'Sunday Bloody Sunday' song lyrics by U2

"Sunday Bloody Sunday" stands as one of U2’s most potent political anthems, a song that, with its unmistakable martial drumbeat and razor-sharp chord progression (B, D, G), addressed the violence of the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre in Derry, Ireland. 

Single cover for Sunday Bloody Sunday

At the time, Bono and the band were diving headfirst into a politically charged atmosphere, and the song's raw lyrics reflect a band intent on bringing human rights issues into the mainstream conversation. 

The repetition of the line “How long must we sing this song?” embodies the deep frustration and weariness of a nation marred by seemingly endless violence. 

It’s not just a protest song in the traditional sense—it’s an anguished plea for peace, imbued with a sense of spiritual yearning that’s characteristic of Bono’s lyricism.

The song has become one of U2's classic songs where the lyrics focus on warfare and political matters.

Sunday Bloody Sunday Song lyrics from the War album.

I can't believe the news today
I can't close my eyes and make it go away

How long, how long must we sing this song?
How long, how long?
Tonight we can be as one, tonight

Broken bottles under children's feet
Bodies strewn across a dead end street
But I won't heed the battle call
It puts my back up
Puts my back up against the wall

Sunday bloody Sunday
Sunday bloody Sunday

And the battle's just begun
There's many lost, but tell me who has won
Trenches dug within our hearts
And mothers, children, brothers, sisters torn apart

Sunday bloody Sunday
Sunday bloody Sunday

How long, how long must we sing this song
How long, how long
'Cause tonight we can be as one
Tonight, tonight
Sunday bloody Sunday
Tonight tonight
Sunday bloody Sunday
Tonight tonight

Wipe the tears from your eyes
Wipe your tears away
I wipe your tears away
I wipe your tears away
Sunday bloody Sunday
Wipe your blood shot eyes

Sunday bloody Sunday
Sunday bloody Sunday
Sunday bloody Sunday
Sunday bloody Sunday
Sunday bloody Sunday

And it's true we are immune
When fact is fiction and T.V. reality
Sunday bloody Sunday
And today the millions cry
Sunday bloody Sunday
We eat and drink while tomorrow they die
Sunday bloody Sunday
The real battle just begun
Sunday bloody Sunday
To claim the victory Jesus won

On a Sunday bloody Sunday
Sunday bloody Sunday

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Musically, the song's iconic drumbeat—courtesy of Larry Mullen Jr.—alongside The Edge’s searing guitar riff, lays a stark, almost militaristic foundation that mirrors the song’s brutal subject matter. 

The violence in Northern Ireland was a deep scar in the collective Irish consciousness, and U2, with this track, dared to bring that pain into the international spotlight. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” didn’t just reflect the tragedy in Derry; it also served as a broader indictment of senseless violence across the world. 

It was this coupling of local specificity with universal resonance that allowed the song to transcend its origins and grab the attention of a global audience. It was U2’s first major foray into using their music as a vehicle for social commentary, and it marked a turning point in their career as a band that was not afraid to address incendiary topics head-on.

Beyond its chart success, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” became a defining moment for U2 because it connected them with an audience that saw music as more than just entertainment. It galvanized a fanbase that responded to their willingness to tackle political and social issues with sincerity and urgency.

Check out more lyrics from War which features songs Seconds, New Year's Day and Like A Song.

Tt's worth noting John Lennon and Yoko Ono's earlier, more overtly political take on the Derry massacre with their 1972 song "Sunday Bloody Sunday," featured on the Some Time in New York City album.

Lennon's version is a blistering protest anthem that channels his rage against British colonialism and his sympathy for the Irish struggle, diverging from U2's approach in its raw, accusatory tone. Where U2's song grapples with the sorrow and the cycle of violence, seeking a path toward reconciliation, Lennon's is a scathing, unfiltered cry for justice, reflecting the volatile political climate of the early 1970s and echoing the countercultural spirit of his activism.

The two songs, while sharing a title and thematic focus, represent distinct generational responses: Lennon's, a product of immediate outrage, and U2's, a contemplative plea from a band shaped by the aftermath and the lingering wounds of the conflict.

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