Showing posts with label achtung baby lyrics U2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label achtung baby lyrics U2. Show all posts

'Oh, Berlin' lyrics by U2 from the Achtung Baby recording sessions

Friday, October 7, 2011
"Oh Berlin" is a song from U2's Achtung Baby recording sessions in 1990-1991, which took place primarily at Hansa Studios in Berlin, Germany. The band was in the midst of a significant transition during this time, both musically and personally. 

After the success of The Joshua Tree and side step of Rattle and Hum, U2 felt the need to reinvent themselves, and the Berlin sessions were pivotal in that shift toward a more experimental sound, embracing alternative rock, industrial influences, and electronic music.

"Oh Berlin" was one of several songs that the band worked on during these sessions but ultimately left unfinished or unreleased on Achtung Baby. Berlin, the city itself, had deep symbolic meaning for U2 during the making of this album. 

The Berlin Wall had just fallen in 1989, marking the end of the Cold War, and the city became a symbol of reunification, freedom, and transformation—mirroring the themes that would later emerge in the album. U2 wanted to capture the atmosphere of this historic moment, but "Oh Berlin" didn't make the final cut, as other tracks like "One" and "The Fly" better represented the emotional and sonic direction they were aiming for.

It's no surprise that U2 wrote a song about Berlin as that's where a lot of recording for the album took place - indeed Zoo Station is so named after a train stop in the city!

Other releases from that time include Down all The Days and Blow Your House Down.

'Oh, Berlin' lyrics by U2

Hasse, hasse, hasse, hasse

White snow turning to slush
A festival of brown in the city of my crush
If you walk around, you can step inside
Köthner Straße achtunddreißig

Oh Berlin
Who could think they would find you by just looking
Oh Berlin
How many of us hide in you
Oh Berlin
To think I could know you by your name

To stare and not be stared
To look and not be seen
To feel new feelings
Rather than understand where you've just been
Fame, huh

Oh Berlin
Who could they would find you by just looking
Oh Berlin
When you flap your angel wings
Oh Berlin
To think that I could know you by your name

Chasing the ghosts of our heroes
Lou Reed, David Bowie, Iggy, Wim Wenders, Rilke
To change location rather than change yourself
To ask for directions rather than ask for help
To remain always a true friend

Oh Berlin
Who could think they would find you by just looking
Oh Berlin
When you flap your angel wings
Oh Berlin
To think that I could know you by your name

Who, if I cried out, would hear me among the angelic orders
And even if one to suddenly take me to its heart
I would vanish into its stronger existence
For beauty is nothing but the beginning of terror
That we are still able to bear and we revere it so
Because it calmly disdains to destroy us
Every angel is terror

Every angel is terror
Oh Berlin
Every angel is terror
Every angel is terror
Who would think they could find you by just looking
Every angel is terror
Every angel is terror
Oh Berlin
How many of us hide in you
Oh Berlin
To think that I could know you by a single name

Down All The Days lyrics by U2

Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Down All The Days lyrics by U2

Released as part of the celebrations of the twenty year anniversary of one of U2's best albums, Achtung Baby. If you liked this song, you should check out U2's Blow Your House Down which was released at the same time.

Down all the Days Lyrics by U2.

My eyes are black
They've seen the glory
My ears are shut
They've heard the storm
My legs are weak
From so much stumbling

Down all the days
Down all the days

My lips are dry
They've tasted water
My spirit high
I hardly touch the ground
My heart is heavy
It hears the distant firing

Down all the days
Down all the days
Down all the days
Down all the days
Down all the days
Days, days
Down all the days
Days, days

I love to talk
Days, days
Can you leave me some it to hug
Days, days
Can you hold me now
Days, days
I love her hug
Days, days
Days, days
Days

The skyline's in the cloud
Throw down some winds now
Right now I'm only here to see me
Come down whenever you want to see me
Right on a phone, the holy rose
Someone in the street's on fire
And I am weary, worthy
Wounded, all wrong
I love thee, to hold thee
I love thee

Everybody Loves A Winner lyrics U2

Everybody Loves A Winner lyrics U2

A left over from the Achtung Baby recording sessions, the song was released to celebrate the 20th anniversary of what were arguably U2's richest recording sessions (any session that One or Love is Blindness falls out of must be rich!)


