When have you been brought to tears by a U2 song?

[cobl04]

The nipples reveal themselves to be very ugly. ass

 

[Purplereign]

The first time I heard "Kite" after my father's death in 2005. (Not my first listen, of course, but the first occurrence after he passed.)

"Who's to say where the wind will take you
Who's to say what it is will break you
I don't know where the wind will blow
Who's to know when the time has come around
I don't wanna see you cry
I know that this is not goodbye"

My dad had shot himself after being clinically depressed for several years. I'd planned to go see him the day before he died, but got tied up in household errands & talked myself out of going because, truth be told, I'd found myself having difficulty seeing him so pitiful. (Until his retirement & subsequent depression, my father had always been an optimist, a jokester & a generally well-tempered guy to be around.)

I felt a lot of guilt (and still do) that I made excuses that Sunday. The line "I don't want to see you cry, I know that this is not goodbye" brought me to my knees for several years after his passing. It still makes me teary-eyed.

On a less morbid note, I cried tears of pure, unadulterated elation the first time I heard "Bad" & ISHFWILF live. And the end of the absolutely perfect Pittsburgh show this July brought bittersweet tears to my eyes: sweet because it's the best live show I've ever experienced and bitter because it was the end of the tour road for me.

to you beautiful lady

catharsis through music is a powerful thing ~ continued peace and strength to you lovely

 

[bazza]

yes many times - moment of does it for me

 

[cobl04]

bazza!

 

[last unicorn]

The first time I heard "Kite" after my father's death in 2005. (Not my first listen, of course, but the first occurrence after he passed.)

"Who's to say where the wind will take you
Who's to say what it is will break you
I don't know where the wind will blow
Who's to know when the time has come around
I don't wanna see you cry
I know that this is not goodbye"

My dad had shot himself after being clinically depressed for several years. I'd planned to go see him the day before he died, but got tied up in household errands & talked myself out of going because, truth be told, I'd found myself having difficulty seeing him so pitiful. (Until his retirement & subsequent depression, my father had always been an optimist, a jokester & a generally well-tempered guy to be around.)

I felt a lot of guilt (and still do) that I made excuses that Sunday. The line "I don't want to see you cry, I know that this is not goodbye" brought me to my knees for several years after his passing. It still makes me teary-eyed.

On a less morbid note, I cried tears of pure, unadulterated elation the first time I heard "Bad" & ISHFWILF live. And the end of the absolutely perfect Pittsburgh show this July brought bittersweet tears to my eyes: sweet because it's the best live show I've ever experienced and bitter because it was the end of the tour road for me.

That's just such a sad story, I'm sorry this happened to you, but at the same time it's good to know you have U2's music as a source of strength, hope and elation in your life.

 

[theu2fly]

Almost been brought to tears by Streets... in Denver this year, I almost came close to losing it...

 

[Purplereign]

streets ~ those opening notes, every single time ~ it's how I imagine heaven would feel
bad ~ I can't even put in to words how much this song means to me; and hearing it live? gah
gone ~ popmart
kite ~ last sydney show, vertigo tour ~ just gorgeous
the unforgettable fire ~ granted I only heard it 'live via set list party streams' but wow :goosebumps:
hearing all I want is you in sydney 2010 was a major moment ~ but i hear that song in the supermarket aisle and I get misty too

I'll stop now eh?

 

[doctorwho]

"Kite. Utter shite like this would not have passed the test on, say, The Joshua Tree.

Nice song; too bad about the horror-awful lyrics.

People scolded you enough about the timing of your post, so I won't go there (but do read the whole post before quoting some of it!).

I, however, disagree with your assessment. I can tear apart the JT lyrics, if I desired (I don't).

JT lyrics work for the most part because they are very abstract. And this abstract nature allows for many interpretations. Some songs were brilliant written, but others were downright simplistic. The music and vocals carried those songs - as they do with "Kite".

Starting with "Pop", Bono's lyrics took an introspective turn. He wrote far more personal lyrics. They were still abstract enough to allow for interpretations to one's own life, but now they weren't SO all-encompassing. When one writes more personally, sometimes the poetry can dissipate.

Granted, there are some simplistic lines in some of U2's work - but is that such a shame? I often feel that people over-praise U2's past without really reflecting on it. But any weakness shown lyrically on ATYCLB has been overcome - with one exception (I do agree with you on "Crazy") - with NLOTH, which contains some of Bono's best lyrics.

I have a feeling that years from now, people will recall how overlooked NLOTH was and how it really ranks amongst U2's greatest.

As for the topic, no song has made me cry, per se. However, some contexts have brought a tear.

 

[BluRmGrl]

to you beautiful lady

catharsis through music is a powerful thing ~ continued peace and strength to you lovely

Thank you, sweets.

That's just such a sad story, I'm sorry this happened to you, but at the same time it's good to know you have U2's music as a source of strength, hope and elation in your life.

Thank you, also, LU. And you're right about the music - I can't count how many times stress, irritation, apprehension, or just the 'blahs' have been made better by putting in my ear buds & cranking up the U2.



