The Joshua Tree album lyrics by U2




The Joshua Tree album lyrics - U2


The follow up to the well received The Unforgettable Fire made U2 globally famous and delivered some of the best songs that the 80's could muster.

The Joshua Tree's lyrics delved into the politics of the US Government, heroin addition, love, spirituality and other social issues.

The album weaves a rich tapestry of themes, including a quest for spiritual meaning, the struggle against injustice, and the complexities of the American dream. Songs like "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "With or Without You" delve into the realms of spiritual yearning and the complexities of human relationships, offering a universal resonance that transcends geographical boundaries. 


The album also takes a critical look at America, a nation that fascinated the band, both as an ideal and a real place with deep contradictions. This is evident in tracks like "Bullet the Blue Sky" and "Mothers of the Disappeared," which comment on U.S. foreign policy and human rights abuses in Central America, highlighting the band's engagement with global political issues. "The Joshua Tree" also explores themes of displacement and alienation, as seen in "Where the Streets Have No Name," symbolizing a longing for a utopian space of belonging and identity. 

The album’s sound, characterized by its expansive and atmospheric quality, perfectly complements its thematic depth, making "The Joshua Tree" not only a commercial success but also a critical milestone in U2's career, as it captures their evolution into a band deeply engaged with the moral and political dilemmas of their time.


The Joshua Tree album lyrics:

1. "Where the Streets Have No Name"
2. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
3. "With or Without You"
4. "Bullet the Blue Sky"
5. "Running to Stand Still"
6. "Red Hill Mining Town"
7. "In God's Country"
8. "Trip Through Your Wires"
9. "One Tree Hill"
10. "Exit"
11. "Mothers of the Disappeared"

The Joshua Tree sold over 30 million albums and the songs With Or Without and Where the Streets Have No Name are played at every single concert as the fans have been known to riot if they are not played!

The Joshua Tree recording sessions also produced some pretty sweet B-sides such as Silver and Gold and Sweetest Thing (The Single Mix).

Fun (sad) fact: One Tree Hill is only ever really played in NZ as a tribute to Greg Caroll, a friend of U2 who as killed while employed by U2.

When U2 played it in Auckland in 2010 it was dedicated to the miners of  the Pike River Mine Disaster.

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