Lyrics:


Once I had fame
I was full of pride
Well, there were a lot of friends
Always by my side

But my luck ran dry
Now my friends begin to hide

Everybody loves a winner
Everybody loves a winner
When you lose, you lose alone

Everywhere I turned
There was a hello and a smile
I never thought they'd be gone
After a while

Oh, that big road ran down
And the smiles turned to frowns

Everybody loves a winner
Everybody loves a winner
But when you lose, you lose alone

Hands to heaven that I would be true
To get back that love
There's nothing I wouldn't do
But I learned and I lost
And now I paid the cost

Everybody loves a winner
Everybody loves a winner
Everybody loves a winner
But when you lose, you lose alone

"Heaven And Hell " song lyrics U2 from Achtung Baby session leftovers

From the Achtung Baby recording sessions, Heaven and Hell was a non album track released along with Blow Your House Down to and Oh, Berlin to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the album. 

The lyrics explore the collapse of a once-idealized love, now disintegrating under the weight of its own contradictions. Bono’s voice, seemingly oscillating between raw vulnerability and bitter resignation, tells a story of romantic disillusionment. The imagery evokes a sacred-profane tension, where love’s purity (“Like an angel on some stained-glass”) clashes against the raw, carnal realities of the relationship (“Dirty boy, dirty girl having a dirty laugh”). 

The duality of "heaven and hell" becomes a metaphor not just for the shifting emotional landscape between two lovers, but for the very nature of intimate relationships, where moments of divine connection often crumble into something more grotesque and disappointing. In these lyrics, Bono wrestles with the tension between the sacred ideal and the messy human experience—flirting with religious imagery while plumbing the depths of personal failure.

"Heaven And Hell " song lyrics U2

Conceptually, this theme of love’s dichotomy resonates with two other key tracks from Achtung Baby: "Love Is Blindness" and "So Cruel." 

In "Love Is Blindness," Bono grapples with love as a destructive force, wrapped in yearning and desperation, with the refrain suggesting a kind of willful ignorance to its darker undertones. Similarly, "So Cruel" portrays a love caught between pleasure and pain, where emotional cruelty becomes part of the seductive dance.

Together, these songs, including "Heaven and Hell," form a triptych that interrogates the nature of love as both salvation and damnation. They explore how lovers, in their quest for transcendence, can end up bound and bleeding, searching for meaning in the spaces between devotion and destruction. The layers of religious and carnal imagery woven throughout these lyrics reinforce U2's broader fascination with dualities—heaven and hell, angelic ideals and fallen realities, constantly intertwining in the space of human relationships.

"Heaven And Hell " song lyrics U2 from Achtung Baby session leftovers

You used to think I was something special
You haven't thought that in a while
You liked the company of my inner devil
'Cause my inner devil could make you smile

Like an angel on some stained-glass
Not some relic from the recent past
With your pale breasts and your fresh wound
And your eyes to heaven with your hands bound

I thought you'd find me when you went looking
In truth, you'd have to be there to look around
How come the honeysuckle isn't sucking
And I got a bee sting walking on the ground

Did our brass bead become a mud bath
A dirty boy, dirty girl having a dirty laugh
I saw you coming, I had you covered
Till you discovered

That we're heaven, heaven, heaven and hell
Heaven, heaven, heaven, heaven and hell

Picnick table and a china cup
We had an airbed that was all stuffed
Now it's room 64 at the chateau
Ask the front desk where does your love go

Is it to heaven, heaven, heaven or to hell
Is it to heaven, heaven, heaven or hell
Baby, we're heaven, heaven, heaven, heaven and hell

-

Achtung Baby is steeped in biblical references and hellish imagery, reflecting U2’s exploration of moral dualities and the darker side of human experience. Throughout the album, Bono’s lyrics are laced with religious allusions, invoking heaven, hell, angels, and devils as metaphors for love, betrayal, and inner conflict. 

