Showing posts with label no line on the horizon lyrics U2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label no line on the horizon lyrics U2. Show all posts

'No Line on the Horizon' album song lyrics by U2

Friday, September 9, 2011
No Line on the Horizon was the follow-up to  How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, a considerable challenge given the millions of copies sold and the numerous Grammy Awards won by that album. Building on the 'comeback' success of All That You Can't Leave Behind, U2 had once again solidified their status as the world's most popular rock band.
 
The world was ready for more. 

So they put on their sexiest boots and gave us No Line on the Horizon. 

The album wells from a cauldron of personal and cultural turbulence, encapsulating both the band’s restless spirit and the zeitgeist of a world grappling with existential uncertainty. 

The album was recorded during a period of upheaval, following the global financial crisis and amid Bono’s intense involvement in humanitarian efforts to reduce third world country debt. This context imbued the music with a sense of urgency and introspection, echoing the uncertainties of the times while probing deeper into the themes of faith, doubt, and the search for meaning.

No Line on the Horizon lyrics by U2

The band’s signature blend of spirituality and skepticism comes to the fore, as they muse on the idea of limitless horizons—both in the physical sense and in the realms of personal growth and self-discovery. This quest for understanding permeates the entire album, as tracks like "Magnificent" and "Moment of Surrender" grapple with the dualities of hope and despair, faith and disillusionment, ultimately seeking a balance between the two.

Central to No Line on the Horizon is the thematic exploration of connectivity and isolation in an increasingly fragmented world. The song "Get On Your Boots" serves as a manifesto of sorts, urging listeners to embrace action and activism in the face of apathy. With its infectious riff and pulsating rhythm, the track contrasts with the more meditative tones of "White As Snow," which reflects on themes of loss and redemption. 

'No Line on the Horizon' album song lyrics by U2


The moments and meanings that inspired No Line on the Horizon's lyrics

The song “No Line on the Horizon” emerged from Larry Mullen Jr.'s experimentation with various drum beats, which long time U2 producer Brian Eno sampled and manipulated, allowing the rest of the band to layer their sound over these rhythms. The lyrical concept conveys a place "where the sea meets the sky," embodying themes of infinity and optimism that Bono emphasized from the beginning. In contrast, “Magnificent” begins with a synthesizer line from Eno and aims for a euphoric feel, drawing on a melody crafted during jam sessions. Daniel Lanois described its lyrical setting as reminiscent of 1950s New York, channeling a character akin to jazz legend Charlie Parker.

“Moment of Surrender,” recorded in one take, is noted for its gospel influences and aligns with the band’s vision of creating "future hymns." The song features a drug addict experiencing a crisis of faith, paralleling the character in “Unknown Caller,” who battles suicidal thoughts amid cryptic text messages while seeking drugs. The simplicity and immediacy of “Moment of Surrender” underscore its emotional weight, reflecting the band's creative exploration during the Fez sessions.

During the same recording period, “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight,” initially titled "Diorama," evolved through collaborative reworking, incorporating themes inspired by Barack Obama’s campaign. “Get On Your Boots” stems from a driving guitar riff by The Edge and addresses the tension of family vacations amid the realities of war, evoking a rapid tempo that contrasts with the more reflective tracks. In “Stand Up Comedy,” the song's multiple iterations illustrate the band's dynamic creative process, while the chorus's self-referential lyrics offer a mix of humor and critique.

“White as Snow,” based on the hymn "Veni, veni, Emmanuel," poignantly narrates a dying soldier's last thoughts in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, “Breathe,” intentionally set on June 16 to honor James Joyce's Ulysses, underwent extensive reworking before finding its final form. The band’s lyrical choices in both songs reveal deep introspection, with “Cedars of Lebanon” reflecting a journalist’s perspective on war, its melody evoking the atmospheric sounds reminiscent of U2's earlier work, and its final verse serving as a condemnation of the Iraq War.

We wonder what kind of filter replacement part for a dryer Bono would use if he needed to fix his drier?
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"Winter" song lyrics by U2 from the Brothers movie

Sunday, December 27, 2009
Winter is a song  left over from the No Line on the Horizon recording sessions.

