U2's homage to the jazz legend that was Billie Holiday, it was released with two different B-sides; one was an original U2 song called "A Room at the Heartbreak Hotel", while the other was a live version of Rattle and Hum's "Love Rescue Me."
The lyrical basis is to ackknowledge New York City-area landmarks, including JFK airport, WBLS radio and Harlem. It also refers to John Coltrane and A Love Supreme, Birdland club, Miles Davis and Lady Day i.e. Ms Billie Holiday.
It was a cold and wet December day
When we touched the ground at JFK
Snow was melting on the ground
On BLS I heard the sound of an angel
New York, like a Christmas tree
Tonight this city belongs to me, angel
Soul love, this love won't let me go
So long Angel of Harlem
Birdland on fifty-three
The street sounds like a symphony
We got John Coltrane and a love supreme
Miles, and she's got to be an angel
Lady Day got diamond eyes
She sees the truth behind the lies, angel
Soul love, this love won't let me go
So long Angel of Harlem
Angel of Harlem
She says it's heart, heart and soul
Yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah
Blue light on the avenue
God knows they got to you
An empty glass, the lady sings
Eyes swollen like a bee sting
Blinded, you lost your way
Through the side streets and the alleyway
Like a star exploding in the night
Falling to the city in broad daylight
An angel in Devil's shoes
Salvation in the blues
You never looked like an angel
Yeah yeah, Angel of Harlem
Angel, Angel of Harlem
Angel, Angel of Harlem
Angel, Angel of Harlem
Angel, Angel of Harlem
Oh yeah, it's alright
It's alright
Check out the lyrics to All I Want Is You, Helter Skelter and Van Diemen's Land, all songs from Rattle and Hum.
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