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
Jack in the Box
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're in for a line, I can't think to carry on
We're able to chew it, chained for a speaker
And I won't move it, he's gonna have to carry on
I wait for the time when my tunes feel better than life
I know
Who will buy me, who will try me
Jack In A Box
Jack In A Box
They shuffle and look, readin' your book
Look in their face, I don't
I said no, we know
Who will buy me, who will try me
Who will buy me
Jack In A Box
Jack In A Box
Let's go
Who will buy me, who will try me
Who will buy me up
Jack In A Box
Jack In A Box
Jack in a big box
Jack in the box
Jack In A Box
Jack In A Box
Jack in a big box
Jack in a big box
Early U2 song
The lyrics in U2's song Jack In The Box are quite cryptic and difficult to decipher, as they often are with Bono's poetic prose. However, upon analyzing the lyrics, it seems that the song is about feeling trapped and constrained, unable to move forward, and looking for a way out.
The lyrics "Delayed for a time, trip for an answer" could suggest feeling stuck in a rut or a delay in progress, while "We're able to chew it, chained for a speaker / And I won't move it, he's gonna have to carry on" could be interpreted as feeling constrained by a boss or someone in power. The repetition of "Who will buy me, who will try me" could be a plea for someone to set them free, to give them a chance to prove themselves and break free from their chains.
The chorus, "Jack In A Box," seems to refer to the popular children's toy, which represents being trapped in a box until someone winds it up and they are released, illustrating the desire for freedom and escape from the constraints of everyday life.
Overall, the song conveys a sense of restlessness, a longing for change and growth, and a desire to be freed from constraints and allowed to live life to the fullest.
Line by Line Meaning
Delayed for a time, trip for an answer
We were held back for a while and we're searching for a solution.
We're in for a line, I can't think to carry on
We're caught up in something that we can't see a way to move forward with.
We're able to chew it, chained for a speaker
We have the ability to handle this situation, but we're still bound to someone else's words.
And I won't move it, he's gonna have to carry on
I won't take any further action, the other person has to deal with this.
I wait for the time when my tunes feel better than life
I'm waiting for a moment when my music becomes the reason to live.
Who will buy me, who will try me
Who will support me and give me a chance to succeed.
Who will buy me, look, Jack In A Box
Who will invest in me, the same way someone invests in a Jack in the Box toy.
They shuffle and look, readin' your book
They're hesitant and unsure, trying to get a sense of who you are and what you're about.
Look in their face, I don't, I said no, we know
You're not convinced by their facial expressions or words, and you refuse their offer.
Who will buy me up, Jack In A Box
Who will purchase me, treating me like a Jack in the Box toy.
Jack In A Box, Jack In A Box, Jack in a big box
Continuing to emphasize the idea of being sold like a toy, even in a larger package.
Jack in the box, Jack In A Box, Jack in a big box
Repeating the same idea about being sold like a toy, with slight variations.
Contributed by Alice V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Wonder Man
U2's BEST EVER song!
Arild Brække
I have to agree with that! It deserved to be placed on "Boy". Same with "Life on a distant planet".
Guadalupe Picasso
Damn, imagine if they stuck with this post-punk sound more, even if only by way of one or two songs per album after War and Unforgettable Fire?!
High-tech One
Best