Winter appears in the war film Brothers at the request of director Jim Sheridan, and it plays over the closing credits.

Bono wrote Winter's lyrics in one night and they were revised just once after that. 

Tobey Maguire's character Captain Sam Cahill was the inspiration for the lyric, with the band noting that the focus on "intense hidden emotion" and the secrets he held inside "was a jumping off point, thematically."

Bono noted that film director Sheridan wanted a "complex song for a complex character" and so the band wrote two songs: "Winter" and "White as Snow". 

While "White as Snow" focuses more on the relationship between the Cahill brothers, "Winter's" lyrics contribute to a "more universal song about the experience of the armed forces in Afghanistan.

Winter movie song lyrics u2

"Winter" song lyrics by U2 from the Brothers movie


The yellow sun
Well it took the hand
Of a country boy
To a city in a far off land

We made no mark
No shadow at all
On the ancient holy streets
Where I learned to crawl

The broken and the bruised
The young and the used
The sure and confused
All here

Words would land on me
Then abandon me
Mangle, untangle me
Leave me on the floor

Rhymes they sprang in me
Summer sang in me
But summer sings in me no more

Now I’m 25
I’m trying to stay alive
In a corner of the world
With no clear enemies to fight

It’s hot as hell
And we’re like butter on toast
But there’s no army in this world
Can fight a ghost

The broken and the bruised
The young and the used
The sure and confused
All here

Words would land on me
Then abandon me
Leave me stranded
In writing on the door

Rhymes began in me
Summer sang in me
But summer sings in me no more

Ooo…

Listening to the cries
The strangers
The silence in the foreign grave

Listening to the thunder
The sky stretched
Stretched over every one

Listening to the tanks
The shy soul
The monster wants to pay

Listening to a chorus
Shining
And searching

At 21
I was born a son
And on that day I knew
I could kill

To protect the ones
We put bullets in guns
Or anything it takes
To take a life until it’s still

Oh…

The production of "Winter" underwent several transformations. Initially recorded during the No Line on the Horizon sessions, the song began as a sprawling, experimental piece, heavily influenced by the atmospheric production style of Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. 

Eno's ambient textures and Lanois’ deep sonic layering are evident in the song’s expansive soundscapes, which give the track a cinematic quality. However, U2 ultimately decided that "Winter" did not fit the final tracklist of No Line on the Horizon, which leaned more toward a cohesive rock and experimental mix. Instead, a more stripped-down, somber version of the song was developed for the Brothers soundtrack, bringing the lyrics into sharper focus while maintaining the cold, reflective mood. 

This reworked version features The Edge’s haunting guitar work, complemented by minimalist instrumentation that underscores the emotional weight of the song. "Winter" is a powerful example of U2’s ability to craft songs that speak to deeply personal experiences while addressing broader social and existential themes, all set against the backdrop of their signature atmospheric production style.

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"Cedars Of Lebanon" Song Lyrics by U2

Thursday, August 27, 2009
"The Cedars of Lebanon," the closing track on No Line on the Horizon, stands as one of U2’s most introspective and world-weary lyrical works.

Sung from the perspective of a jaded war correspondent, the song is a meditation on the emotional and moral exhaustion that comes from witnessing conflict, separation, and humanity’s inability to reconcile its divisions.

Bono’s narrator, having spent years compressing the complexities of life into the sterility of news reports, is left disillusioned, caught in a landscape where violence and beauty coexist in unnerving proximity.

Lines like "This shitty world sometimes produces a rose" encapsulate the painful contradiction:

fleeting moments of grace arise amid the brutality of war, only to dissipate without leaving a lasting imprint. The song resonates as a reflection on desensitization—the rose’s scent, once savored, is now lost, just as the journalist’s emotional compass is blunted by the daily grind of reporting human suffering.






Thematically, "Cedars of Lebanon" is akin to both "Moment of Surrender" and "White as Snow."

