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
Two Hearts
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't know which side I'm on
I don't know my right from left
Or my right from wrong
Say I'm a fool
Say I'm nothing
But if I'm a fool for you
Oh, that's something
Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts
I can't stop the dance
Honey, this is my last chance
I said, can't stop the dance
Maybe this is my last chance
Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts
Beat on black, beat on white
Beat on everything don't get it right
Beat on you, beat on me, beat on love
I don't know
How to say what's got to be said
I don't know if it's black or white
There's others see it red
I don't get the answers right
I'll leave that to you
Is this love out of fashion
Or is it the time of year
Are these words distraction?
To the words you want to hear
Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts beat as one
I try to spit it out
I try to explain
The way I feel
Oh, yeah
Two hearts
I can't stop the dance
Maybe this is my last chance
I said I can't stop the dance
Maybe this is my last chance
I said don't stop the dance
Maybe this is my last chance
I said I can't stop the dance
Maybe this is our last chance
I said don't stop the dance
Maybe this is our last chance, oh oh
The lyrics of U2's song "Two Hearts Beat As One" explore the confusion and uncertainty of the singer's personal beliefs and feelings, particularly when it comes to love. The opening lines suggest a sense of disorientation and lack of clarity, as the singer admits that they do not know which "side" they are on, whether they are "right" or "wrong", or even what "right" and "wrong" mean. Despite this confusion, the singer expresses a strong devotion to their lover, even if others may consider them foolish for it.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the unbreakable bond between the singer and their lover, as two hearts beat "as one". The repetition of the phrase emphasizes the depth of the connection and the way that it transcends any individual differences or uncertainties.
The final lines of the song reinforce this idea of the transformative power of love, as the singer acknowledges that they are unable to express their emotions in a straightforward way but can only let their heart and body dance to the beat of their love. The repeated refrain of "this is my last chance" adds a sense of urgency to the moment, suggesting that the singer is willing to put everything on the line for this love, even if the outcome is uncertain.
Overall, the lyrics of "Two Hearts Beat As One" explore the contradictions and complexities of love and personal identity, while celebrating the unifying power of love in bringing two people together.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know
I'm unsure about something
I don't know which side I'm on
I'm indecisive about a particular issue
I don't know my right from left
I'm confused and disorientated
Or my right from wrong
I'm uncertain about the morality of a situation
Say I'm a fool
You can call me foolish
Say I'm nothing
You can say that I'm worthless
But if I'm a fool for you
If being foolish is the result of loving you
Oh, that's something
Then I still find it worthwhile
Two hearts beat as one
Our love and emotions synchronize
I can't stop the dance
I'm unable to resist the pull of love
Honey, this is my last chance
This is my final opportunity to make the most of new love
Beat on black, beat on white
Our hearts are dedicated to every aspect of this love
Beat on everything don't get it right
We still make mistakes, no matter where our intentions are directed
Beat on you, beat on me, beat on love
Our love for each other influences our thought process
How to say what's got to be said
I struggle to articulate my feelings
I don't know if it's black or white
I'm struggling to make a decision
There's others see it red
Some people view love with a passionate intensity
I don't get the answers right
I struggle to find the right solution
I'll leave that to you
Maybe you can find a solution for me
Is this love out of fashion
Is love something that's not present in the current climate?
Or is it the time of year
Could our love change as time goes on?
Are these words distraction?
Are the words I'm saying a provocation?
To the words you want to hear
Or are they the words you're expecting?
I try to spit it out
I'm trying to convey my emotions
I try to explain
I'm trying to describe my love
The way I feel
My emotions run deep
Maybe this is our last chance
This may be the last chance to save our love
I said don't stop the dance
Let's hold on to this love and keep moving forward
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adam Clayton, Dave Evans, Larry Mullen, Paul David Hewson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lucianolovito7283
I don't know
I don't know which side I'm on
I don't know my right from left
Or my right from wrong
Say I'm a fool
Say I'm nothing
But if I'm a fool for you
Oh, that's something
Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts
I can't stop the dance
Honey, this is my last chance
I said, can't stop the dance
Maybe this is my last chance
Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts
Beat on black, beat on white
Beat on everything don't get it right
Beat on you, beat on me, beat on love
I don't know
How to say what's got to be said
I don't know if it's black or white
There's others see it red
I don't get the answers right
I'll leave that to you
Is this love out of fashion
Or is it the time of year
Are these words distraction?
To the words you want to hear
Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts beat as one
I try to spit it out
I try to explain
The way I feel
Oh, yeah
Two hearts
I can't stop the dance
Maybe this is my last chance
I said I can't stop the dance
Maybe this is my last chance
I said don't stop the dance
Maybe this is my last chance
I said I can't stop the dance
Maybe this is our last chance
I said don't stop the dance
Maybe this is our last chance, oh oh
@hoderharris
I was 13 years old in 1983 stuck in a hotel with my twin brother and little sister while my father and his new wife went out to shop while we were on vacation with them. I was truly miserable as I never really connected with my father. My step mother wanted absolutely nothing to do with my siblings or myself. Bored, I turned on the TV in the hotel room and switched the dial to MTV. I listened to the standard music video rotations of the day and then this song and clip appear on the screen. Watching U2 for first time was a transcendent experience that I still cannot adequately describe to this day. Here was someone in Bono both masculine and artistic who also appeared to have a strong mystic charisma .I definitely felt different watching this video but was unable explain why with my 13 year old intelIect , I just knew something was fundamentally singular with this band. A month later I bought the WAR album and in particular listened to 40 , the song based on psalm 40 over and over again. Listening to that song and the rest of the album was a religious experience for me.. Flash forward 40 years and I am now a Priest. I know God had a hand in allowing me to see U2 for first time at age 13 as a scared and unhappy child. Bono and the lads are far from perfect but the Spirit helped to use their music to speak to me and feed me when it counted the most.
@audreyhowat1589
Its magic, his voice, the guitars, the lyrics, let go back in time, but not be miserable, well maybe just a little miserable. Thank God for being stuck in the Hotel.
@mollysreadings4845
♥️
@cnnw3929
Definitely a timeless classic. U2 is known to be a secretive Christian band, so I'm thinking that may be what you felt when you first ran into this song. For me, I think about the time I was a student at a large university, and was involved with one of its fraternities. I miss those days, and I also wish I could have done better with the support team I had then. So in this song, perhaps God is revealing Himself to me, mandating that I secure my family and take great care of those who support me today. Not only that, but to also reach out and help others when I can. I apologize of the late response, but I wanted to take the time and think things out before giving a tribute to this magnificent song.
@bryantotten2757
Great story.I wonder how many of us have had a similar story especially coming from Ireland.
@gabrielphelps1555
Well relate to your testimony about your family.
@michaelbruns449
War is one of the ten best rock albums ever made, intense, provocative and sublime.
@Wheresthelove7
My number1
@wiltchamberlainisthegoat13
There are very few music artists that have 3 albums as good as “WAR”, “THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE” and “THE JOSHUA TREE”.
@Charleybones
Man these guys were tight. I forgot how great the Edge is on guitar. His guitar work is like a tidal wave of drawn out notes and fragmented speed chords. One of Adam Clayton's best bass lines as well.