U2 is an Irish rock band from Dublin dating back to September of 1976 U2 is an Irish rock band from Dublin dating back to September of 1976. The band is made up of four members including Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr. They have had 13 studio albums dating back to 1980 to 2017. They have sold more than 170 million albums world wide making them one of the best selling artist in the world. They where inducted in 2005 in the Rock and Roll hall of Fame. They have been numbered number 22 according to Rolling Stone magazine as the “Greatest Artists of All Time”. U2 – will enjoy this band Tina Dawson Music 1010-500 Fall Semester 2017

Biography U2 Formed in 1976 Students at Mount Comprehensive School Bono * The Edge *Adam Clayton * Larry Mullen Jr Formed in 1976 Students at Mount Comprehensive School Little musical talent Hi there! I am Tina Dawson and I wanted to write about one of my favorite bands and music of U2. I find their music inspiring, great to listen, dance and sing to my hearts content to. Their music has meaning in regards to what was happening around the world when they were recording and this is also reflected in their concerts. U2 was formed in Dublin on September 25, 1976. The four current members where students at Mount Comprehensive School and came together after Larry Mullen, Jr posted a note on the schools message board looking for others to form a band. The band started out as “Feedback” and later change the name to “the Hype” in 1977. In 1978 the band took on the name U2. The name was chosen for its ambiguity, open-ended interpretations and it was the most liked name of the opinions that they had suggested from a friend of Larry Mullen, Jr. U2's first album, Boy, was released October 20, 1980. The band has followed up with 12 other studio albums, including one this year, The Songs of Experience. They have had 15 tours and have a tour planned for the year of 2018. Bono - lead vocalist, plays the rhythm guitar and harmonica The Edge – lead guitar, keyboards and backs vocals Adam Clayton – bass guitar Larry Mullen Jr - drums, precussion The Song that are going to be focused on are: New Years Day, Pride, and Sweetest Thing.

New Years Day Released on January 1st 1983 Started as a love song for Bono’s wife Edge had “musical breakthroughs” New Years Day was released on January 1st 1983. U2's album third titled album War, which became the bands “first commercial success”. The Edge, bass player, wrote most of the songs for this album, by himself, in two weeks. The rest of the band vacationed while Bono was on his honeymoon. This album was released in 1983. New Years Day, song was written and has its origins as a love song for Bono's wife (Ali) but it was reworked to show support for Polish solidarity, lead by Lech Walsea in Poland. The song is about war, it deals with ‘the struggle of love”. The album was almost not made because Bono didn’t like writing the lyrics for this song. After the song was recorded, Poland announced that they would abolish martial law, on New Years Day of 1983. During the tour with the band Bono started doing “dangerous antics” by climbing on parts of the stage such as scaffolding, lighting trusses as well as going directly into the audience.

Listening Guide: New Years Day 0:00 The song starts strong with piano & bass playing with lead vocalist, Bono, starting with “yeaahh”. 0:36 The chords starts over 1:20 The chorus begins with drums and symbols being prominent. 2:40 Stronger lead guitar 3:28 Strong lead guitar taking the “lead” with the bass and drums keeping the beat mixing everything together. 0:00 The song starts strong with piano and bass playing with lead vocalist, Bono, starting with “yeaahh”. This then leads to the drums coming in and stronger piano playing. They are playing the same cords with added pings with the piano. The scale moves up and then descends. The lyrics start with what appears to be longing for someone (possibly with about his wife, since the song originally started as a love song) 0:36 The melody starts over at the beginning with the lyrics starting at the 44 second mark using the same drum beat, piano and bass. With added chords from lead guitar that stand out with adding to the music itself. 1:20 The chorus begins with drums and symbols being prominent. Has the same beats throughout the song with the same chords on the bass guitar being played over. 1:30 The second verse shows more of the solidarity from the people of Poland protesting trying to abolish martial law “a crowd is gathered in black and white, Arms intertwined” 2:40 Stronger lead guitar with more filler words and same melody with the guitar, drums and bass guitar starting over again. Chorus changes with I, I will begin again, to what I feel is the continued fight to abolish the marital law. 3:28 Strong lead guitar taking the “lead” with the bass and drums keeping the beat mixing everything together with the lyrics of I will be with you again repeated to the fade out of the song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdLuk2Agamk

Pride: (In the Name of Love) Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr 1984 First song to chart the US Top 40 Pride (in the name of love) was written in tribute to Martin Luther King Jr after a visiting an exhibit on him at the Chicago Peace Museum in 1983. The song began as a song about Ronald Regan, pointing fingers about nuclear escalation of the Cold War, but it didn't seem to work. The song was changed to be about MLK due to the fact they wanted to build something positive.