In "Moment of Surrender," the speaker's personal crisis mirrors the war correspondent’s weariness, though it takes place in a spiritual realm—trading headlines for a soul’s reckoning. Both songs wrestle with the fallout of detachment: the former contemplates a surrender to life's chaos, while the latter wonders what is left after a life of exposure to violence and strife.

Meanwhile, "White as Snow" tells the story of a dying soldier in Afghanistan, offering a mournful reflection on death and isolation.

Together, these songs form a thematic triad that delves into the personal toll of conflict, each from different vantage points.

In "Cedars of Lebanon," the journalist is numbed by his need to simplify human suffering for mass consumption, while in the other tracks, the protagonists grapple with the internal, existential repercussions of living in a world that seems perpetually at war. The war correspondent's isolation echoes these themes, a figure stranded between worlds, writing from the front lines yet increasingly estranged from his own humanity.

Bono is probably touching on the Cedar Revolution. It may also be referencing the book of Isaiah from the Bible.

"Cedars Of Lebanon" Song Lyrics by U2


Yesterday I spent asleep
Woke up in my clothes in a dirty heap
Spent the night trying to make a deadline
Squeezing complicated lives into a simple headline

I have your face here in an old Polaroid
Tidying the children's clothes and toys
You're smiling back at me
I took the photo from the fridge
Can't remember what then we did

I haven't been with a woman, it feels like for years
Thought of you the whole time, your salty tears
This shitty world sometimes produces a rose
The scent of it lingers and then it just goes

Return the call to home

The worst of us are a long drawn out confession
The best of us are geniuses of compression
You say you're not going to leave the truth alone
I'm here 'cause I don't want to go home

Child drinking dirty water from the river bank
Soldier brings oranges he got out from a tank
I'm waiting on the waiter, he's taking a while to come
Watching the sun go down on Lebanon

Return the call to home

Now I've got a head like a lit cigarette
Unholy clouds reflecting in a minaret
You're so high above me, higher than everyone
Where are you in the cedars of Lebanon

Choose your enemies carefully 'cause they will define you
Make them interesting 'cause in some ways they will mind you
They're not there in the beginning but when your story ends
Gonna last with you longer than your friends
-


U2's career has long been marked by reflections on war, with several iconic tracks tackling the theme from different perspectives. "Sunday Bloody Sunday," perhaps the band’s most famous protest song, confronts the violence of the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre in Northern Ireland. 

Its biting lyrics, “How long must we sing this song?” resonate as a demand for peace in the face of cyclical bloodshed, while the martial drumbeats evoke the ever-present threat of conflict. In "Bullet the Blue Sky," from The Joshua Tree, Bono shifts focus to U.S. intervention in Central America, painting a grim picture of imperialistic violence. The lines "Jacob wrestled the angel, and the angel was overcome" frame war as a theological battle between justice and exploitation, reflecting the band’s critique of unchecked power.

From a more intimate lens, "Mothers of the Disappeared" reflects on the suffering caused by the forced disappearances in Argentina and Chile during the military dictatorships of the 1970s and 1980s. The song mourns the loss and anguish of the families left behind, offering a haunting, subdued reflection on the personal toll of political violence. Another powerful meditation on war is found in "Love and Peace or Else," from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, where the lyrics wrestle with the contradictions of advocating for peace in a world addicted to violence. 

Bono’s repeated plea, "Lay down your guns," echoes U2’s enduring message: that true liberation cannot be achieved through conflict, but rather through reconciliation and understanding. Each of these songs underscores the band’s deep engagement with war—not merely as a political phenomenon, but as a human tragedy that ripples through individual lives and entire generations.
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"Breathe" Song Lyrics by U2

Breathe, from U2’s No Line on the Horizon, is a lyrical tour de force—a visceral blend of existential defiance and redemptive possibility. At its core, the song is a battle between suffocation and liberation, as Bono’s protagonist grapples with inner turmoil and the weight of a chaotic world. The opening lines, "Sixteen of June, nine-oh-five, doorbell rings," situate the listener in a moment of personal reckoning. T

The reference to historical time grounds the song in something tangible, but the specifics—time, place—soon dissolve into something more universal. Bono’s wordplay reflects a frantic mental state, but it’s not just disorientation.

