's gone
When your impulsiveness takes over when the emotion has faded
I'll give you hope, I'll give you hate
I will provide you with optimism or animosity
By the burden's own, by the sun but it burns on
Despite the load, and the unrelenting nature of the sun
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADAM CLAYTON, DAVE EVANS, LARRY MULLEN, PAUL DAVID HEWSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
thepixinator
It’s LONE JUSTICE not Lonely Justice
thepixinator
I’d heard that Bono was insufferable on this track and now that I hear it I think he’s just unsuited for it. His Irish enunciations don’t match the country sound.
bob oneill
I bet he was insufferable…compared to Maria McKee his voice is a scream into audio gear.