In "Until the End of the World," for instance, the betrayal of Christ by Judas is recast as a narrative of personal treachery, while "The Fly" channels the voice of a fallen angel, offering a cynical perspective on truth and morality. This fascination with biblical themes culminated during the Zoo TV Tour, where Bono embodied the persona of MacPhisto, a devilish character clad in gold horns and white makeup. 

Through MacPhisto, Bono gave voice to the seductive and corrupting aspects of fame, power, and desire, amplifying the album’s recurring motifs of temptation, sin, and redemption. By merging the sacred and the profane, Achtung Baby becomes not just a meditation on personal relationships, but a broader commentary on the human condition, echoing the struggle between salvation and damnation.

-

Check out Down all the Day's lyrics as well!

'Blow Your House Down' song lyrics by U2

Blow Down Your House was released by Irish Rockers U2 to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of their classic album, Achtung Baby. The song was from the recording sessions of that album but to that point never shared with the world. 

'Blow Your House Down' song lyrics by U2


Burn Your House down features all the familiar sonic elements of Achtung Baby - Edge riffs, arpeggios, slide guitar, backing vocals and lyrics that feature a woman as a central character that's being out of control - kind of like The Lady with the Spinning Head

'Blow Your House Down' song lyrics by U2

You've been along this road so many times
Nothing should be a surprise to you
Seen every premeditated crime
From every possible point of view

Why, if it's so wrong, does it feel so right?
Why, oh I've got your gun?
Do I want you tonight?

She, she's gonna blow your house down
She's gonna turn your head around
She's gonna blow your house down

What of chaos is the thing you crave
Is it the taste of self-inflicted pain
And what of losing is your drug of choice
Is it what keeps you coming back again

Why, if it's so wrong, does it feel so right

She, she's gonna blow your house down
She's gonna turn your head around
She's gonna blow your house down

She blow your house down
She's gonna turn your head around
She's gonna blow your house down

Run fast, fast as you can
Run fast, fast as you can
Fast, fast as you can
Run as fast, fast as you can
Fast as you can
Run as fast, fast as you can

The wave, it have its
She was saving it
What makes you think you can
Oh, they're craving
Deals for breaking
Your old devil's hands

She, she's gonna blow your house down
She's gonna turn your head around
She's gonna blow your house down

She gonna blow your house down
She's gonna turn your head around
She's gonna blow your house down

-

The lyrics convey a sense of urgency and emotional rawness, suggesting a confrontation with the fragility of both personal identity and the connections we forge with others. Bono’s poignant imagery of "blowing your house down" serves as a metaphor for dismantling the facades we build to protect ourselves, exposing the chaos and vulnerability that lie beneath. 

This metaphor reflects a desire for authenticity and a recognition that true intimacy often requires the deconstruction of superficial barriers. The song captures a tumultuous emotional landscape, resonating with listeners who have experienced the tumult of love and the fear of losing oneself in the process. 

Q Magazine Achtung Baby U2 Lyrics Covers Song Lyrics

Wednesday, September 14, 2011


Q Magazine U2 Covers Song Lyrics from Achtung Baby

Q Magazine has arranged for a selection of fabulous artists to record an album of covers from U2's Achtung Baby. This is to celebrate the re-issue of U2's Achtung baby for the 20th Anniversary.

Here's the track list. Clicking on the song title will take you to the lyrics of the song.

"Zoo Station" visited by Nine Inch Nails
"Even Better Than the Real Thing" covered by U2 (Jacques Lu Cont Mix)
"One" performed by Damian Rice
"Until the End of the World" sung by Patti Smith
"Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" broken in by Garbage
"So Cruel" recorded by Depeche Mode
"The Fly" swatted by Gavin Friday. Post Modern Irony Intended.
"Mysterious Ways" moved by Snow Patrol
"Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World" tackled to the ground by The Fray
"Ultraviolet (Light My Way)" lit up by The Killers
"Acrobat" riffed out by Glasvegas
"Love Is Blindness" monstered by Jack White

Glasvegas is apparently doing a song ....

'Achtung Baby' album song lyrics by U2

Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Achtung Baby is U2's crowning glory, their masterpiece that no band since 1991 has bettered, it is a modern day classic. Following the perhaps inevitable backlash against U2's Rattle and Hum, U2's sound on the album was unlike anything the band had ever produced before.

