"The Hands That Built America" song lyrics by U2

U2's "The Hands That Built America" song lyrics from Gangs of New York

The Hands that Built America was featured on the soundtrack to the Martin Scorsese film Gangs of New York . It was nominated for Best Original Song at the 75th Academy Awards but lost to Eminem's "Lose Yourself." from the 8 Mile movie. It did win the less coveted Golden Globe for original song.

"The Hands That Built America" is a song about New York (hence its use on the film).

The first verse of the song makes reference to the Irish Potato Famine, and the resulting emigration of hundreds of thousands of Irish people to the United States.

The second and third verse lyrics relate to the quintessential American Dream, and the ideals that hard work can bring a person prosperity. The final verse is about the terrorist attacks of September 11th.

"The Hands That Built America" lyrics from U2

Oh, my love, it's a long way we've come
From the freckled hills to the steel and glass canyons
From the stony fields to hanging steel from sky
From digging in our pockets for a reason not to say goodbye

These are the hands that built America
Wishing and dreaming for something better
America
Wishing and dreaming

Last saw your face in a watercolor sky
As sea birds argue, a long goodbye
I took your kiss on the spray of the new land star
You gotta live with your dreams, don't make them so hard

And these are the hands that built America
It's a journey, it's a journey
America
Wishing, wishing

Of all the promises, is this one we could keep
Of all of the dreams, is this one still out of reach
Halle, holy

It's early fall, there's a cloud on the New York skyline
Innocence dragged across a yellow line

These are the hands that built America
These are the hands that built America
America
America

U2 was also Oscar nominated for Ordinary Love but also didn't win.