About The Song
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the second track from their 1987 album The Joshua Tree and was released as the album’s second single in May 1987. The song was a hit, becoming the band’s second consecutive number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 while peaking at number six on the UK Singles Chart.
The song originated from a demo the band recorded on which drummer Larry Mullen Jr. played a unique rhythm pattern. Like much of The Joshua Tree, the song was inspired by the group’s interest in American music. “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” exhibits influences from gospel music and its lyrics describe spiritual yearning. Lead singer Bono’s vocals are in high register and lead guitarist the Edge plays a chiming arpeggio. Adding to the gospel qualities of the song are choir-like backing vocals provided by the Edge and producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois.
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” was critically acclaimed and received two nominations at the 30th Annual Grammy Awards in 1988, for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. It has subsequently become one of the group’s most well-known songs and has been performed on many of their concert tours. The track has appeared on several of their compilations and concert films. Many critics and publications have ranked “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” among the greatest tracks in music history, including Rolling Stone which ranked the song at number 93 of its 2010 list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” originated from a demo variously titled “The Weather Girls” and “Under the Weather” that the band recorded during a jam session. Bassist Adam Clayton called the demo’s melody “a bit of a one-note groove”, while an unconvinced The Edge, the band’s guitarist, compared it to “‘Eye of the Tiger’ played by a reggae band”. However, the band liked the drum part played by drummer Larry Mullen Jr. Co-producer Daniel Lanois said, “It was a very original beat from Larry. We always look for those beats that would qualify as a signature for the song. And that certainly was one of those. It had this tom-tom thing that he does and nobody ever understands. And we just didn’t want to let go of that beat, it was so unique.” Lanois encouraged Mullen to continue developing the weird drum pattern beyond the demo. Mullen said the beat became even more unusual, and although Lanois eventually mixed most of the pattern out to just keep the basics, the rhythm became the root of “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”.
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Lyrics
I have climbed highest mountains
I have run through the fields
Only to be with you
Only to be with you
I have run
I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city walls
Only to be with you
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
I have kissed honey lips
Felt the healing in her fingertips
It burned like fire
This burning desire
I have spoke with the tongue of angels
I have held the hand of a devil
It was warm in the night
I was cold as a stone
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
I believe in the kingdom come
Then all the colors will bleed into one
Bleed into one
But yes I’m still running
You broke the bonds
And you loosed the chains
Carried the cross
Of my shame
Oh my shame
You know I believe it
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for