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
Take Me To The Clouds Above
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's the one I dream of
Looked into my eyes
Take me to the clouds above
Take me to the clouds above
(clouds above clouds above)
Take me to the clouds above
(clouds above clouds above)
Take me to take me to take me to
Take me to the clouds above
Take me to take me to take me to
Take me to the clouds above
(clouds above clouds above)
There's a boy I know
He's the one I dream of
Looked into my eyes
Take me to the clouds above
There's a boy I know
He's the one I dream of
Looked into my eyes
Take me to the clouds above
Take me to the clouds above
Take me to the clouds above
Take me to the clouds above
Take me to the clouds above
Take me to the clouds above
(clouds above clouds above)
Take me to the clouds above
(clouds above clouds above)
Take me to take me to take me to
Take me to the clouds above
Take me to take me to take me to
Take me to the clouds above
(clouds above clouds above)
The lyrics of U2's "Take Me To The Clouds Above" are essentially about a young girl infatuated with a boy whom she dreams of being with. The girl believes that the boy is the one for her and looks into his eyes, hoping that he will fulfill her fantasy and take her to the clouds above. The repetition of the phrase "take me to the clouds above" emphasizes the girl's longing for the boy and a desire for a higher, more satisfying experience with him.
The lyrics can also be interpreted as a metaphor for the girl's desire for a romantic escape from reality. The idea of being taken to a place high up in the clouds connotes a feeling of flying and freedom. It could be interpreted as a longing for an escape from the mundane or a deeper desire to escape from life's troubles.
Overall, "Take Me To The Clouds Above" is a dreamy, pop-infused love song with an uplifting chorus that focuses on the euphoria and elation of romantic infatuation.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a boy I know
There's a person in my life
He's the one I dream of
That person is the one I yearn for in my fantasies
Looked into my eyes
Made eye contact with me and possibly shared a moment of intimacy
Take me to the clouds above
Transport me to a heightened state of ecstasy, similar to that of soaring amongst the clouds
Take me to the clouds above (clouds above clouds above)
Continuously take me to that aforementioned state, amplifying it each time
Take me to take me to take me to
Repeatedly request to be taken to said state
Take me to the clouds above
Once again, transport me to that state
Take me to take me to take me to
Continuously request to be taken there
Take me to the clouds above (clouds above clouds above)
Reiterate that the desire is to continuously and increasingly reach that state of ecstasy
There's a boy I know
Once again, there is a person in my life
He's the one I dream of
The same person is still the one I yearn for in my fantasies
Looked into my eyes
Perhaps shared another moment of intimacy through eye contact
Take me to the clouds above
The desire is still to be transported to that heightened state of ecstasy
Take me to the clouds above (clouds above clouds above)
Once again, reiterating the desire for continuous and amplified transport to that state
Take me to take me to take me to
Repeatedly requesting to be taken there
Take me to the clouds above
Still wanting to be transported
Take me to the clouds above
Once again, the desire is to reach that state
Take me to the clouds above
Again, still desiring to reach that heightened state
Take me to the clouds above
The last repetition of the desire to be transported to that state
Take me to take me to take me to
Final repetition of requesting to be taken there
Take me to the clouds above (clouds above clouds above)
Final reiteration of the desire for continuous and amplified transport to that state
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Integrity Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGE ROBERT MERRILL, SHANNON RUBICAM, ADAM CLAYTON, DAVE EVANS, PAUL DAVID HEWSON, LARRY MULLEN, NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thearchiveofmylife
2004
No.1 SINGLE:
LMC vs U2 - Take Me To The Clouds Above
32 years old and I get this mash-up at the number one spot. Happy birthday to me.
There are moments when two songs collide which scan make one big superb track. Not that I can think of one off the top of my head. But when someone clumps a couple of songs together and hopes for the best, like this one, well let’s just say I’d get more enjoyment scratching a knife and fork over a China plate while chewing cotton wool and polystyrene.
I do remember this but fortunately very vaguely.
At least it’s not the Pet shop Boys singing “Where The Streets Have No Name/Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You “.
#mymusicalroadto50
@Hmaruu
Ooooh, it was early summer morning 2004, the sun was shining and I drank hot chocolate at harbour cafe waiting for a ship to come.. And this song was playing on a radio. I will always remember that tiny little moment :)
@MaX1MuS2k7
04' is really memorable for me also
@lickgirlsassholes1913
You for real?
@airan4685
These moments of life are so wonderful
@nickhartley3042
Cool, good memories! 😀 Which harbour?
@rachelkilian1883
I was born in 2004
@wd6062
I just loved this track when it was released... Still give me goosebumps in 2022🎉🎊🎉
@HazelTheHare
I wish I could hear this for the first time again. This was such a breath of fresh air in 2004!
@MaX1MuS2k7
Agreed
@subzero3056
Amen