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
Ultraviolet
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sometimes I feel like I don't know
Sometimes I feel like checkin' out
I want to get it wrong
Can't always be strong
And love it won't be long
Oh sugar, don't you cry
You know I need you to be strong
And the day is as dark as the night is long
Feel like trash, you make me feel clean
I'm in the black, can't see or be seen
Baby, baby, baby, light my way
Alright now
Baby, baby, baby, light my way
You bury your treasure
Where it can't be found
But your love is like a secret
That's been passed around
There is a silence that comes to a house
Where no one can sleep
I guess it's the price of love
I know it's not cheap
Oh, come on
Baby, baby, baby, light my way
Oh, come on
Baby, baby, baby, light my way
Oh, ultraviolet (oh)
Ultraviolet (oh)
Ultraviolet (oh)
Ultraviolet
Baby, baby, baby, light my way
I remember
When we could sleep on stones
Now we lie together
In whispers and moans
When I was all messed up
And I had opera in my head
Your love was a light bulb
Hanging over my bed
Baby, baby, baby, light my way
Oh, come on,
Baby, baby, baby, light my way
Oh, ultraviolet
Ultraviolet
Ultraviolet
Ultraviolet
Baby, baby, baby
Baby, baby, baby
Baby, baby, baby, light my way
Baby, baby, baby
Baby, baby, baby
Baby, baby, baby, light my way
Baby, baby, baby
Baby, baby, baby, light my way
Baby, baby, baby, light my way
The lyrics of U2's song "Ultraviolet" express a feeling of uncertainty and vulnerability, but also of hope and strength. In the beginning, the singer admits to sometimes feeling lost and wanting to make mistakes. He acknowledges that it's impossible to always be strong, and that love is fleeting. However, he reassures the person he's singing to (presumably a lover or close friend) that he needs them to be strong, especially during dark times. The imagery of feeling like trash but being made clean by this person's love adds an interesting contrast.
The second verse is somewhat cryptic, but seems to suggest that the person's love is valuable and treasured, yet also kept hidden like a secret. There is a sadness and loneliness in the line about a house where no one can sleep, but it's also acknowledged that this is often the price of love.
The chorus is an upbeat call to action, with the repeated phrase "Baby, baby, baby, light my way" implying both a desire for guidance as well as a request for passion and intensity. Throughout the song, there is a blend of darkness and light, uncertainty and hope, reflecting the complexity of love and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh
Starting off with a sound of excitement and exclamation
Sometimes I feel like I don't know
Admitting confusion and uncertainty
Sometimes I feel like checkin' out
Expressing the desire to escape
I want to get it wrong
Expressing the desire to make mistakes
Can't always be strong
Acknowledging vulnerability and weakness
And love it won't be long
Reminding that love has a limited and uncertain lifespan
Oh sugar, don't you cry
Speaking to a loved one with a sweet nickname, encouraging them not to cry
Oh child, wipe the tears from your eyes
Using the term 'child' to address a loved one, urging them to stop crying
You know I need you to be strong
Expressing a need for strength from the loved one
And the day is as dark as the night is long
Metaphorically conveying the intensity of the darkness and difficulty of the situation
Feel like trash, you make me feel clean
Comparing emotional state to waste, while recognizing how the loved one makes them feel better
I'm in the black, can't see or be seen
Metaphorically conveying a feeling of being lost and invisible
Baby, baby, baby, light my way
Repeating a plea for help and guidance from the loved one
Alright now
Expressing excitement and affirmation
You bury your treasure
Metaphorically conveying that the loved one keeps something valuable hidden
Where it can't be found
Clarifying that the treasure is intentionally hidden to remain a secret
But your love is like a secret
Acknowledging the secrecy of the loved one's emotions
That's been passed around
Indicating that others may also be aware of the loved one's emotions
There is a silence that comes to a house
Metaphorically conveying the emotional numbness and heaviness
Where no one can sleep
Acknowledging the difficulty in finding peace and rest
I guess it's the price of love
Suggesting that some of the pain is inherent to love
I know it's not cheap
Acknowledging the high cost and difficulty of love
Oh, come on
Encouraging the loved one with urgency
Oh ultraviolet (oh)
Introducing a new metaphor for love - ultraviolet light
Ultraviolet (oh)
Repeating the metaphor
Ultraviolet (oh)
Repeating the metaphor
Ultraviolet
Repeating the metaphor
Baby, baby, baby, light my way
Repeating the plea for help and guidance
I remember
Introducing a flashback or memory
When we could sleep on stones
Referencing hardship and poverty
Now we lie together
Expressing gratitude and happiness about the current state of the relationship
In whispers and moans
Describing the intimacy of the relationship
When I was all messed up
Acknowledging past emotional turmoil
And I had opera in my head
Describing a state of distress
Your love was a light bulb
Metaphorically conveying the loved one's help and guidance
Hanging over my bed
Further emphasizing the guidance and support provided by the loved one
Baby, baby, baby, light my way
Repeating the plea for guidance
Oh, ultraviolet
Repeating the metaphor for love
Ultraviolet
Repeating the metaphor
Ultraviolet
Repeating the metaphor
Ultraviolet
Repeating the metaphor
Baby, baby, baby
Intensifying the plea for guidance
Baby, baby, baby
Repeating the plea
Baby, baby, baby, light my way
Emphasizing the plea for guidance
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adam Clayton, Dave Evans, Larry Mullen, Paul Hewson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@patrickfreeland5798
I named my daughter Alayna Violet after this song. it is still my #1 favorite song of U2's ever....so many memories with it. Last week, at almost 5 years old, I had her listen to the song on AB, she had quite a smile on her face....i think it was pride....she's already a U2 fan. Hearing her sing "Ultraviolet liiiiiight!" is priceless!!!
@skwaaaaa
It's such a happy good vibe song no wonder she had a smile on her face lol. It's refreshing to hear you're getting her into some real music before she starts listening to niki Minaj and the likes :(
@JuanRamirez-vz4hb
Cool awesome song
@maggiereilley1500
+Patrick Freeland Beautiful name for your little girl!! :))
@patrickfreeland5798
+Maggie Reilley thank you!
@beteart
💟😘
@Lummers74
I lost my mother around the time Achtung Baby was released and the line in this song “There is a silence that comes to the house where no one can sleep” could not have been more true, as our home was no longer filled with the sound of her voice and laughter...only memories. This song helped me through one of the toughest times of my life and I can’t thank you enough. A true classic,
@wanderalmeida9584
Stay strong. Regards from Brazil. ❤️🙏
@enigmal
I'm pretty sure that Bono refers to his mother when he sings "When I was all messed up, and I had opera in my head (reference to his father) / Your love was a lightbulb hanging over my bed"
@Hash2009
Bless your family.