"Bullet The Blue Sky" song lyrics by U2

In the 1980s, El Salvador was embroiled in a brutal civil war between the U.S.-backed Salvadoran government and leftist guerrilla groups. The conflict was marked by widespread human rights abuses, including massacres, torture, and the displacement of civilians. The United States, under the guise of fighting communism, provided military and financial support to the Salvadoran government. This interference often exacerbated the violence and suffering of the civilian population. By the time U2 wrote "Bullet the Blue Sky," the atrocities committed in El Salvador were widely reported, sparking protests and calls for a reevaluation of U.S. policies in the region.

U2’s lyrics serve as a scathing commentary on American imperialism and the moral implications of foreign intervention. By depicting scenes of destruction and despair caused by American-supported forces, the song criticizes the idea that the U.S. is a benevolent force in international affairs. Instead, it questions the ethical responsibility of a nation that often prioritizes political interests over human rights.

Outside is America indeed...

"Bullet The Blue Sky" song lyrics by U2 from The Joshua Tree

 In the howling wind
Comes a stinging rain
See it driving nails
Into souls on the tree of pain
From the firefly a red orange glow
See the face of fear
Running scared in the valley below

The sky
The sky
Bullet the blue sky
Bullet the blue sky
Bullet the blue sky
Bullet the blue sky

In the locust wind
Comes a rattle and hum
Jacob wrestled the angel
And the angel was overcome
You plant a demon seed
You raise a flower of fire
See them burning crosses
See the flames, higher and higher

The sky
The sky
Bullet the blue sky
Bullet the blue sky
Bullet the blue sky
Bullet the blue sky

And this guy comes up to me
His face red like a rose on a thorn bush
Like all the colours of a royal flush
And he's peeling off those dollar bills
Slapping them down
One hundred, two hundred
And I can see those fighter planes
And I can see those fighter planes
Across the mud huts as the children sleep
Through the alleys of a quiet city street
We take the staircase to the first floor
We turn the key and slowly unlock the door
As a man breathes deep into saxophone
And through the walls we hear the city groan
Outside is America
Outside is America
America
See across the field
See the sky ripped open
See the rain coming through the gaping wound
Pelting the women and children who run into the arms of America

Bono went on to use the lyrical reference to bullets in the sky in U2's big hit, Vertigo.

The line "In the locust wind, comes a rattle and hum" was clearly the inspiration for the title of U2's follow up album to The Joshua Tree, Rattle and Hum.  Check out With or Without You and the classis, "Mothers of the Disappeared".