"Breathe" Song Lyrics by U2


 There’s a drive toward clarity, reflected in his demand to "just breathe," a fundamental act that becomes symbolic of survival and renewal. This isn’t merely about overcoming adversity; it's about transcending it through an embrace of the present moment, even when everything is unraveling.

Throughout the album, themes of struggle and perseverance recur, offering a kind of lyrical throughline between songs like Moment of Surrender and Unknown Caller. 

In Moment of Surrender, surrender is an act of spiritual catharsis, but in Breathe, the act of defiance is more immediate, a matter of survival in the here and now. Unknown Caller similarly deals with the search for meaning amidst confusion, but where that track reaches outward for guidance, Breathe is a command to find internal strength, to push through the storm with grit and self-determination.


"Breathe" Song Lyrics by U2

16th of June, nine-oh-five, door bell rings
Man at the door says if I want to stay alive a bit longer
There's a few things I need you to know
Three

Coming from a long line of
Traveling sales people on my mother's side
I wasn't gonna buy just anyone's cockatoo
So why would I invite a complete stranger into my home
Would you

These days are better than that
These days are better than that

Every day I die again, and again I'm reborn
Every day I have to find the courage
To walk out into the street
With arms out
Got a love you can't defeat
Neither down nor out
There's nothing you have that I need
I can breathe
Breathe now

16th of June, Chinese stocks are going up
And I'm coming down with some new Asian virus
Ju Ju man, Ju Ju man
Doc says you're fine, or dying
Please
Nine-oh-nine, St. John Divine on the line, my pulse is fine
But I'm running down the road like loose electricity
While the band in my head plays a striptease

The roar that lies on the other side of silence
The forest fire that is fear so deny it

Walk out into the street
Sing your heart out
The people we meet
Will not be drowned out
There's nothing you have that I need
I can breathe
Breathe now
Yeah, yeah

We are people borne of sound
The songs are in our eyes
Gonna wear them like a crown

Walk out, into the sunburst street
Sing your heart out, sing my heart out
I've found grace inside a sound
I found grace, it's all that I found
And I can breathe
Breathe now

-

The reference to "16th of June" in"Breathe" is a deliberate nod to Bloomsday, the day on which James Joyce's Ulysses is set. By invoking June 16th, Bono connects the song’s themes of personal struggle and existential reflection to Joyce’s exploration of the ordinary and the profound in everyday life. This literary allusion positions the protagonist of "Breathe" as a modern-day counterpart to Leopold Bloom, navigating the chaos of the world while seeking meaning and redemption in the mundane.

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"White As Snow" Song Lyrics by U2

The lyrics to White As Snow reflect Bono's imagining of a dying soldier based in Afghanistan. After watching Sam Mendes's Iraq war film, Jarhead, Bono decided the song should evoke the thoughts of a soldier dying from a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. 

For a band known for its political views, the song is arguably the only one from the No Line on the Horizon album that is based on politics (or rather the fall out from war). Winter is a companion song, written at the same time, it was used in the Jim Sheridan movie of the same name.

U2’s “White As Snow” is a poignant exploration of innocence lost, steeped in rich imagery and emotional depth. The song opens with a stark contrast between the vast expanses of an unremarkable landscape and the yearning for something more profound. 

Bono reflects on his origins, describing a flat land where “there were no hills at all,” invoking a sense of monotony and the passage of time marked only by the straight highways of youth. 

"White As Snow" Lyrics by U2

The nostalgic reminiscence of driving with his brother symbolizes a simpler, more innocent time, where hours felt endless and life was an uncharted journey. The pale faces “as pale as the dirty snow” serve as a metaphor for the sullied innocence of childhood, suggesting that the purity once perceived is now tainted by experience and reality.

As the narrative unfolds, the lyrics plunge into the complexities of love, forgiveness, and the human condition. The line “Once I knew there was a love divine” evokes a moment of clarity and grace, followed by disillusionment in “then came a time I thought it knew me not.” This sharp transition mirrors a universal struggle with faith and connection, where the sacred is questioned and the search for meaning becomes fraught with uncertainty.


