New Year's Day
A love song reshaped around Poland's Solidarity, and their first UK hit.
U2, from War (1983)
- Written by
- U2
- Released
- 10 January 1983
- Length
- 5:37
- Album
- War
The lead single from War, released on 10 January 1983, was recorded between September and November 1982 with Steve Lillywhite. It began as a love song for Bono's wife and was reshaped around the Solidarity movement in Poland. Clayton's bassline came from working out Visage's Fade to Grey.
It reached 10 in the United Kingdom, their first UK hit, 2 in Ireland and 53 on the US Hot 100, their first US chart single. The video was shot in Sweden in December 1982 by Meiert Avis. It has been played live since 1 December 1982. Rolling Stone placed it at number 427 on its 2004 list.
More songs by U2
Sunday Bloody Sunday, With or Without You, Where the Streets Have No Name, One, Beautiful Day, Pride (In the Name of Love), I Will Follow, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Sources
- New Year's Day (U2 song), Wikipedia
- War (U2 album), Wikipedia