U2's previous records such as War and The Joshua Tree made lyrical statements about political and social issues. Bono's lyrics for Achtung Baby a realised a more personal and introspective which examined love, sexuality, spirituality, faith, and even betrayal with Until The End of the World being an obvious example with its story seeming to be about a confessional conversation with Judas Iscariot.

Yes, that one. ..

Throughout "Achtung Baby," U2 not only reinvented their musical style under the watch of Brian Eno and Flood but also delved into deeper, more introspective lyrical themes. The album’s exploration of personal and societal change, the complexity of relationships, and the impact of modern technology, resonates as much today as it did at the time of its release.

Its lyrical quality reflects a band that is not afraid to confront the ambiguities and contradictions of the human experience, making "Achtung Baby" a seminal work in U2's discography.


'Achtung Baby' album song lyrics by U2

B-Sides, Session songs, covers


Allow us to wax lyrical about the album.

The album opens with "Zoo Station," an audacious departure from U2's established sound, introducing listeners to the band's new sonic territory. The song's lyrics metaphorically represent a readiness to embark on a new journey, with references to transformation and reinvention. This theme of change is a thread that runs throughout the album, reflecting both personal and societal shifts.


And it has an iconic drum beat.

"One," arguably the most famous track on the album, delves into themes of unity, conflict, and reconciliation. Its poetic lyrics have been interpreted in various ways, from a commentary on fractured relationships to a reflection on the band's near breakup. The song's universal appeal lies in its ambiguity, allowing listeners to find their own meaning in its words.

"Mysterious Ways" showcases the band's experimentation with dance rhythms, while its lyrics celebrate feminine mystique and the power of love and transformation. The song's vivid imagery, coupled with its upbeat tempo, creates a juxtaposition that highlights the complexity of relationships.

"The Fly," a song that presents a cacophony of sound and a persona that Bono adopted during live performances, is a commentary on the information overload of the modern world. Its rapid, spoken-word style verses and distorted sounds align with the song's message about the bombardment of media and technology.

"Acrobat," a lesser-known but equally compelling track, delves into the inner turmoil and hypocrisy that can exist within individuals. The song's raw emotional intensity, combined with introspective lyrics, makes it a standout on the album for its exploration of the human psyche.

"Love is Blindness," the closing track, is a haunting ballad that speaks to the pain and surrender of love. Its sparse, yet intense arrangement complements the song's exploration of love's darker, more obsessive aspects.

Check out the infamous Lady with the Spinning Head which was an abandoned song that formed the structural basis for The Fly, which became a conversation from hell about the post modern self.

"Alex Descends Into Hell For A Bottle Of Milk/Korova 1" Song Lyrics by U2

Saturday, October 10, 2009

“Alex Descends into Hell for a Bottle of Milk / Korova 1” was originally composed as part of a planned musical adaptation of A Clockwork Orange, exploring the dark and violent world of Alex DeLarge. 

The song's ominous Latin chant—Dies irae, dies illa, a reference to the medieval hymn "Dies Irae"—invokes themes of divine judgment and descent, echoing the brutality and moral chaos at the heart of Anthony Burgess’s dystopian vision. 

The piece was ultimately released as the b-side to the 1991 single, The Fly, from the Achtung Baby and connects thematically to both A Clockwork Orange and Achtung Baby’s exploration of fractured identities, temptation, and moral ambivalence.

Like “The Fly”—which Bono described as a “phone call from hell” and features a protagonist reveling in and wrestling with moral corruption—“Alex Descends” delves into the descent of the soul, underscored by its dark, industrial soundscape. 

Both songs take the listener through psychological spaces where moral boundaries are blurred, urging reflection on humanity’s darker impulses. 

Achtung Baby as a whole was shaped by themes of transformation, desire, and guilt, set against a postmodern backdrop of fractured truths and masked personas. “Alex Descends” captures a similar spirit, using Latin liturgy and cinematic orchestration to reflect the perverse allure of violence and the existential void Alex inhabits. 

