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
What's Going On
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What's Going On
Jermaine Dupri:
Tell Me
P Diddy:
People Dying
Lord help us
Bono:
Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Gwen Stefani:
Oh, brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
Jermaine Dupri:
That's Right
Aaron Lewis:
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today
Nona Gaye:
Oh my father, father
We don't need to escalate
Backstreet Boys:
You see war is not the answer
Nona Gaye/Backstreet Boys:
For only love can conquer hate
Christina Aguilera:
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today
Britney Spears:
Barricades, can't block our way
J-Lo:
Don't punish me with brutality
Destiny's Child:
Talk to me
So you can see
Destiny's Child/Britney Spears:
(First Chorus)
Oh What's Going On
What's Going On
Yeah What's Going On
Ahh What's Going On
Ja Rule:
What's Going On in a world filled with pain
Where's the love for which we pray
What's Going On
When our children can't play
Homeless can't eat
There's got to be a better way
What's Going On
When we politically blind
Can't see the signs of endangered times
What's Going On
Nelly Furtado:
Ah tell me
What's Going On in the world today
I'd rather be dead
Than turn my head away
We gotta first world vision to complete, to lift our
Hands in the air and cry for a switch
Michael Stipe:
Father, father
P Diddy:
Father help us, come on
Michael Stipe:
Everybody thinks we're wrong
Alicia Keys:
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Together we can all be strong
P Diddy:
United we stand, United we fall
N'Sync:
Oh you know we've got to find a way
Mary J. Blige:
To bring some understanding here today
N'Sync:
Barricades can't block our way
Darren Hayes (Savage Garden):
Don't punish me with brutality
N'Sync:
Baby talk to me
So you can see
(Second chorus)
Yeah, What's Going On
Hey, What's Going On
Somebody tell me What's Going On
I'll tell you what's goin' on-uh
Nelly:
What's Going On 'cross seas
Every minute a child dies by this disease
In record numbers indeed
Got momma's crying out please
My baby hold on
My child ain't done nothing wrong
Still I want to holler
Ask them why they don't bother
Oh no, oh no
Make me turn to my father
And ask him why they all got a trapped soul
Nas:
I can feel what was bothering Marvin
Why his words forever remain
Dealing with these modern day problems
'Cause of ignorance surrounding me and my constituents
Too many infected
Too many lives diminishing
Nobody say Protestants, Jews, Blacks, and Whites, Latinos and Asians
Pray together
Less fight
We better unite
As genocide chemical war
And the rich and the poor
Know that God delivers a cure
Eve:
It's a shame our reality is devastating
People praying for a cure
Dying while they're waiting
Ask the Lord for the comfort and strength to face it
All the kids with dreams
Won't get the chance to chase it
Makes me sad
Think about the lives they would've had
Think about the orphan babies got no moms and dads
How can we sit back and not try to make it right
We gotta come together
We gotta fight for life
Fred Durst:
Somebody tell me What's Going On
(What's Going On)
We got human beings using humans for a bomb
But everyone wanna live
Don't nobody really want to die
You feeling me right
I can't be watching people die
The song "What's Going On" is a rendition and homage to the original 1971 hit by Marvin Gaye. This song is a collaboration of different famous artists including Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, Nelly Furtado, and many more. The lyrics talk about the current situation worldwide, from the increasing number of children dying from disease, war, homelessness, and poverty to our lack of understanding and unity as human beings. The lyrics speak of the need to bring love and understanding and put an end to the hatred and brutality that plagues society. The chorus repeats the question of what is happening in the world today, emphasizing how we need to come together to find the answers.
The song gained popularity in 2001 after it was released as a charity single to raise funds for AIDS-related charities. The song gained new relevance in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States, serving as a testament to the importance of human connection and understanding during times of crisis. The song was also included in the album "What's Going On - All-Star Tribute," which was released in the same year.
In summary, the song "What's Going On" speaks about the current global situation, emphasizing the need for unity, love, and understanding. It is a tribute to the original song by Marvin Gaye and was released in 2001 as a charity single for AIDS-related charities.
Line by Line Meaning
Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Bono is addressing the mothers who are crying due to the loss of their loved ones, and acknowledges that there are too many of them.
Oh, brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
Gwen Stefani is addressing the brothers who are dying and acknowledges that there are far too many of them.
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today
Aaron Lewis acknowledges the need to find a way to bring love into this world.
Oh my father, father
We don't need to escalate
Nona Gaye is addressing her father and stating that there is no need to escalate the situation any further than it already has.
You see war is not the answer
Backstreet Boys point out that war is not the answer to the current situation.
For only love can conquer hate
Nona Gaye and Backstreet Boys agree that only love has the power to conquer hate.
Barricades, can't block our way
Britney Spears asserts that barricades cannot block their way to bringing about change.
Don't punish me with brutality
J-Lo refuses to accept punishment with brutality.
Talk to me
So you can see
Destiny's Child and Britney Spears request a dialogue to understand each other and see the problem from different perspectives.
What's Going On
What's Going On
Yeah What's Going On
Ahh What's Going On
Destiny's Child and Britney Spears ask the question 'What's Going On' and emphasize the urgency and importance of finding an answer.
