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 Little Things That Give You Away
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A light had been turned on
You walked out in the world
Like you belong there
As easy as a breeze
Each heart was yours to please
Is it only me who sees
Oh la la, I'm not a ghost now
I can see you
You need to see me
It's the little things that give you away
The words you cannot say
Your big mouth in the way
I saw you on the stairs
You didn't notice I was there
That's 'cause you were talking at me and Not to me
You were high above the storm
A hurricane being born
This freedom it might cost you your liberty
It's the little things that give you away
The words you cannot say
Your big mouth in the way
It's the little things that tease and betray
As the hunted I become the prey
It's the little things
The little things that give you away
Sometimes I can't believe my existence
See myself from a distance
I can't get back inside
Sometimes the air is so anxious
All my thoughts are so reckless
And all of my innocence has died
Sometimes I wake at four in the morning
When all the darkness is swarming
And it covers me in fear
Sometimes, sometimes, sometimes
Sometimes I'm full of anger and grieving
So far away from believing
That any song will reappear
Sometimes the end is not coming
It's not coming
The end is here
Sometimes
Sometimes, sometimes, sometimes
Sometimes when the painted glass shatters
And you're the only thing that matters
But I can't see you through the tears
Sometimes the end is not coming
It's not coming
The end is here
Sometimes
The Little Things That Give You Away is a song by Irish rock band U2, featured on their 14th studio album, Songs of Experience, which was released in 2017. The song talks about the little things that reveal who we truly are, and how they can either make or break us. It opens with the image of night giving someone a song, as if they were meant to be there, and following that feeling of belonging, even though something feels slightly off. The lyrics explore the idea of how people reveal their true selves without even realizing it, through the words they don't say and their body language. The song seems to be addressed to someone who is so caught up in their own world that they don't see the people trying to reach out to them. They may be on top of the world, but they are not aware of what's happening around them.
The chorus talks about the little things that give people away, such as the words they cannot say, or their big mouth getting in the way. It seems like the singer is trying to get through to someone, but they are so caught up in their own drama that they can't see the bigger picture. The second verse goes deeper into the psyche of the singer, as he talks about the anxiety and fear that sometimes takes over his life. He sees himself from a distance and feels like he can't get back inside. The song then ends on a bleak note, with the realization that sometimes the end is not coming, it's already here.
Line by Line Meaning
The night gave you song
The night provided you with inspiration for your music
A light had been turned on
You had a realization or moment of clarity
You walked out in the world
You ventured out into the public eye
Like you belong there
With confidence and ease
As easy as a breeze
It was effortless for you
Each heart was yours to please
You had the ability to win over anyone
Is it only me who sees
Am I the only one who notices
There’s something wrong there
Something feels off or unsettling
Oh la la, I’m not a ghost now
An exclamation of relief that their presence is finally acknowledged
I can see you
They are finally being noticed and seen by the person they are addressing
You need to see me
The singer desires acknowledgement and attention from the person they are addressing
It’s the little things that give you away
Small details or behaviors reveal one's true thoughts or intentions
The words you cannot say
Words left unsaid reveal more than spoken words
Your big mouth in the way
Talking too much or too loudly can hinder true communication
I saw you on the stairs
The singer encountered the person they are addressing in passing
You didn’t notice I was there
The person they are addressing was not aware of the artist's presence
That’s 'cause you were talking at me and Not to me
The person they are addressing was not engaging in meaningful conversation or genuine communication
You were high above the storm
The person they are addressing was above the difficulties or struggles of others
A hurricane being born
Their influence or actions could lead to chaos or destruction
This freedom it might cost you your liberty
The freedom to act or speak as they please could have consequences or repercussions
It’s the little things that tease and betray
Small details or actions can lead to feelings of distrust or disappointment
As the hunted I become the prey
The artist feels targeted or vulnerable
Sometimes I can't believe my existence
A feeling of disbelief or uncertainty about one's place in the world
See myself from a distance
Looking at oneself objectively or from an outside perspective
I can’t get back inside
Difficulty returning to a state of comfort or familiarity
Sometimes the air is so anxious
A feeling of intense nervousness or tension
All my thoughts are so reckless
Unwise or dangerous thoughts or actions
And all of my innocence has died
Loss of naivete or purity
Sometimes I wake at four in the morning
Waking up in the middle of the night with racing thoughts
When all the darkness is swarming
Feeling overwhelmed by negativity or despair
And it covers me in fear
Insecurity or dread taking over one's thoughts and emotions
Sometimes, sometimes, sometimes
A repetition of the uncertainties and anxieties felt by the artist
Sometimes I'm full of anger and grieving
Feeling weighed down by anger and sadness
So far away from believing
Feeling disconnected or disillusioned
That any song will reappear
Hopelessness about the future or regaining inspiration
Sometimes the end is not coming
Uncertainty about the end of a situation or relationship
It’s not coming
The end might not happen as expected
The end is here
A realization that something has come to an end
Sometimes when the painted glass shatters
A metaphor for unexpected or sudden change
And you’re the only thing that matters
A realization of the importance of someone or something
But I can’t see you through the tears
Emotional distress or difficulty seeing things clearly
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adam Clayton, Dave Evans, Larry Mullen, Paul David Hewson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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