[kupcguitarkid]

I never knew U2 was a Christian band

[Guitar player]

If a christianband is a band which has songs about God/Jesus, then they are, but they sing about other things too.

[BluesJunkie]

I don't think they are a Christian band at all. In the past their lyrics mentioned God, but it seems like they weren't sure whether or not God was the anwser. I think they were searching for some kind of meaning in life, and God was just one of the possibilities they considered.

[R_A_D]

Bono, The Edge, and Larry Mullen are definately Christians.....Bono is not an upstanding Christian, but He is a believer. Larry Mullen made it very clear, in the movie Rattle and Hum, that he is a believer. Thier early stuff, especially October, had a lot of references to their faith...oh by the way, they are all Catholics. Now, Adam Clayton, to my knowlage, is still the only member of the band who is not a Christian. I wouldn't call U2 a Christian band, but rather a band made up primarily of believers, and though they aren't perfect, and they don't always come across as believers, sometimes thier faith does come through in their music as well.

[DaveC]

U2 is not a Christian band. Some of their lyrics are a little questionable for a Christian band. "Wake Up Dead Man" from the POP Cd is a little off. Here are the lyrics:

Jesus, Jesus help me
I'm alone in this world
And a f---ed up world it is, too
Tell me, tell me the story
The one about eternity
And the way it's all gonna be

Wake up, wake up dead man
Wake up, wake up dead man

Jesus, I'm waiting here boss
I know you're looking out for us
But maybe your hands aren't free
Your father, He made the world in seven
He's in charge of heaven
Will you put in a word in for me?

Wake up, wake up dead man
Wake up, wake up dead man

Listen to your words they'll tell you what to do
Listen over the rhythm that's confusing you
Listen to the reed in the saxophone
Listen over the hum of the radio
Listen over sounds of blades in rotation
Listen through the traffic and circulation
Listen as hope and peace try to rhyme
Listen over marching bands playing out their time

Wake up, wake up dead man
Wake up, wake up dead man

Jesus, were you just around the corner
Did You think to try and warn her?
Or are you working on something new?
If there's an order in all of this disorder
Is it like a tape recorder?
Can we rewind it just once more?

Wake up, wake up dead man
Wake up, wake up dead man
Wake up, wake up dead man

Seems a little wrong for a Christian band, huh?
Especially the swearing in the 1st verse. A lot of their stuff is great, but this is one (of a very few) song that is bad. They're still my favourite band though!

[R_A_D]

Like I said, not a "Christian Band" but a band made up with Christian members....and so far as the swearing goes, and the questioning, well, I guess you have never had times of doubt, or looked at the pain in the world and wondered why God allows it to happen (even though you understand deep down why it is all going on) I guess you have never felt angry at God, or questioned.....

Bono is no angel, his faith often appears shakey, but the struggles he has come through in the honesty of his lyrics, read the psalms, while there's no profanity there, there are sometimes some hard questions asked by David when he is feeling really down.

I don't think U2 ever pretends to be a Christian Band, but they also don't pretend they have no faith in God either.

Frankly I think a lot of Christian bands are rather contrived....using thier faith as a marketing tool, being sure not to say something to contraversial, or let thier humanity show through, just good happy feelings, with little honesty, little artistry as well, and perhaps that is why a lot of people don't like "Christian" music, it lacks a sense of "realness".

Don't get me wrong, because I listen almost exclussively to Christian radio and Christian music, have for several years now....but there was a time when I found it to be rather anemic myself, and to a certain extent I still do, but I just prefer it over the overwhelmingly anti-Christian and negative music that secular music has devolved to, and if it's not negative, it's usually laced with sexual ineuendo or blatant sexual imagery...so because of that I have turned my back almost completely on the secular music market, even though I find the Christian music market wanting in many aspects as well.

[DaveC]

I agree completely. And yes, I have had doubts, and I resent your insinuating otherwise without knowing me.

I never said U2 was negative, in fact they aren't at all (most times). My signature is a U2 song. Listen to "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". It's very christian. All I'm saying is that they are not a Christian band. Never have been, most likely never will be.

[Guitar player]

"40" by U2

I've waited patiently for the lord
He inclined and hear me cry
he lift 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?

Het set my feet upon a rock
made my footstep 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?

