It was thirty years ago when the Irish band U2 released their fifth rock album. Entitled The Joshua Tree, the album almost instantly turned U2 into the biggest band in the world. Their career skyrocketed after that and pretty much everybody in the world had at least one favorite song from that album.
Influenced by American and Irish roots music, the nature of the album was a surprise even for U2’s biggest fans. That’s because the album contains socio-politically conscious lyrics embellished with spiritual imagery.
The entire album was actually constructed to showcase the contrast between the group’s stated antipathy for the “real America” with their captivation with the “mythical America”.
The main source of inspiration for this iconic U2 album were the experiences the group lived while they were on tour in the United States. Literature and politics also played an important role in the creation process for this album that had America as the main theme.
During a recent appearance at the Jimmy Kimmel Show, U2 talked about the main inspiration and drive behind the above-mentioned album and what was the creative concept that helped it all come together. What’s more, the group also surprised everybody with a one-of-a-kind performance of “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.”
The song unexpectedly turned into a tribute to God and US. If you are an U2 fan, this is definitely a performance that you don’t want to miss.
After more than three decades in the industry, U2 prove that they can still surprise their fans! Take a look:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ylSoAxpcKk