"Alex Descends Into Hell For A Bottle Of Milk/Korova 1" Lyrics U2


"Alex Descends Into Hell For A Bottle Of Milk/Korova 1" Lyrics U2

Dies irae, dies illa
Dies irae, dies illa
Tuba mirum spargens sonum
Decet in inferno
Dies illa, dies illa

The English translation of the Latin lyrics:

A day of wrath, that day
A day of wrath, that day
The trumpet's wondrous call sounding abroad
He descended into hell
A day of wrath, that day

"Love Is Blindness" song lyrics by U2

Saturday, August 15, 2009
“Love Is Blindness” closes U2's Achtung Baby with a haunting, visceral exploration of the darker facets of love and desire, encapsulating themes of obsession, loss, and the inherent vulnerability that accompanies deep emotional connection. The lyrics evoke a sense of raw yearning, illustrating how love can often lead to both ecstasy and anguish. Bono’s lines, such as “Love is blindness,” poignantly capture the paradoxical nature of love—it can illuminate the soul while simultaneously shrouding one’s judgment and sense of self. 

This duality is vividly portrayed through striking imagery: love is portrayed not as a redemptive force, but rather as a consuming fire that blinds the lover to reality, inflicting pain that lingers long after the passion fades. 

The refrain "I don’t want to see” reinforces the idea of willful ignorance, suggesting that the speaker is caught in an emotional whirlwind, unwilling to confront the truth of their situation.

"Love Is Blindness" song lyrics by U2

Musically, “Love Is Blindness” is distinguished by its haunting, minimalist arrangement, characterized by The Edge’s dark, reverberating guitar riffs and a steady, pulsating rhythm that amplifies the song’s sense of urgency. The instrumentation creates a tension that reflects the tumultuous emotions conveyed in the lyrics, with a sound that evokes both danger and allure. Bono’s vocal delivery is imbued with a sense of desperation, capturing the weight of emotional turmoil that accompanies love’s darker side. 

As the song progresses, layers of sound build to a crescendo, paralleling the chaotic rush of emotions experienced in a love that has turned toxic. The raw, almost primal energy of the track underscores U2’s willingness to confront uncomfortable truths, a hallmark of their artistic ethos during the Achtung Baby era.

Jack White did an amazing cover of the song

"Love Is Blindness" song lyrics by U2

Love is blindness
I don't want to see
Won't you wrap the night around me
Take my heart
Love is blindness

In a parked car in a crowded street
You see your love made complete
Thread is ripping
The knot is slipping
Love is blindness

Love is clockworks and cold steel
Fingers too numb to feel
Squeeze the handle
Blow out the candle
Love is blindness

Love is blindness
I don't want to see
Won't you wrap the night around me
Oh, my love
Blindness

A little death without mourning
No call and no warning
Baby, a dangerous idea that almost makes sense

Love is drowning in a deep well
All the secrets and no one to tell
Take the money, honey
Blindness

Love is blindness
I don't want to see
Won't you wrap the night around me
Oh, my love
Blindness

-

Culturally, “Love Is Blindness” resonates deeply within the context of the early 1990s, a time of significant societal shifts and a growing awareness of the complexities of relationships in a rapidly changing world. The song reflects a generation grappling with disillusionment, as the idealism of previous decades gave way to a more nuanced understanding of love and intimacy.

 In an era where traditional narratives of romance were increasingly questioned, U2's exploration of love's darker dimensions offered a compelling commentary on the emotional costs of connection. By confronting themes of obsession and loss, “Love Is Blindness” invites listeners to reflect on their own experiences, illuminating the often-painful truths about love that can linger long after the initial spark has faded. 

Check lyrics to other songs from Achtung Baby such as "Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World" and "Even Better Than the Real Thing".

U2 would follow up Achtung Baby with another genuine U2 classic, the grammy award winning, Zooropa. 

"Acrobat" Song Lyrics by U2

"Acrobat" stands as one of U2’s most introspective and searing tracks, steeped in themes of alienation, hypocrisy, and personal contradiction. 

Bono, drawing inspiration from the work of poet Delmore Schwartz, channels the angst and disillusionment of facing one's own moral shortcomings. 

