 Genius Meanings
|
|
U2 – The Hands That Built America
|
|
[Verse 1] / Oh, my love / It's a long way we’ve come / From the freckled hills to the steel and glass canyons / From the stony fields to hanging steel from the sky / From digging
|
|
|
U2 – The Hands That Built America Samples
|
|
See all of “The Hands That Built America” by U2’s samples, covers, remixes, interpolations and live versions
|
|
Straight from the ghetto he thought he would never leave there / On the way up he looked down and said, "I don't want to be there"
|
|
Earlier in the verse he said:
Fresh off the boat
With a dream of stepping in a couple connections in murder and coke
Which indicates that he has changed his mind, this life wasn´t what he thought it would be. Maybe he bought into what´s on TV or the mainstream rap artist who glorify guns, murder and drugs. He could also have gotten into the “game” because he saw that as the only option out of the ghetto, but now he is stuck in the “game”.
|
|
Q-Unique – Paradise & The Abyss
|
|
The theme of the song “Paradise and the Abyss” by Q-Unique is about the duality of life and the struggle to find balance between the good and the bad. The lyrics describe the
|
|
The Pogues (Ft. Kirsty MacColl) – Fairytale of New York
|
|
The song took years to write, it was released in 1987. Now a Christmas Standard, it enters the UK Top Twenty every December.
It’s about an Irish couple who emigrated to America
|
|
Bruce Springsteen – Born in the U.S.A.
|
|
One of Springsteen’s most iconic songs, “Born in the U.S.A.” is about the troubled return home of a Vietnam veteran. It’s original working title was “Vietnam Blues”.
On January 3
|
|
U2 – North and South of the River
|
|
[Verse 1] / I wanna reach out over the lough / And feel your hand across the water / Walk with you along an unapproved road / Not looking over my shoulder / I wanna see and I wanna
|
|
Vance Joy – Riptide
|
|
The intro and first single to Vance Joy’s debut EP God Loves You When You’re Dancing was a critical and commercial success. Critics praised its clever lyrics filled with pop
|
|
Rise Against – Prayer of the Refugee
|
|
This song is about an immigrant or a refugee trying to make ends meet in America. He faces frequent discrimination at the hands of the people and government.
|
|
|
U2 – Lemon (Jeep Mix)
|
|
Lemon / See through in the sunlight / She wore lemon / But never in the daylight / She's gonna make you cry / She's gonna make you whisper and moan / And when you're dry / She
|
|
|
U2 – Electrical Storm
|
|
[Verse 1] / The sea, it swells like a sore head / And the night, it is aching / Two lovers lie with no sheets on their bed / And the day it is breaking / On rainy days, we'd go
|
|
Norah Jones – Don't Know Why
|
|
“Don’t Know Why” was written by Jesse Harris which originally appeared on his 1999 album, Jesse Harris & the Ferdinandos. Jones then covered it for her debut 2002 album Come Away
|
|
U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
|
|
“Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me” is the lead single to the soundtrack to the 1995 film “Batman Forever.”
According to Bono, the song is about “being in a rock band” and “
|
|
U2 (Ft. Luciano Pavarotti) – Miss Sarajevo
|
|
[Verse 1: U2] / Is there a time for keeping your distance? / A time to turn your eyes away? / Is there a time for keeping your head down / For getting on with your day? / [Verse 2
|
|
Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here
|
|
“Wish You Were Here” is the title track on Pink Floyd’s 1975 album. The song’s lyrics encompass writer Roger Waters‘ feelings of alienation from other people, drawing particular
|
|
|
U2 – Your Blue Room
|
|
It's time to go again / To your blue room / Got some questions to ask of you / In your blue room / The air is clean / Your skin is clear / I've had enough of / Hanging round here
|
|
Queen – Killer Queen
|
|
“Killer Queen” was the breakthrough song that turned Queen into worldwide rock stars. Peaking at #2 in the UK, the song became a hit in seven other European countries as well. “
|
|
Billy Joel – We Didn't Start the Fire
|
|
This monster hit of a song was created in 1989, when Joel turned 40. The idea spawned from a conversation he had with a friend of Sean Lennon. The friend just turned 21 and was
|
|
Metallica – Nothing Else Matters
|
|
On their controversial self-titled album which came to be known as the Black Album, “Nothing Else Matters” was perhaps the greatest example of the new Metallica sound that
|
|
Genius Lists – Songs Based on Historical Events
|
|
This Genius project helps connect music to historical events
Many times, we listen to a song, not ever knowing it was based on an actual event in history. The list includes a very
|
|
Talking Heads – This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)
|
|
Once described by frontman David Byrne as “the most direct love lyrics that I’ve ever written”, the island-y vibe of this beautiful song is the soundtrack for when everything in
|
|
|
U2 – Gone (Mike Hedges Mix)
|
|
[Verse 1] / You get to feel so guilty / You got so much for so little / Then you find that feeling just won't go away / You were holding on to every little thing so tightly / Till
|
|
Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Future & James Blake – King's Dead
|
|
A star-studded collaboration. In his first single as the main credited artist since 2015, Jay Rock links up with Future, James Blake and Black Hippy partner and label mate
|
|
Ivan & Alyosha – Bury Me Deep
|
|
Don't blame the doctor for giving me those pills / Don't blame my mother for holding my hand up the hill / Don't blame my childhood friends for speaking their minds / I'll take it
|
