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?
It's 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 of U2's song "The Hands That Built America" are rich and filled with poignant messages of strength and resilience. The song speaks to the transformation of America from its humble beginnings to the towering skyscrapers and sprawling metropolises of the present. It touches upon the challenges faced by those who built the country – the immigrants who worked tirelessly to create a better future for themselves and their families.
The opening lines of the song, "Oh my love/It's a long way we've come/From the freckled hills/To the steel and glass canyons" encapsulate the progress made by America as a nation. The contrast between the quiet, rural hills and the contemporary, towering buildings of modern-day cities is quite striking. The imagery of "hanging steel from the skies" and "clouds in the New York skyline" evoke a sense of awe at the sheer magnitude of America's technological and architectural advancements.
The refrain, "These are the hands that built America" emphasizes the tireless labor and hard work of those who came to America seeking a better future. It echoes the sentiment of John F. Kennedy's famous quote, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." The message here is clear – the progress and success of America is the result of the collective efforts of all its citizens, regardless of race, religion or creed.
Overall, "The Hands That Built America" is a powerful reminder of the grit and determination of the American people.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh my love
The singer expresses love and affection.
It's a long way we've come
The journey they've made so far has been quite lengthy.
From the freckled hills
They started from small, rural areas with freckled terrain.
To the steel and glass canyons
Their surroundings have transformed into tall, modern buildings of glass and steel.
From the stony fields
Their early years were spent working in rocky, undeveloped land.
To hanging steel from skies
Now they construct tall buildings, suspended steel beams high above ground.
From digging in our pockets
The hard times which required them to dig in their pockets for money have passed.
For a reason not to say goodbye
They struggled to find a reason to stay and be hopeful, instead of giving up and leaving.
These are the hands that built America
The hard-working hands of Americans are responsible for the creation of the modern American society.
Last saw your face
The singer recalls the last time they saw a loved one's face.
In a water colored sky
The sky was painted with watercolors, featuring different shades of blues and whites.
As sea birds argue a long goodbye
Sea birds make loud noises as they leave, signaling a long goodbye.
I took your kiss
The singer holds in their memories the last kiss from a loved one.
On the spray of a new lined star
They romantically remember the kiss happening under the sparkles of a new star.
You gotta live in your dreams
The singer encourages the audience to pursue their dreams instead of giving up.
Don't make them so hard
However, they advise not to make the dream so difficult to reach that it becomes unattainable.
Of all of the promises
The song raises questions about the promises Americans have made to their country.
Is this one we can keep
They wonder if this specific promise can be realized or fulfilled.
Of all of the dreams
Questions are also raised towards the dreams Americans have for their society.
Is this one still out of reach?
Are these dreams still impossible to achieve?
It's early fall
The singer notes the time of year to be early fall.
There's a cloud in the New York skyline
It is a cloudy day in New York City, obscuring the skyline.
Innocence dragged across a yellow line
It is unclear what this line means, but it could refer to the impact of modern urban society on people's innocence, as signified by the color yellow.
These are the hands that built America
The song concludes by repeating the main message: the hardworking hands of Americans built America, and should be remembered and appreciated.
These are the hands that built America
The song concludes by repeating the main message: the hardworking hands of Americans built America, and should be remembered and appreciated.
Ah, ah, ah, America
The song ends with a repetition of America, symbolizing the importance of the country and its people's contributions.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVE EVANS, LARRY MULLEN, ADAM CLAYTON, PAUL HEWSON
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 🙏