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
wake up
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jesus help me
I'm alone in this world
And a fucked up world it is too
Tell me
Tell me the story
The one about eternity
And the way it's all gonna be
Wake up dead man
Wake up
Wake up dead man
Jesus
I'm waiting here boss
I know you're looking out for us
But maybe your hands aren't free
Your Father
He made the world in seven
He's in charge of heaven
Will you put a word in for me
Wake up
Wake up dead man
Wake up
Wake up dead man
Listen to your words
They'll tell you what to do
Listen over the rhythm that's confusing you
Listen to the reed in the saxophone
Listen over the hum of the radio
Listen over the sounds of blades in rotation
Listen through the traffic and circulation
Listen as hope and peace try to rhyme
Listen over marching bands playing out their time
Wake up
Wake up dead man
Wake up
Wake up dead man
Jesus
Were you just around the corner?
Did you think to try and warn her?
Or are you working on something new?
If there's and order
In all of this disorder
Is it like a tape recorder?
Can we rewind it just once more
Wake up
Wake up dead man
Wake up
Wake up dead man
Wake up
Wake up dead man
The U2 song "Wake Up, Dead Man" deals with the theme of being lost and in search of guidance. The singer is crying out to Jesus and asking for his help and guidance as he navigates through life in a "fucked up world." He asks Jesus to tell him the story of eternity, hoping to gain some insight into what the future holds. The repeated refrain of "Wake up, dead man" adds a sense of urgency to the song, as if the singer is pleading for a wake-up call to snap him out of his current state of confusion and despair.
The verse where the singer asks Jesus to put in a word for him with his Father adds to the theme of feeling lost and in need of help. The lyrics suggest that even Jesus may be hindered in helping the singer, indicating that the situation is dire. The bridge of the song encourages the listener to listen closely to the world around them and hear what the universe is trying to say. The imagery of saxophones, traffic, and marching bands all suggest that it's not just about hearing but really listening to the sounds around us.
The final verse brings the listener back to the idea of Jesus being able to provide some guidance and help in a confusing world. The singer wonders if Jesus tried to warn someone just around the corner, suggesting that maybe he could be there for the listener in the same way. The final line of the song, "Wake up, dead man," is sung mournfully, and rather than adding urgency, it now feels like a solemn plea.
Line by Line Meaning
Jesus
Asking for divine help and guidance
Jesus help me
Requesting for divine intervention and assistance
I'm alone in this world
Feeling isolated and abandoned
And a fucked up world it is too
Expressing dissatisfaction with the state of the world and its problems
Tell me
Seeking answers and understanding
Tell me the story
Requesting to hear the narrative of the future
The one about eternity
Referencing the afterlife and what is to come
And the way it's all gonna be
Asking how the future will unfold and what one should expect
Wake up
Urging oneself or others to awaken from a state of unawareness or indifference
Wake up dead man
Encouraging the listener to become receptive and alive once again
I'm waiting here boss
Showing a sense of subservience and dependence on a higher power
I know you're looking out for us
Expressing faith in divine caretaking
But maybe your hands aren't free
Admitting that one does not fully understand or comprehend the limitations of divine assistance
Your Father
Referring to God as the ultimate authority
He made the world in seven
Recalling the creation story from the Bible
He's in charge of heaven
Reinforcing the idea that God is in control of everything
Will you put a word in for me
Requesting a favor or intercession from God
Listen to your words
Encouraging introspection and self-reflection
They'll tell you what to do
Suggesting that the answers one seeks may already lie within oneself
Listen over the rhythm that's confusing you
Focusing on the bigger picture and avoiding distraction
Listen to the reed in the saxophone
Encouraging appreciation of the finer things in life
Listen over the hum of the radio
Tuning out the noise and finding clarity
Listen over the sounds of blades in rotation
Ignoring the distractions in one's surroundings
Listen through the traffic and circulation
Persevering through life's difficulties and obstacles
Listen as hope and peace try to rhyme
Staying optimistic despite hardship and struggle
Listen over marching bands playing out their time
Staying focused on one's own path and goals rather than following the crowd
Were you just around the corner?
Wondering if God was present during a difficult situation
Did you think to try and warn her?
Reflecting on whether God may have tried to indicate something that was not heeded
Or are you working on something new?
Accepting that God's intentions may not be immediately clear or comprehensible
If there's an order
Questioning whether there is control or pattern in the chaos of the world
In all of this disorder
Acknowledging the disorder and confusion in the world
Is it like a tape recorder?
Considering the idea that life has a predetermined path or fate
Can we rewind it just once more
Asking whether one has the power to change or affect the course of their life
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