Bullet the Blue Sky Live 2017 lyrics from Jimmy Fallon

As U2 promote the Songs of Experience album, they did another stint on Jimmy Fallon to promote You're the Best Thing About Me and matched it with a revamped set of lyrics to their fan favourite song, Bullet the Blue Sky.

The lefties at Twitter incorporated will not be happy:

BTBS starts with the classic U2 lyrics but when Bono gets to the standard rant about USA meddling in the politics of another country, he ups the ante:

In the howlin' wind
Comes a stingin' rain
See it drivin' nails
Into the souls on the tree of pain.
From the firefly
A red orange glow
See the face of fear
Runnin' scared in the valley below.

Bullet the blue sky
Bullet the blue sky
Bullet the blue
Bullet the blue.

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.
We see them burnin' crosses
See the flames, higher and higher.

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

Suit and tie comes up to me
Face orange as a rose on a thorn bush
Skin as thin as orange crush
And he's peeling off those dollar bills
Slapping them down
One hundred
Two hundred

I can see those fighter planes

I can see those fighter planes

WMD in their veins


Ground shakes but the children can’t weep
Vaporized in a single tweet
The emperor rises from his golden throne
Never knowing, never BEING known
The lights are on the presidents home
Oh my god I’ve never felt so alone
Outside its America
Outside its America

In a far off palace in a far-fetched land
Another baby plays a baby grand
Fingers on the keys of a siren song
Finger on the button of oblivion
And all I can think of is my son

All I can think of is my son
He misses his ma, misses his da
And he runs
And he runs
And he runs
Into the arms of america

-
If you were wondering, the lyrical change is a reference to Donald Trump and that guy oppressing the people of North Korea.

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"Bullet The Blue Sky" (live from Tempe) Lyrics U2

Bullet the Blue Sky has become a must play U2 song at every concert. It was originally on The Joshua Tree album and then was featured in a live version on Rattle and Hum album.

During the Joshua Tree Tour in the late 80s, Bono would frequently grab a large spotlight and shine into peoples' faces in the audience, performances during which he also made numerous political references to figures such as Ronald Reagan and Jerry Falwell. U2's following album, Rattle and Hum had a cover of this light shining theatre. 

Rattle and Hum featured a performance of this song, with a pre-recorded intro of Jimi Hendrix's version of "The Star-Spangled Banner". 

On the Zoo TV Tour, the song was used to warn about Nazism; on the Elevation Tour, the lyrics became an indictment against handgun violence, illustrated by references to John Lennon's assassination and an ironic intro video clip featuring Charlton Heston, who was at that time the leader of the National Rifle Association. 

On the Vertigo Tour, it was about religious violence and the final lyrics were replaced by a snippet of "The Hands That Built America".




Bullet the Blue Sky Lyrics:


In the howling wind comes a stinging rain
See them driving nails into souls in the tree of pain
From the firefly, a red orange glow
I 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

Yeah, alright, hold you
See, 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 the fighter planes
I can see the fighter planes
Across the mud huts where the children sleep
Across the valleys and the quiet city streets
We take the staircase to the first floor
We take the key and slowly unlock the door
A man breathes into a saxophone
Through the walls we hear the city groan
Outside it's America
Outside it's America

Spoken Bono part:

So I'm back in my hotel room
With John Coltrane and a love supreme
And in the next room I hear a woman scream out
Her lover's turning off, turning on the television
And I can't tell the difference between ABC News, Hillstreet Blues
And a preacher on the Old Time Gospel Hour
Stealing money from the sick and the old
Well, the God I believe in isn't short of cash, mister
I feel a long way from the hills of San Salvador
Where the sky is ripped open
And the rain pours through a gaping wound
Pelting the women and children
Pelting the women and children
Run
Run in to the arms of America

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"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".

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