U2: Three Chords and the Truth

Lyrics to the U2 album War

Sunday Bloody Sunday

I can't believe the news today
I can't close my eyes and make it go away
How long? how long must we sing this song?
How long? how long?
'Cause tonight we can be as one - tonight

Broken bottles under children's feet
Bodies strewn across the dead end street
But I won't heed the battle call
It puts my back up, puts my back up against the wall

Sunday, bloody Sunday
Sunday, bloody Sunday --

And the battle's just begun
There's many lost, but tell me who has won?
The trenches dug within our hearts
And mothers, children, brothers, sisters torn apart

Sunday, bloody Sunday
Sunday, bloody Sunday

How long? how long must we sing this song?
How long? how long?
'Cause tonight we can be as one - tonight
Tonight
[Sunday, bloody Sunday]
Tonight, tonight
[Sunday, bloody Sunday]

Wipe the tears from your eyes
Wipe your tears away
I'll wipe your tears away
I'll wipe your tears away
[Sunday, bloody Sunday]
I'll wipe your bloodshot eyes
[Sunday, bloody Sunday]
Sunday, bloody Sunday

And it's true we are immune
When fact is fiction and TV reality
And today the millions cry
We eat and drink while tomorrow they die

The real battle yet begun
[Sunday, bloody Sunday]
To claim the victory Jesus won
[Sunday, bloody Sunday]
On Sunday, bloody Sunday
Sunday, bloody Sunday

Seconds

It takes a second to say goodbye, say goodbye
It takes a second to say goodbye, say goodbye,
Say bye bye - where are you going to now?

Lightning flashes across the sky
East to west - do or die
Like a thief in the night
See the world by candlelight

In an apartment on Times Square
You can assemble them anywhere
Held to ransom - hell to pay
A revolution every day
USSR, GDR, London, New York, Peking
It's the puppets, it's the puppets who pull the strings

Say goodbye, say goodbye
Say goodbye, say goodbye
Say goodbye

It takes a second to say goodbye, say goodbye
Push the button and pull the plug - say goodbye

And they're doing the atomic bomb
Do they know where the dance comes from?
Yes, they're doing the atomic bomb
They want you to sing along
Say goodbye, say goodbye
Say goodbye, say goodbye

New Year's Day

All is quiet on new year's day
A world in white gets under way
I want to be with you, be with you night and day
Nothing changes on new year's day
On new year's day
I will be with you again
I will be with you again

Under a blood-red sky
A crowd has gathered - black and white
Arms entwined - the chosen few
The newspaper says, says it's true, it's true
We can break through
Though torn in two we can be one
I - I will begin again
I - I will begin again

Oh, maybe the time is right
Oh, maybe tonight
I will be with you again
I will be with you again

And so we are told this is the golden age
And gold is the reason for the wars we wage
Though I want to be with you, be with you night and day
Nothing changes on new year's day
On new year's day

Like A Song

Like a song I have to sing
I sing it for you
Like the words I have to bring
I bring them for you

And in leather, lace and chains
We stake our claim
Revolution once again
No, I won't, I won't wear it on my sleeve
I can see through this expression
And you know I don't believe
I'm too old to be told
Exactly who are you?
Tonight - tomorrow's too late

And we love to wear a badge, a uniform
And we love to fly a flag
But I won't let others live in hell
As we divide against each other
And we fight amongst ourselves

Too set in our ways to try to rearrange
Too right to be wrong, in this rebel song
Let the bells ring out
Let the bells ring out
Is there nothing left?
Is there nothing left?
Is honesty what you want?

A generation without name, ripped and torn
Nothing to lose - nothing to gain
Nothing at all
And if you can't help yourself
Well, take a look around you
When others need your time
You say it's time to go - it's your time
Angry words won't stop the fight
Two wrongs won't make it right
A new heart is what I need
Oh God, make it bleed
Is there nothing left?