The song's melody is based on an old hymn, Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel

White as Snow Lyrics:

Where I came from there were no hills at all
The land was flat, the highway straight and wide
My brother and I would drive for hours
Like we had years instead of days
Our faces as pale as the dirty snow

Once I knew there was a love divine
Then came a time I thought it knew me not
Who can forgive forgiveness where forgiveness is not
Only the lamb as white as snow

And the water, it was icy
As it washed over me
And the moon shone above me

Now this dry ground, it bears no fruit at all
Only poppies laugh under the crescent moon
The road refuses strangers
The land, the seeds we sow
Where might we find the lamb as white as snow

As boys we would go hunting in the woods
To sleep the night shooting out the stars
Now the wolves are every passing stranger
Every face we cannot know
If only a heart could be as white as snow
If only a heart could be as white as snow

Check out more lyrics from Ireland's finest: No Line on the Horizon.
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"FEZ - Being Born" song lyrics by U2

In Fez - Being Born, Bono and The Edge construct a journey that is less concerned with linearity and more with the collision of personal transformation and the weight of worldly events. The song unravels in fragmented imagery, contrasting fleeting experiences of life against the heavy responsibility of self-awareness and global citizenship. 

"Let me in the sound," a nod to Get On Your Boots, encapsulates a yearning not just for artistic immersion, but for a deeper connection to the chaotic forces shaping the world. The surreal and disjointed language of the first half, "Fez," mirrors the sensory overload of navigating through a world drenched in conflict, movement, and the friction between tradition and modernity. 

There's a disorientation as if Bono is processing a flood of impressions, possibly influenced by U2’s travels in Morocco, a place where the ancient and the contemporary coexist in perpetual motion. In these lines, he’s not just wandering geographically, but existentially, grappling with what it means to be awake to the world's complexities.

Bono says the character in the song 'is a bit AWOL'. He takes a road trip, who just takes off to rediscover who he is and to refind who he is. In my head the traffic cop is from Morroco, he is certainly African French, he heads down through France, through Spain towards Cadiz..,this character feels like he has abandoned everything in order to reconnect with his first love, driven by this sense of danger and memory.

"FEZ - Being Born" song lyrics by U2

As the song transitions into its second half, "Being Born," there is a shift in tone and urgency. The personal, introspective journey becomes a metaphor for a larger rebirth—a call to action tinged with the weight of expectation and self-reckoning. 

Bono’s lyrics evoke a sense of rebirth as both a liberation and a burden: 

"Head first then foot, then heart sets sail," suggests the painful but inevitable march toward awareness and action. This is where the duality of Bono's public persona—rock star and activist—comes into focus. Much like Stand Up Comedy, there’s an implicit critique of Bono’s own hubris in these lines, a reflection on how far one can go before they become a caricature of their ideals. 


"FEZ - Being Born" song lyrics by U2 Let me in the sound

Let me in the sound
Let me in the sound, sound
Let me in the sound, sound
Let me in the sound

Let me in the sound
Let me in the sound
Let me in the sound, sound
Let me in the sound, sound
Let me in the sound

Oh oh oh oh

Six o'clock
On the autoroute
Burning rubber, burning chrome
Bay of Cadiz and ferry home
Atlantic sea, cut glass
African sun at last

Oh oh oh oh

Lights flash past
Like memories
A speeding head, a speeding heart
I'm being born, a bleeding start
The mortal engines roar, blood-curdling wail
Head first, then foot
Then heart sets sail
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"Get On Your Boots" Song Lyrics by U2

Get On Your Boots was the lead single off No Line on the Horizon, perhaps an odd first single release, it grew on many listeners with a few listeners. It's kind of like a crazy cousin on Beautiful Day from the Achtung Baby side of the family. 

The lyrics are supposedly written from the perspective of a man writing to his first love as he relates how he is taking his family to a fairground in Nice, France at the beginning of the Iraq War. Bono also references the wider spectre of war and perhaps knowingly says he doesn't want to talk about war but saying that he actually is.

