Meaning of I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2

When writing the song I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, U2 drew inspiration from several sources. At that time they were influenced by the classics of gospel music, biblical traditions and the compositions of Bob Dylan.

In addition, they were greatly influenced by touring the United States. The band’s romance with America became the main theme of the entire album The Joshua Tree.

The story of the creation of the song I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For by U2

It all started with a drum part composed by drummer Larry Mullen Jr. She formed the basis of the future work.

The working demo was titled Under the Weather and The Weather Girl. The Edge recalled:

At first I thought it sounded like a reggae band playing Eye of the Tiger.

Rolling stone

Producer Daniel Lanois said:

She had a very peculiar rhythm, invented by Larry. We were always looking for rhythms that could be a feature of the song. And he was definitely one of them. He performs this thing in the spirit of tom-toms, and no one understands what it is. And we just didn’t want to deviate from this rhythm – it’s so exceptional.

The Secret Story of the Joshua Tree, Colm O’Hare

Daniel also said:

I’ve always liked gospel music, and I encouraged Bono to use it in that place… At the time, it wasn’t in the mood for U2 to take on gospel music. I think I opened the door for them, pushed them to explore that area…

Classic Albums: U2 The Joshua Tree

Bono willingly began to experiment with this genre, because he was just carried away by the songs of Blind Willie Johnson, The Staple Singers and The Swan Silverstones.

Edge recalled:

While working on The Joshua Tree, we listened to some gospels. I remember The Mighty Clouds, Reverend Cleveland and The Staple Singers. Original [song] was more liberated, almost Jamaican. Bono wrote the melody, and I found the title in my notebook. At first, no one took it seriously, because it sounded completely different from what we had recorded before. It didn’t take shape until the very end, but when it was done, we all knew we had something special. True, the reviewers did not like it. One American called it a pale imitation of the original form and said that Foreigner’s I Want to Know What Love Is is better.

Q, 1998

Meaning of I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For by U2

The idea for the title of the song belongs to Edge. Even before the musicians U2 began to compose music, he listened to the track Idiot Wind by Bob Dylan (Bob Dylan). He liked the line “You’ll find out when you reach the top, you’re on the bottom”. Thinking about it, Edge came up with the expression I still haven’t found what I’m looking for and wrote it down in a notebook.

Later, when Bono decided to record a “spiritual” song, Edge remembered the phrase and suggested it to a bandmate. He quickly seized on it and wrote a text that critics compare with the Old Testament Psalter of King David.

What is I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For about? The author emphasizes that he has been in search all his life, but does not say what exactly. Explicit references to the Bible suggest that we are talking about God, but perhaps the protagonist wants to find true love, creative inspiration or spiritual enlightenment.

Bono explained the meaning of the song vaguely:

I rummaged around for a sense of something traditional and then tried to distort it a bit. This is the main idea behind I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.

In an interview with the famous magazine, Bono described the composition as follows:

I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For is a hymn to doubt rather than faith.
This is music that gives rise to true emotions in me – to run headlong to God or rush away from him with all my might.

Rolling stone

Recording and release

The band recorded the song at Danesmoate House in Dublin. Daniel Lanois compared working on a track to building a building. The drum part became the foundation on which the walls and roof were erected, and then furniture was placed around the house. Backing vocals in the spirit of the church choir were performed by Brian Eno, Lanois and The Edge.

In May 1987, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For was released as the second single from The Joshua Tree. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 and the Irish charts, and reached the top ten on several other charts.

In 1988, she was nominated for a Grammy in two categories: Record of the Year and Song of the Year. The composition is included in the famous lists of Rolling Stone magazine and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Video of I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For by U2

The music video was filmed on April 12, 1987 on Fremont Street in Las Vegas. In the video, the members of U2 walk around the city, singing, fooling around and chatting with fans. The video was directed by Barry Davlin, who accompanied the band on tour across the United States.

Watch the music video for I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – U2.

Cover versions

Shortly after the release of the single, the song I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For was performed by the gospel choir New Voices of Freedom. After hearing this version, the U2 musicians went to New York to get acquainted with the authors of the cover and sing along with them.

In 1990 The Chimes recorded I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For for their debut album. Their version rose high on the charts in several countries. She was also praised by Bono.

Cher often opened shows with I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.

The English-language Wikipedia published a separate article with a complete list of all cover versions of I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.

Interesting Facts

The song was included in the soundtracks of the melodrama Runaway Bride and the thriller Blown Away.
The track is featured in the fifth episode of Glee.

I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For Lyrics by U2

I have climbed the 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.