Listening Guide: Pride (In the Name of Love) 0:00 Music starts strong with the lead guitar, drums & bass 0:25 Lyrics begin 1:01 Drums quicken and become louder with the start of the chorus 1:25 Music starts over with the singing of the lyrics quieting down some. 1:40 Tempo and beat the drums, becomes stronger again with the chorus being sung again with passion. 2:00 Music solos are prominent here with the lead guitar, bass and drums each bringing something strong to their form of the song. 2:40 Last verse starts soft when singing and then ends with a lot of passion and very strong with the chorus starting. 0:00 Music starts strong with the drums taking the lead with the clicking of the drum sticks to start with the lead guitar and drums making up for most of the music. Bass comes in with the same chords being played harmonizing together. I feel the drums at the 7 second mark represents gun shots. 0:25 Lyrics begin with the drums going quieter. The song starts with lyrics of what these men have done “throughout history who have died” for what they believed in. These were non-violent men and the “only way to achieve their goal of having this equality universally recognized” and they were all doing this “In the name of love” 1:01 Drums quicken and become louder with the start of the chorus being belted showing Bono’s passion for what these men have sacrificed. Each verse flows easily into the next after the chorus. 1:03 Second verse starts with speaking of other men that have stood for. “One man betrayed with a kiss” I feel is in regards to Jesus. 1:25 Chorus again all “in the name of love” this one feeling a bit more quiet than how the first chorus was sung. 1:40 Tempo and beat the drums, becomes stronger again with the chorus being sung again with passion. 2:00 Music solos are prominent here with the lead guitar, bass and drums each bringing something strong to their form of the song. 2:25 The last verse is about Martin Luther King Jr. The verse starts soft when singing of “early morning, April 4” which was the day Martin Luther King Jr was killed. The music and singing builds and becomes more passionate when declaring the “free at last” portion. 2:40 Last chorus starts feels very passionate as well with the singing the last part and fades out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHcP4MWABGY

The Sweetest Thing B-side Birthday Song for Bono’s wife Did not make the album Re-recorded and released in 1998. Very rarely performed live. The Sweetest Thing was released as a B side, on the Where the Streets Have No Name, single. In 1987. The song was left off Joshua Tree as the band felt it wouldn’t fit the on the album. The song was re-recorded and released on the U2 The Best of 1980-1990 in 1998. I personally, like the B side version better as I feel the re-recorded one is too poppy. Bono wrote the song for a birthday present for his wife, Ali, to make up for her birthday as he was recording Joshua Tree album on that day. The re-release was a single where the proceeds went to Children of Chernobyl, favorite charity of Ali, Bono’s wife.

Listening Guide: The Sweetest Thing (B-side) 0:00 The song starts off with the piano being prominent and clapping. Simple chords on lead guitar with making the melody. 0:11 Bass guitar & drums comes in with the cymbal from the drum being added in. Vocals are added in with (ooo’s and yeah’s) 0:22 Lyrics are sung to the same beat as the drum chords being played. 0:45 Tempo changes with it feeling as the guitar descends. Through- out There isn’t really a chorus other than “The Sweetest Thing” being said in between some of the verses. 2:00 Tempo changes again and speeds up with added clapping here and there on the beat. 2:40 “The Sweetest Thing” is repeated until the closing, with the ending fading with a single chord from the guitar. 0:00 The song starts off with the simple piano, some clapping and chords being played on the lead guitar. 0:11 Bass guitar comes in with the cymbal from the drum being added in. Vocals are added in with (ooo’s and yeah’s) 0:22 Lyrics are sung to the same beat as the drum chords being played making the beat and melody throughout the song. 0:45 Tempo changes with it feeling as the guitar descends. With Bono’s voice descending with the fear of losing his wife. 1:03 I feel this portion of the music he is trying to ask for forgiveness. He “wanted to run” but “she made me crawl” back to her and she is still “the sweetest thing” with all that both of them have done to each other. 1:18 With the line of “you know I got black eyes but they burn so brightly for her” I feel is in regards to his passion and where it lies but he still lights up for her. There isn’t a chorus other than “The Sweetest Thing” being said in between some of the lines being sung regards to his wife. 2:00 Tempo changes again and speeds up with added clapping here and there on the beat. 2:08 Sings about their eye color and this is in reference to Bono and his wife. I feel with the “sew it up but you can still see the tear” is in regards to him trying to make up for missing her birthday. Even though you are trying to make up for it, the hurt is still present. 2:28 Tempo of the song goes higher in regards to the “blue skies ahead” which I feel is things are getting better, but there is still a “rain cloud”, that makes their “stormy kind of love, the sweetest thing” 2:40 “The Sweetest Thing” is repeated until the closing which I feel shows the love he has for his wife. No matter what, she’s “the sweetest thing” with the ending fading with a single chord from the guitar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a09J5WMd6U

Bibliography & References Pictures https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/U2_2015.jpg https://www.flickr.com/photos/132026395@N02/16689729323 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Civil_Rights_March_on_Washington%2C_D. C._%28Dr._Martin_Luther_King%2C_Jr._and_Mathew_Ahmann_in_a_crowd.%29_-_NARA_-_542015_- _Restoration.jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WARcassette.jpg https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3688/13568607893_25388f9322_b.jpg References https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_Stone%27s_100_Greatest_Artists_of_All_Time 11/12/2017 http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=892 11/12/2017 http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=899  11/12/2017 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_(In_the_Name_of_Love) 11/12/2017 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U2 http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=958  11/12/2017 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweetest_Thing 11/12/2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdLuk2Agamk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHcP4MWABGY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a09J5WMd6U