The lyrics pulse with a sense of immediacy, urging listeners to confront their realities and take a stand. The opening lines beckon an awakening, where the phrase “get on your boots” acts as both a literal and metaphorical summons—an invitation to rise from apathy and engage with the world, no matter how challenging it may be. The mention of a “bad faith” and references to the mundane, such as “the last of the outlaw” and the “darkness” that follows, alludes to a world grappling with moral and spiritual crises. 

"Get On Your Boots" Song Lyrics by U2As the song progresses, the lyrics pivot towards themes of community, love, and the importance of recognizing one’s inherent beauty. 

Lines like “You don’t know how beautiful you are” reinforce a sense of collective affirmation, urging listeners to appreciate their worth amid chaos and uncertainty. The interplay of whimsical imagery, such as “candy floss, ice cream,” contrasts with deeper reflections on societal struggles, highlighted by the acknowledgment of “wars between nations” and “growing up.” In this context, Bono articulates a yearning for connection, a desire to move beyond the superficial and engage with the profound. 

The repeated call to “let me in the sound” serves as both a plea for understanding and a metaphorical gateway to a shared experience, reinforcing the notion that through laughter and love, joy becomes an eternal pursuit. 


"Get On Your Boots" Song Lyrics by U2

The future needs a big kiss
Winds blow with a twist
Never seen a moon like this
Can you see it too

Night is falling everywhere
Rockets at the fun fair
Satan loves a bomb scare
But he won't scare you

Hey, sexy boots
Get on your boots, yeah

You free me from the dark dream
Candy floss, ice cream
All our kids are screaming
But the ghosts aren't real

Here's where we gotta be
Love and community
Laughter is eternity
If joy is real

You don't know how beautiful
You don't know how beautiful you are
You don't know and you don't get it, do you
No, you don't know how beautiful
You don't know
You don't know how beautiful you are

That's someone's stuff they're blowing up
We're into growing up
Women of the future
Hold the big revelations

I got a submarine
You got gasoline
I don't want to talk about
Wars between nations

Not right now
Hey sexy boots, yeah
No, no, no
Get on your boots, yeah
Not right now
Bossy boots

You don't know how beautiful
You don't know how beautiful you are
You don't know and you don't get it, do you
No, you don't know how beautiful
You don't know
You don't know how beautiful you are

Sexy boots
I don't want to talk about
The wars between the nations
Sexy boots, yeah

Let me in the sound
Let me in the sound
Let me in the sound, sound
Let me in the sound, sound
Let me in the sound

Let me in the sound
Let me in the sound, now
God, I'm going down
I don't wanna drown now
Meet me in the sound

Let me in the sound
Let me in the sound
Let me in the sound, sound
Let me in the sound, sound
Meet me in the sound

Get on your boots
Get on your boots
Get on your boots
Yeah hey hey
Get on your boots
Yeah hey hey
Get on your boots
Yeah hey hey
Get on your boots
Yeah hey hey

-

When U2 released “Get On Your Boots” as the lead single from No Line on the Horizon, many critics and fans alike viewed it as an unconventional choice. The song’s frenetic energy and eclectic mix of whimsical imagery contrasted sharply with the more introspective and atmospheric tones that characterized much of U2's earlier work. T

Upon its release, the track received a mixed reception; while some praised its infectious beat and rallying call to action, others found it jarring and less cohesive than previous singles like “Beautiful Day” or “Vertigo.” Despite the divided opinions, the song managed to achieve commercial success, reaching the top ten in several countries and ultimately becoming a staple in U2's live performances. The dichotomy between its upbeat tempo and provocative lyrics encapsulated the band’s willingness to push boundaries, setting the stage for the varied responses that No Line on the Horizon would evoke.

Other songs from No Line on the Horizon that refer to the theatre of war include White as Snow and Cedars of Lebanon.

The refrain 'let me in the sound' is also referenced in 'Fez Being Born'.
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"Stand Up Comedy" Song Lyrics by U2

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

On "Stand Up Comedy," U2’s Bono tackles his own celebrity and activism with a sharp edge of self-awareness and satirical bite, flipping the usual narrative of the rock star as savior on its head. The song's lyrics unravel the paradox of someone in a position of global influence, grappling with the weight of their own ego and the ethical complexity of wielding that power. 