And Panther - you should really consider a career in counseling. You seem to have a knack for saying exactly the right thing.

 

[bono_man2002]

I did lose it during streets at my last show in Sydney.

 

[BlueSilkenSky]

1. The First Time... when it was really early in the morning and the sun was rising...
2. LEMON! transitioning into With or Without You on Zoo TV Sydney... it's a flawless segue and a heartwrenching performance of the latter...
3. Stay live in Baltimore, this year... well, I didn't actually cry but it was very emotional for some inexplicable reason.

 

[11o´clock]

I used to cry with many U2 songs at first: City of blinding, where the streets, wowy, one, etc., but now not so much. I keep being a fan, although.
But every time I hear Even better 360 version, I start crying ´cause it reminds me to La Plata and to the fact that I went to the concert. I also cried with Miss Sarajevo in the stadium.

 

[loner]

When Edge was singing in the film.Just finished watching it.

 

[trevgreg]

I never have personally, but I had a family member who got emotional to "Walk On" shortly after her father died. In a positive way too.

 

[hand0lotion]

Trev, let's pretend the rain streaming down your face in Minny were tears Wow, Still Haven't Found really got to me in Minny. I thought I was recreating the Rose Bowl moment!

 

[trevgreg]

You know, perhaps they were tears and I just couldn't tell!

 

[EdgeFest]

When Edge was singing in the film.Just finished watching it.

This. It made Edgegirls cry the world over!

 

[theu2fly]

I never have personally, but I had a family member who got emotional to "Walk On" shortly after her father died. In a positive way too.

For some reason the lyrics when hearing these lyrics live, (most notably on the 360 tour)

"Home, but to know what is if you've never had one, home, I can't say where it is, but I know I'm going home... that's where the heart is"

Just really hit me hard, everything else just kind of got quiet around Bono when I heard these lyrics, and I was TOUCHED by him singing that bit. I can't describe it other than saying how much it hit me.

 

[alanah]

yes many times - moment of does it for me

Same here..still loving every second of it.

Spoiler

and yeah, I cry everytime I listen to it!

 

[Globo14]

Slight tangent here, but I really didn't like the 360° version of Walk On. I freaking love the song, but they took the essential rhythm guitar part away and tuned it back up. It seems kinda..... empty, for lack of a better word. Elevation Walk On is way better than 360° Walk On.

 

[hand0lotion]

They really poured on the Aang Sang Suu Kyi message for 360 Walk On. Believe me, freeing political prisoners is a great cause, but makes it a little harder to relate to for us mere mortals who are just away from home, ya'know? I tried to squeeze out a tear, but I found myself waiting for the encore instead

 

[gareth brown]

a lot of U2 songs have made me well up on occasion simply because they were stunning pieces of music that just made me grin like an idiot and think wow

but basically being moved to TEARS by a U2 song nearly always goes to Streets. I'm sure i've told this story before here but hearing the Edge play that riff at my first ever U2 concert felt like nothing else. hearing him play this riff that opens the album that more or less "changed my life blah blah blah" was incredible and instantly the chill went down my spine, the tears came to my eyes and so on....when I watch the Vertigo Chicago DVD its the same, and Elevation Slane. Glastonbury I was ill, and they played it too early so felt next to NOTHING

also:

U2 - Zooropa Multicam Live Sao Paulo (Broadcast Audio) - YouTube

this rarely fails

 

[cobl04]

I can't listen to Running to Stand Still without crying.

 

[theedgeu2]

Tomorrow.

 

[Catman]

I know I'm going to get shit for this, but whatever...

The most recent U2 (sort of) song that brought me nearest to tears is... "Turn Off the Dark." Sometimes you just can't explain it. The song hit home for some reason, even with the weird, nonsensical spoken word outro

 

[digitize]

I know I'm going to get shit for this, but whatever...

The most recent U2 (sort of) song that brought me nearest to tears is... "Turn Off the Dark." Sometimes you just can't explain it. The song hit home for some reason, even with the weird, nonsensical spoken word outro

I think it's a good song.

 

[Catman]

I like feeling validated


EDIT: I'm not being disingenuous with the above statement... it's nice to know others share the same opinion (though perhaps not to the same degree)

 

[Scorpionac]

The performance of One on the Popmart Mexico video, holy shit was that overwhelming. You can hear Bono's voice breaking, he's hurting there.

Yeah, that upset me.

I can't listen to Running to Stand Still without crying.

RTSS got me once, too.

Same with Walk to the Water & City of Blinding Lights.

 

[hand0lotion]

Backstory to One on Popmart Mexico, please?

I'm addicted to If You Wear That Velvet Dress from Popmart Mexico. Fuckin sexy I really could cry (yesyes, lyrics are not sentimental). 37 year-old Bono was unquestionably, objectively hot.

 

[RioRhodes]

I think I'm about to piss off every person on Interference right now. But I find Streets overrated. Granted I love it... But I feel like everyone loves it so much here they want to marry it. Great song, but far from my favorite.

So when do I get beheaded for treason?