Drowning Man

Take my hand
You know I'll be there if you can
I'll cross the sky for your love
For I have promised all to be with you tonight
And for the time that will come

Take my hand
You know I'll be there if you can
I'll cross the sky for your love
And I understand these winds and tides
This change of times won't drag you away
Hold on, hold on tightly
Hold on and don't let go of my love

The storms will pass
It won't be long now
This love will last
This love will last forever

And take my hand
You know I'll be there if you can
I'll cross the sky for your love
Give you what I hold dear
Hold on, hold on tightly
Hold on, hold on tightly
Rise up, rise up with wings like eagles
You run, you run
You run and not grow weary

[Take my hand]
Hold on, hold on tightly
Hold on, hold on tightly
To this love - [this love] lasts forever
This love [this love] lasts forever
[Take my hand]
[Take my hand]

The Refugee

Oh, oh - she's the refugee
I see your face - I see you staring back at me
Oh, oh - she's the refugee
Her mama say one day she's gonna live in America

In the morning she is waiting
Waiting for the ship to sail - sail away

Oh, oh - her papa go to war
He gonna fight, but he don't know what for
Oh, oh - her papa go to war
Her mama say one day he's gonna come back from far away

Help me - how can you help me?

In the evening she is waiting
Waiting for her man to come
And take her by her hand
And take her to this promised land

Oh, oh - she's a pretty face
But at the wrong time and in the wrong place
Oh, oh - she's a pretty face
Her mama say one day she's gonna live in America
Yeah, America

Oh, oh - she's a refugee
She's coming back - she's gonna keep you company
Oh, oh - she's a refugee
Her mama say one day she's gonna live in America
[scat singing]

Two Hearts Beat As One

I don't know
I don't know which side I'm on
I don't know my right from left
Or my right from wrong
Say I'm a fool - say I'm nothing
But if I'm a fool for you that's something
Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts

I can't stop the dance
Honey, this is my last chance
I said: can't stop the dance
Maybe this is my last chance
Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts

Beat on black - beat on white
Beat on anything - don't get it right
Beat on you - beat on me - beat on love

I don't know
How to say what's got to be said
I don't know if it's black or white
There's others see it red
I don't get the answers right
I'll leave that to you
Is this love out of fashion?
Or is it the time of year?
Are these words distraction
To the words you wanna hear?
Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts beat as one

I try to spit it out
I try to explain the way I feel
Two hearts

Well, I can't stop the dance
Maybe this is my last chance
I said: I can't stop the dance
Maybe this is my last chance
I said: don't stop the dance
Maybe this is your last chance
I said: can't stop the dance
Maybe this is our last chance
I said: don't stop the dance
Maybe this is our last chance

Red Light

I talk to you - you walk away
You're still on the down beat
You say you don't want my help
But you get hurt, scared
If you're running from yourself
I give you my love - I give you my love
Give you my love - still you walk away

It's your own late show
As you jump to the street below
But where can you go
To leave yourself behind?
Alone here in the spotlight
Of this, your own tragedy
I give you my love, love, love, love
Love, love, love, love, love

In the heart, in the heart, in the heart of the city
In the heart, in the heart, in the heart of the city
Oh love, I pour my love out for you
And I'll bring you through
See you're not alone
I give you my love
Give you my love
Give you my love --

Surrender

Oh, the city's alight
With lovers and lies - bright blue eyes
Oh, the city is bright
It's brighter than day tonight

Surrender, surrender
Surrender, surrender

Sadie said she couldn't work out
What it was all about
And so she let go
Now Sadie's on the street
And the people she meets you know
She tried to be a good girl and a good wife
Raise a good family - lead a good life
It's not good enough
She got herself up on the 48th floor
Got to find out, find out what she's living for

Surrender, surrender
Surrender, surrender

Oh, the city's on fire
A passionate flame that knows me by name
Oh, the city's desire
To take me for more and more
It's in the street getting under my feet
It's in the air - it's everywhere I look for you
It's in the things I do and say
If I want to live, I've got to die to myself someday

[I sing, I sing, I sing my song] --

Surrender, surrender
Surrender, surrender

"40"

I waited patiently for the Lord
He inclined and heard my cry
He brought me up out of the pit
Out of the miry clay
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song

How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song?
How long? how long? how long?
How long to sing this song?

He set my feet upon a rock
And made my footsteps firm
Many will see
Many will see and fear
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song --

How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song?
How long? how long? how long?

Lyric transcription by Chris Warren

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