Lines like “Stand up to rock stars” and “Beware of small men with big ideas” punch through the veneer of heroism often projected onto figures like Bono himself. There’s a biting irony here: Bono, often viewed as a moral figurehead in the fight against poverty, is reminding himself—and us—of the dangers of inflated self-importance. 

He mocks his own idealism while acknowledging its necessity, caught in the tension between wanting to change the world and the self-righteousness that can creep into such efforts.

"Stand Up Comedy" Song Lyrics by U2

This isn’t Bono preaching salvation from a pedestal, but rather tearing down the illusion of grandeur and inviting others to do the same. His lyrics point inward, confronting personal hypocrisy, a theme he introduces with visceral language. 

Phrases like “Stop helping God across the road like a little old lady” subvert the notion of divine duty, suggesting that Bono’s activism—though well-intentioned—sometimes flirts with hubris. The song’s core, however, is not just self-critique but a broader warning against messianic figures, urging listeners to reject blind adulation and, instead, question the motivations of any leader with “big ideas.” 

This is Bono taking his stand—not as a rock star, but as a flawed human, wary of the traps that fame and righteousness lay in the path of genuine progress.


"Stand Up Comedy" Song Lyrics by U2


Love love love love love
Love love love love love

I got to stand up and take a step
You and I have been asleep for hours
I got to stand up
The wire is stretched
In between our two towers
Stand up in this dizzy world
Where a lovesick eye can steal the view
I'm gonna fall down if I can't stand up
For your love

Love love love love love

Stand up, this is comedy
The DNA lotto may have left you smart
But can you stand up to beauty
Dictator of the heart
I can stand up for hope, faith, love
But while I'm getting over certainty
Stop helping God across the road
Like a little old lady

Oh, oh
Out from under your beds
C'mon, ye people
Stand up for your love

Love love love love love
Love love love love love

I gotta stand up to ego
But my ego's not really the enemy
It's like a small child
Crossing an eight lane highway
On a voyage of discovery

Stand up to rock stars
Napolean is in high heels
Josephine, be careful
Of small men with big ideas

Oh, oh
Out from under your beds
C'mon, ye people
Stand up for your love

Love love love love love
Love love love love love

God is love
And love is evolution's very best day

Soul rockin' people moving on
Soul rockin' people on and on
C'mon, ye people
We're made of stars
C'mon, ye people
Stand up then sit down for your love

Love love love love love
Love love love love love
Love love love love love
Love love love love love

More NLOTH Song Lyrics
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"I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" Song Lyrics by U2

In “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight,” U2 crafts a poignant narrative that encapsulates a struggle with existential dread and a desperate search for meaning amid chaos. Bono’s lyrics deftly explore themes of disillusionment, where the protagonist grapples with the weight of societal pressures and personal crises. 

Lines such as “You can’t be afraid of what people will say” underscore the conflict between authenticity and the expectations imposed by the outside world. The recurring assertion of going “crazy” reflects a profound frustration, as the character stands at a crossroads, feeling the encroaching madness of modern life. 

The phrase “I’m not a real man” echoes a vulnerability that resonates deeply, revealing an inner turmoil that many face but seldom articulate. 


"I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" Lyrics by U2

The imagery throughout the lyrics is vivid and evocative, bringing to life the inner workings of a troubled mind. Phrases like “the only thing I can’t do is go home” and “if you’re lost you can look and you will find me” indicate a longing for solace and clarity in a world that feels increasingly isolating. Bono juxtaposes the frantic pursuit of connection with the stark realization that true peace may remain elusive, creating a tension that propels the song forward. 

The existential crisis unfolds against a backdrop of restless energy, perfectly mirroring the pressures of contemporary existence. Ultimately, U2 distills a universal experience into a personal confession, challenging listeners to confront their own uncertainties while recognizing the power of shared struggles. 