What's Going On in a world filled with pain
Where's the love for which we pray
What's Going On
When our children can't play
Homeless can't eat
There's got to be a better way
What's Going On
When we politically blind
Can't see the signs of endangered times
What's Going On
Ja Rule poses a series of questions that probe into the problems of war, poverty, homelessness, and politics, and challenges the listener to examine the causes and consequences of these challenges.
Ah tell me
What's Going On in the world today
I'd rather be dead
Than turn my head away
We gotta first world vision to complete, to lift our
Hands in the air and cry for a switch
Nelly Furtado asks the question 'What's Going On in the world today' and emphasizes her commitment to looking at the bigger picture and taking action to bring about change.
Father, father
Father help us, come on
Michael Stipe seeks for help from the father figure to resolve the issues of the world.
Everybody thinks we're wrong
Michael Stipe acknowledges that everyone thinks they are wrong and misunderstood.
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Together we can all be strong
Alicia Keys challenges those who judge them without understanding their position, and emphasizes the importance of unity.
United we stand, United we fall
P Diddy emphasizes that unity is essential for success and survival.
To bring some understanding here today
Mary J. Blige acknowledges the need for understanding to resolve the issues.
What's Going On
Hey, What's Going On
Somebody tell me What's Going On
I'll tell you what's goin' on-uh
N'Sync asks the question 'What's Going On' and demands an answer, and implies that they know the answer to the question.
What's Going On 'cross seas
Every minute a child dies by this disease
In record numbers indeed
Got momma's crying out please
My baby hold on
My child ain't done nothing wrong
Still I want to holler
Ask them why they don't bother
Oh no, oh no
Make me turn to my father
And ask him why they all got a trapped soul
Nelly expresses his concern about the deaths caused by diseases and wonders why people are not doing anything to stop them.
I can feel what was bothering Marvin
Why his words forever remain
Dealing with these modern day problems
'Cause of ignorance surrounding me and my constituents
Too many infected
Too many lives diminishing
Nobody say Protestants, Jews, Blacks, and Whites, Latinos and Asians
Pray together
Less fight
We better unite
As genocide chemical war
And the rich and the poor
Know that God delivers a cure
Nas acknowledges the relevance of Marvin's words, and suggests that their modern-day problems stem primarily from ignorance, which leads to conflicts, genocide, and wars. And, he believes that everyone, regardless of different races and religions, should unite and pray together for a better future. He believes that God, who delivers a cure, can provide a new way forward.
It's a shame our reality is devastating
People praying for a cure
Dying while they're waiting
Ask the Lord for the comfort and strength to face it
All the kids with dreams
Won't get the chance to chase it
Makes me sad
Think about the lives they would've had
Think about the orphan babies got no moms and dads
How can we sit back and not try to make it right
We gotta come together
We gotta fight for life
Eve acknowledges the sad reality where people are dying while waiting for a cure, and expresses her grief for the lives that would've been if the situation was different. She challenges the listener to take action and fight for life.
Somebody tell me What's Going On
(What's Going On)
We got human beings using humans for a bomb
But everyone wanna live
Don't nobody really want to die
You feeling me right
I can't be watching people die
Fred Durst asks the question 'What's Going On' and expresses his concerns about suicide bombings. He asserts that nobody really wants to die and everyone wants to live, and he cannot sit back and watch people die.
Writer(s): JOHANNES MARIA KNOLL, ROBERT HELMUT SCHNEIDER, SAM GILLY, UWE HOGL
Contributed by Lily A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@tomazaldano
Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today - Ya
Father, father
We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
Oh, what's going on
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Ah, what's going on
In the mean time
Right on, baby
Right on
Right on
Father, father, everybody thinks we're wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply because our hair is long
Oh, you know we've got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today
Oh
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me
So you can see
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Tell me what's going on
I'll tell you what's going on - Uh
Right on baby
Right on baby
@jane2777
Excellent version. By modulating his voice as required, Bono proves his huge talent once more!
@jonb705
Bono could sing the phone directory and it would sound awesome. Been following this band since the early 80s they never disappoint 🙏
@cacildoneto5090
U2 is the best Rock Band Hall of Time 🇧🇷
@karlclemmy2054
All I can say is..........Wow, stunning version by the best band in the world
@adriamaral300
The Edge and Adam nice little riff. Larry, smooth percussion... Bono, the most recognizable voice of our times. U2. The fine wine that only gets better and better through the years. Experience. Love the anti violence message to this classic Motown. Big Big Love Always!!
@stefanomosa5756
🔝 🔝 🔝 🔝 🔝
@ChristopherFergo
You know it's kinda sad, if this song had been written today, it would be ripped apart for being tOo PoLiTiCaL. Great song with an amazing message.
@alexandriaocasio-smollett5078
@@ChristopherFergo I have no idea how you could possibly think that considering literally everything is politically saturated now. Not trying to be a mean or anything. But that makes absolutely no sense at all.
@annaconway7009
Bono can sing anything and the group is so tight!❤👌
@pattys6202
Edge is perfect on guitar!!! 🎸🎸💜👏👏👏