Music has a way of saving people. Fans often talk about how a song came to them at just the right moment, how a lyric spoke directly to their soul, or how a melody became a lifeline. But what about the artists themselves? For musicians, the connection to their music runs even deeper. The lyrics come from their own experiences, their highs and lows, their struggles and triumphs. And for Bono, there’s one U2 song that keeps him grounded no matter how high the band has climbed.
As one of the biggest rock bands in the world, U2 has seen and done it all. From their humble beginnings as schoolboys in Dublin to filling stadiums across the globe, they’ve spent decades at the top. But with that kind of success, it’s easy to get lost in the chaos, to forget what really matters. That’s why, for Bono, ‘City of Blinding Lights’ is more than just a song—it’s a reminder of where he came from and why he’s still here.
“It’s a tale in two parts,” Bono explained in U2 by U2. “The first verse is in London, and the chorus is in New York.” The song captures two pivotal moments in his life. The first was his teenage trip to London with his wife, Ali, when they were still just kids with big dreams. “The thing I had in mind was my first trip to London with Ali when we were teenagers, on the ferry and the train, walking into Piccadilly Circus and up Wardour Street and just discovering what a big city could offer you and what it could take away.” That wide-eyed wonder and the realization of what was possible set him on the path that would eventually lead him to global stardom.
The second memory came years later, in New York. In the aftermath of 9/11, U2 played Madison Square Garden, and Bono witnessed something unforgettable. “The lights came on, and 18,000 New Yorkers were in tears, jumping up and down, and I shouted out to them, ‘Oh, you look so beautiful tonight,’” he recalled. That raw emotion, the resilience of people even in the darkest times, moved him so deeply that the moment became immortalized in the song’s lyrics.
For Bono, ‘City of Blinding Lights’ is more than nostalgia—it’s a lesson. “It’s about recapturing a sense of wonder, being in a city, and reminding yourself that you don’t have to lose your soul to gain the world,” he said. It reminds him to stay humble, to appreciate every moment, and to never forget the journey that got him here.
And above all, it’s a song that makes him feel grateful. “I thank God on a daily basis for endless amounts of grace and covering the cracks that I would have fallen through.”