"I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" Lyrics by U2


She's a rainbow and she loves the peaceful life
Knows I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight
There's a part of me in the chaos that's quiet
And there's a part of you that wants me to riot

Everybody needs to cry or needs to spit
Every sweet tooth needs just a little hit
Every beauty needs to go out with an idiot
How can you stand next to the truth and not see it
Oh, a change of heart comes slow

It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
Do you believe me or are you doubting
We're gonna make it all the way to the light
But I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight

Every generation gets a chance to change the world
Pity the nation that won't listen to your boys and girls
'Cause the sweetest melody is the one we haven't heard
Is it true that perfect love drives out all fear
The right to appear ridiculous is something I hold dear
Oh, but a change of heart comes slow

It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
Listen for me, I'll be shouting
We're gonna make it all the way to the light
But you now I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight

Baby, baby, baby
I know I'm not alone
Baby, baby, baby
I know I'm not alone

Oh oh oh

It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As we start out the climb
Listen for me, I'll be shouting
Shouting to the darkness
Squeeze out sparks of light

You know we're gonna go crazy
You know we'll go crazy
You know we'll go crazy if we don't go crazy tonight

Oh, slowly now
Oh, be slow

Several of the song's lyrics were influenced by Barack Obama's US presidential campaign.Bono stated to Q magazine that the lyrics "[sound] like a T-shirt slogan to me", and also noting that it was No Line on the Horizon's equivalent to All That You Can't Leave Behind's "Beautiful Day".

Check out more No Line on the Horizon Lyrics from U2
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"Unknown Caller" Song Lyrics by U2

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

In "Unknown Caller," U2 explores the unsettling relationship between technology and human vulnerability, crafting a narrative that captures the sense of modern disconnection. The lyrics follow a character navigating addiction and isolation while facing a profound crisis of faith. The opening lines convey a feeling of urgency, as the protagonist’s life seems dictated by the constant presence of a smartphone.

Technology, in this context, becomes both a source of connection and a means of alienation, symbolizing the tension between reliance and entrapment. As the song progresses, the character expresses a desire for freedom amid the overwhelming noise of digital distractions. The phrases within the song highlight the struggle to break free, while the character’s “suicidal” thoughts hint at a deep confrontation with mortality, reflecting the fragility of life in a world increasingly shaped by virtual interactions.

Bono has raised this theme before in songs like Babyface from Zooropa and indeed Achtung Baby's  The Fly in which the character suffers from a touch of 'post modern irony' when he receives a knowing phone call from Hell.


unknow caller lyrics u2 no line horizon

Bono has stated the character of this song and Moment of Surrender are the same. 

In this digital age, “Unknown Caller” serves as a stark reminder that while technology offers pathways to connection, it can also ensnare us in cycles of despair. U2's exploration of these themes resonates deeply, transforming the lyrics into a powerful reflection on faith, identity, and the quest for meaning in a world increasingly defined by isolation.

Some listeners have asked what the lyrical reference to 3:33 means. U2 have used this before and it probably refers to the Bible note of Jeremiah 33:3: "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

 U2's lead singer Bono said in an interview with Rolling Stone, "It's known as 'God's telephone number.'" U2 have previously made this reference to 33.3 - check out the background of the cover of All That You Can't Leave Behind.

"Unknown Caller" Song Lyrics by U2


Sunshine, sunshine
Sunshine, sunshine

Oh, oh
Oh, oh

I was lost between the midnight and the dawning
In a place of no consequence or company
3:33 when the numbers fell off the clock face
Speed-dialing with no signal at all

Go, shout it out, rise up
Oh, oh
Escape yourself and gravity
Hear me, cease to speak that I may speak
Shush now
Oh, oh
Force quit and move to trash

I was right there at the top of the bottom
On the edge of the known universe
Where I wanted to be
I had driven to the scene of the accident
And I sat there waiting for me

Restart and re-boot yourself
You're free to go
Oh, oh
Shout for joy if you get the chance
Password, you, enter here, right now

Oh, oh
You know your name so punch it in
Hear me, cease to speak that I may speak
Shush now
Oh, oh
Then don't move or say a thing

Check out more of Bono's NLOTH Lyrics from U2
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