'Get Out Of Your Own Way'

28 Jan 20188

'Blessed are the Shithole Countries, for they gave us the American dream!' Bono shouted through a star-spangled loudhailer from a barge on the Hudson River in the footprint of the Statue of Liberty, where U2 performed 'Get Out Of Your Own Way' during the 60th Grammy Awards in New York City tonight.

'Blessed are the arrogant for theirs is the kingdom of their own company! Blessed are the bullies because one day they will have to stand up to themselves!' Bono shouted into the blustery winter's night at the end of the song, bathed in the torchlight of Lady Liberty.

'Give me your tired, your poor/ Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…'

It was a powerful, consciousness-raising moment in a Grammy night that shone the spotlight on social issues from racism and gun violence, to immigration and sexual violence against women.

Earlier in the evening, U2 joined their 'Get Out Of Your Own Way' collaborator Kendrick Lamar on stage to open the Grammy's in New York's Madison Square Garden with an epic, politically-charged performance of 'XXX' from Lamar's album 'DAMN'.

With dozens of dancers clad in paramilitary garb and balaclavas flanking Lamar and pyrotechnics exploding overhead, Bono and Edge emerged from the shadows, walking somberly toward the front of the stage as they performed several lines from "XXX" (and "American Soul").

'It's not a place/This country is to me a sound /Of drum and bass … It's not a place /This country is to me a thought /That offers grace /For every welcome that is sought '

'It looks like he's singin' and dancin', but this brother is taking enormous chances. 'Rumble, young man! RUMBLE!",' Dave Chappelle said as the ensemble closed 'XXX' and Lamar, who went on to win 'Best Rap Performance' minutes later,  launched into his 'DNA.'

U2 have won 22 Grammy awards since their first two (Album Of The Year and Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal) in 1987 for 'The Joshua Tree'. The band's first Grammys performance was at the 43rd annual music awards in 2001. They are the only group to have won an Album of the Year Award Grammy twice—for 'The Joshua Tree' and in 2005 'How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb'.

 

Comments
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berniecunningham5
mrs
Bono needs a spoon of honey on his throat going to bed at night, that's what the opera singers do.
Althen
I had a dream...
Hello, one of the biggest U2 fan on earth here.... :-) In my free time I organize karaoke. With the years, I also started to do my own karaoke files There are some on youtube, like this one I've uploaded some weeks ago: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE9aaYCZWlxbCJuNanZOMaw/videos?sort=dd&view=0&shelf_id=0 I want to do "the blackout"....so badly....I am waiting that someone uploads an instrumental version of my favorite song of last album... But nobody does it. So I was wondering if you could please ask the Edge to watch my "Unforgettable fire": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChzeFeaXEUI Karaoke video. Maybe he will like the atmosphere I put here? Maybe then he will accept to send me the instrumental version of the Blackout? I had a dream..... Thank you so much for reading me.<3 U2, see you in Dublin in November Althen praz.alain@gmail.com
ains
And Lincoln's ghost said….
Framed by Liberty and her sonnet, enhanced by Lamar’s bridge, Itself enhanced by the POTUS’ himself, I find this lyrically one of the strongest songs since Pop’s Please, making the wait across the JT refrain, well worth it: The power of the visuals on and also afforded by the lone aquatic stage made it a fine return to form… in fact, quite Glorius!
Lucianomn
It's an Acrobat era
Oh, it hurts baby / What are we going to do? Now it's all been said / No new ideas in the house and every book has been read
Lucianomn
It's a Acrobat age
Oh, it hurts baby / What are we going to do? Now it's all been said / No new ideas in the house and every book has been read
Lucianomn
Everything before the Zoo
Well remembered, it really reminds us of how we knew about everything before the Zoo. But the difficulty is always to rethink everything once more. To those who have already said, "Broadcast me a joyful noise unto the times, Lord / Count your blessings / We're sick of being jerked around / We all fall down", it's good to remember that we all have the right to achieve the truth, even in a such noise "television". However, as another has also said "Well, ignorance is their power tool / You'll only know what they want you to know", so silence is never the best way, silence = death. Because we have to help any Acrobat saying, "Don't believe what you hear / Don't believe what you see / If you just close your eyes / You can feel the enemy". It's serious when I say that my priorities have changed substantially and suddenly, I moved from innocence to the experience through the gift of life creation. And it's gonna be great too. I dreamed a lot about overseas vacation, but I had to simmer down with the idea, since "I know nobody knows / Where it comes and where it goes", while "You know it's true / All the things come back to you" in a some way. I'll love to see, even in distance, "To talk like this / And act like that", even in a Blackout, I'll have "no fear", I'm "so glad that we are all still here".
JessLee
Everything........zoo
I loved everything about this. It was JUST RIGHT! Remember when you said "everything" before Zoo.......... I think. I have always loved you Pre-show too. SOI, LOVED THE music that inspired you. It was by far one of my best moments in time, with my brother talking about the music that played, waiting for you 2 come on. What a lovely dream I had last night.
ARFman
A stage built for only one band
A dying sunset with an Irish bunch floating in the middle of an American harbor in the company of Lady Liberty herself; who could have ever imagined such a scene. Iconic setting, Iconic band, Iconic song. Thanks U2 for keeping rock n roll alive, and perhaps, the American dream too...
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