The line "I must be an acrobat to talk like this and act like that" is a central acknowledgment of these contradictions. 

Bono's lyrical confession exposes a struggle to reconcile ideals with actions, a battle between espoused beliefs and personal failures. The venom The Edge referred to echoes through its biting, cynical tone, echoing the raw emotion of Lennon’s "Working Class Hero" as Bono reflects on the futility of lofty ideals in a world filled with moral confusion.

 His cry to "dream out loud" is less a hopeful call to action than a desperate plea for authenticity in a world that often rewards insincerity.

The track also grapples with spiritual alienation, evident in lines like "I'd break bread and wine if there was a church I could receive in." 

Bono, who had often used religious imagery throughout his career, confronts his estrangement from institutional faith, suggesting a deeper yearning for redemption amidst the complexities of modern life. 

In this sense, "Acrobat" becomes a personal exorcism, a song about the erosion of certainty as time passes, both in relationships and in one’s sense of self. 

The repeated refrain of "don't let the bastards grind you down" serves as a defiant reminder to maintain integrity, even as the song openly admits how difficult it is to live up to one's principles. 

Ultimately, "Acrobat" is a lyrical exploration of inner conflict and the bitter realization that being human often means falling short of the ideals we profess.

"Acrobat" Song Lyrics by U2


Bono's long standing friend, artist Gavin Friday, suggests its chorus "Don't let the bastards grind you down" is aimed at the press who gave U2 a serve with the Rattle and Hum album and film.

Musically, “Acrobat” is characterized by its driving rhythm and atmospheric soundscape, combining The Edge’s signature guitar work with a propulsive bass line from Adam Clayton and dynamic drumming from Larry Mullen Jr. The song's arrangement builds a sense of urgency, echoing the emotional intensity of the lyrics. The layered instrumentation creates a feeling of tension, perfectly mirroring the acrobatic dance between vulnerability and resilience that the lyrics convey. 

As the song progresses, the urgency intensifies, culminating in a cathartic release that embodies the struggles of confronting one’s own shortcomings while striving for something greater. This dynamic interplay between lyrical content and musical composition underscores U2’s artistic evolution during the Achtung Baby era, where they ventured into darker, more complex territory while maintaining their signature anthemic sound.

"Acrobat" Song Lyrics by U2

Don't believe what you hear
Don't believe what you see
If you just close your eyes
You can feel the enemy
When I first met you girl
You had fire in your soul
What happened your face
Of melting in snow

Now it looks like this
And you can swallow
Or you can spit
You can throw it up
Or choke on it
And you can dream
So dream out loud
You know that your time is coming 'round
So don't let the bastards grind you down

No, nothing makes sense
Nothing seems to fit
I know you'd hit out
If you only knew who to hit
And I'd join the movement
If there was one I could believe in
Yeah I'd break bread and wine
If there was a church I could receive in
'Cause I need it now

To take a cup
To fill it up
To drink it slow
I can't let you go
I must be an acrobat
To talk like this
And act like that
And you can dream
So dream out loud
And don't let the bastards grind you down

What are we going to do now it's all been said
No new ideas in the house and every book has been read

And I must be an acrobat
To talk like this
And act like that
And you can dream
So dream out loud
And you can find
Your own way out
You can build
And I can will
And you can call
I can't wait until
You can stash
And you can seize
In dreams begin responsibilities
And I can love
And I can love
And I know that the tide is turning 'round
So don't let the bastards grind you down

-

Culturally, “Acrobat” resonates with the zeitgeist of the early 1990s, a period marked by a growing awareness of personal and societal contradictions. As the world faced shifts in political landscapes, technological advancements, and cultural revolutions, U2’s exploration of internal conflict and moral ambiguity mirrored the broader anxieties of the time. 

The song’s themes of grappling with faith, self-identity, and the struggle for authenticity reflect a generation’s search for meaning amid rapid change. In this context, “Acrobat” serves as both a personal anthem and a collective commentary on the complexities of modern life, reminding listeners that the pursuit of truth and connection often requires navigating uncertainty and vulnerability. 

Check out the lyrics to U2's "Even Better Than the Real Thing"or their all-time classic song "One".
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