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
The Hands That Built America (
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a long way we've come
From the freckled hills
To the steel and glass canyons
From the stony fields
To hanging steel from skies
From digging in our pockets
These are the hands that built America
Ah ah ah...America
Last saw your face
In a water colored sky
As sea birds argue A long goodbye
I took your kiss
On the spray of a new lined star
You gotta live in your dreams
Don't make them so hard
And these are the hands that built America
Ah ah ah...America
Of all of the promises
Is this one we can keep
Of all of the dreams
Is this one still out of reach?
Its early fall
There's a cloud in the New York skyline
Innocence...dragged across a yellow line
These are the hands that built America
These are the hands that built America
Ah ah ah...America
Ah ah ah...America
The lyrics to U2's song The Hands That Built America reflect on the history of the United States, from its early days when people worked the land to the modern era of skyscrapers and urbanization. The song speaks to the idea that the hands of ordinary people played a crucial role in the building of the country, both in terms of physical labor and also in terms of their dreams and aspirations.
The lyrics capture the beauty of the natural landscape, but also acknowledge the reality that progress often comes at a cost. The water-colored sky and the sea birds arguing over a "long goodbye" suggest a sense of transience and impermanence in the face of industrial development. The line "innocence dragged across a yellow line" is particularly poignant, hinting at the loss of innocence or the moral compromise that often comes with economic growth.
Overall, the lyrics to The Hands That Built America evoke a sense of nostalgia for a simpler time, while also acknowledging the complex realities of progress and development. The song reminds us that the people who built America were not just the captains of industry and the political leaders, but also the countless anonymous workers who labored tirelessly to turn America into a beacon of hope and opportunity.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh my love
Addressing a loved one with affection
It's a long way we've come
The journey they have taken has been a long and difficult one
From the freckled hills
Referring to a simpler, more natural setting
To the steel and glass canyons
Referring to the modern, industrialized cityscape
From the stony fields
Referring to the challenging work of their past
To hanging steel from skies
Referring to the modern, ambitious construction projects
From digging in our pockets
Referring to the difficulty of finding money
For a reason not to say goodbye
Struggling to keep a relationship alive
These are the hands that built America
Referring to the working class as the real builders of the nation
Ah ah ah...America
Repetition for emphasis
Last saw your face
Recalling a previous encounter with a loved one
In a water colored sky
Describing a beautiful moment of natural artistry
As sea birds argue A long goodbye
Reflecting on the transience of all things
I took your kiss
Recalling the feelings of a past relationship
On the spray of a new lined star
Describing an imagined, impossible setting
You gotta live in your dreams
Encouraging the pursuit of happiness
Don't make them so hard
Warning against unreasonably difficult aspirations
Of all of the promises
Contemplating the sincerity of past commitments
Is this one we can keep
Asking if the promise of the American Dream is still attainable
Of all of the dreams
Reflecting on the many aspirations of the nation
Is this one still out of reach?
Asking if that singular dream has become impossible
Its early fall
Setting the scene in a specific time of year
There's a cloud in the New York skyline
Describing an unusual moment in an iconic location
Innocence...dragged across a yellow line
Reflecting on the loss of youthful innocence
These are the hands that built America
Reaffirming the central theme of the song
Ah ah ah...America
Final repetition for emphasis
Ah ah ah...America
Closing repetition for emphasis
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@chadpeacock2064
2022.. Still the most underrated U2 song ever.
@patrickc3419
It’s like never on the radio!
@joshualafferty4567
It won an Oscar for best song ….
@antoniobotello4996
I like it 👌
@kalterkakaozumfruhstuck1515
The Ground beneath her feet!!!!!
@antony80tonno76
I agree with you
@n0kturna1
I remember the orchestral version coming up on the final scene of Gangs of New York, i was blown away
@angelmunoz8428
The orchestral version is a melody very melancholy and powerful 🙌🏻
@bradderousse3440
Same. Such a beautiful scene and end credits.
@pauloblack5225
I keep that final scene as one of my top tier film scenes ever made 🙏