More christian songs by U2:

One
When I look at the world
Peace on earth
Grace
I still haven't found what I'm looking for
Pride (in the name of love)
Where the streets have no name (Bono sings about heaven)
The Fly (I'm not sure, but I think he sings about Jesus)

and many more, can't remeber them all.

I will not say that U2 is a christian band because they sing about many things, not only Jesus. A christian band is by my opinion a band which sings only about God and christian stuff.

[Guitar player]

Oh, another thing. I have seen U2 albums in christian music stores.

[DaveC]

Guitar Player:
Peace on Earth - Not a Christian song. It's in response to the 1998(?) bombing in Omagh town in Ireland that killed 29 people.

Where The Streets Have No Name - Not a Christian song. Bono is talking about what he's seen when he went to Ethiopia to help children and stuff.

Pride (In The Name Of Love) - Not a Christian song. It's about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his assassination.

I don't think When I Look At The World is Christian either. By the way, the meanings of these songs above are not my own interpretations, they're what Bono has said about them.

[Guitar player]

Pride - I knew that it was about Marthin Luther King and that's why I said it was a christian song. It's just about the line "in the name of love" and God is love. But I know the text is mainly about what Martin Luther King did.

Where the streets have no name - it looked like a song ith a christian message, but I believe you are right.

When you look at the world - check the last verse. I'm pretty sure Bono is singing about the way God look at the world. It's written:

I'm in the waiting room
Can't see for the smoke
I think of you and your holy book
While the rest of us choke

Peace on earth - Bono is singing about peace on earth. He ask Jesus if he can help him. This is pretty clear! The first sentence is:

Heaven on earth
We need it now

The chorus is:

Jesus can you take the time
To throw a drowning man a line
Peace on earth
To tell the ones who hear no sound
Whose sons are living in the ground
Peace on earth

Maybe this song is about the bombing in Omagh town too, but this surely a christian song. He's just singing a message like David has written in his psalms.

[DaveC]

When Bono sings "In the name of Love" I think he's talking about love between blacks and whites.

I can see now how you would think Peace on Earth is Christ-related. Touché.

I still don't think that when I look at the world is Christian though. I think what he's saying is sort of like "God, why did you desert us" when he says "I think of you and your holy book while the rest of us choke". I don't know about that one.

more Christian songs by U2

Drowning man-written to Adam Clayton, the lone non-believer

Walk on- an admonition to Christians to continue in the face of a harsh world. I know the liner note says that it is for someone else, but like most of their songs it has more than one meaning

Elevation-"I and I in the sky you make me feel like I could fly"
I and I is a name for God derived form Yahweh. This is basically a praise song.

Beautiful day-"see the bird with a leaf in her mouth, after the flood all the colors came out."

Until the end of the world- a song about Judas' betrayal of Jesus

Surrender- "if I wanna live I've got to die to myself someday."

Wake up dead man- controversial to some because he uses a word that our society has deemed wrong. He was obviously in a bad way when he wrote the song and he's calling out to God to make Himself real. Much like a Psalm of David.

Grace-'nuff said

Acrobat- hold on to your faith and don't let others destroy it

Mysterious ways-about the Holy Spirit?

I think that U2 is definately Christian and the fact that they write about secular issues as well as sacred ones shouldn't detract from their message. Unlike bands on Christian labels who feel like they have to be positive all of the time, U2 can sing about what's on their (Bono's) hearts and be real.

[DaveC]

Another one: I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

Last May I saw U2 perform at the Target Center in Minneapolis, and for me, it was one big church service...

Bono is such a heartfelt believer, through years of being unsure of himself, I think Bono is more sure of himself than every before and he attribute ALL of that to his love for Jesus Christ...

The last song on the set list was Walk On...and when he sings he lets the band play on at the end and he says "Praises Jesus" "Praise to the Almighty, Praise to Jesus" and then finished up the show with singing Hallejah...that's the encore he brings it all back and gives it up to his savior Jesus...

Now I dunno about you, but I would say they are more "christian" than most bands on Forefront or Sparrow!

Besides who wants to be labeled a "christian band" anyway that just means you get less pay off, and more agruments, because the church says you are Chrsitian enough and the world says you are to christian....why not make music you like and let the God you love work through that music...

thanks for letting me rant!
baino