Ali Hewson, the wife of U2 lead singer Bono, celebrated her sixty-third birthday over the weekend.
She has been the muse for the singer for decades. Hewson's inspiration for his songs like “Song for Someone” and “You're the Best Thing About Me” is apparent. She has helped spawn some of the band's greatest hits.
But which are the best? Of U2's countless love songs, it was hard to narrow down which were the best of the bunch. There is also some recency bias as I proposed to my girlfriend to “All I Want Is You” (Spoiler alert: It's on the list).
“Spanish Eyes” (Joshua Tree B-side)
“Spanish Eyes” is a fun B-side to “I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.” It works better in a live setting, particularly in U2's 1987 performances.
Despite its fun nature, “Spanish Eyes” does feature Bono proclaiming that he “needs” Ali Hewson. Years later, he would circle back to the song in the song “In A Little While” (“That girl, that girl, she's mine/And I've known her since/Since she was a little girl/With Spanish eyes,” Bono sings).
“One” (Achtung Baby)
Like many of U2's love songs, “One” can be interpreted in several different ways. On the surface, the song is about any group of people breaking up and having to come back together. During the Achtung Baby sessions, U2 was divided, so the song was likely written about that.
And now, the song is the band's ultimate concert anthem. Thousands illuminate their phone lights and hold them up when the band plays it. It's a powerful moment during their shows.
“One” can also be analyzed as a love song. No relationship is perfect — everyone has good and bad days as the line “Well we hurt each other and we do it again” indicates.
“Sweetest Thing” (Joshua Tree B-side)
“Sweetest Thing” isn't a very sophisticated love song — “My love she throws me like a rubber ball (Oh, oh, oh, the sweetest thing)” is the first line — but it's a fun one. The rerecorded version featured on the Best of 1980-1990 album is the superior version.
Bono's vocals are in top form on the song, as he hits angelic high notes in the verses. If only U2 broke it out more often during their live shows.
“Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way” (Songs of Experience)
Like “One,” “Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way” is an iconic concert anthem. It unites the thousands in attendance at a U2 gig.
But again, the song feels like a love song to Bono's wife and their children. No matter what is going on in the world, love should always prevail. And, of course, it's “bigger than anything in its way.”
Call it tacky or cheesy, but I think this is one of Bono's finer lyrics.
“You're the Best Thing About Me” (Songs of Experience)
I understand that “You're the Best Thing About Me” can sound like U2 once again trying to make a radio hit. For my money, they succeeded, but even if you don't like the Songs of Experience arrangement, there is a lot to like about the band's acoustic renditions of the song.
Beneath its pop song surface, Bono is quite candid about his love for Ali Hewson. And he also takes the point of view of the showman he is, thanking his wife for putting up with it.
“Shooting off my mouth/That's another great thing about me,” he sings in the second verse.
Later in the song, The Edge sings a verse that also encapsulates their love: “I can see it all so clearly/I can see what you can't see/I can see you love her loudly/When she needs you quietly.”
“Song for Someone” (Songs of Innocence)
Since the performances on U2's “Innocence + Experience” tour, I've loved “Song for Someone.” As Bono would introduce the song, an animated video of him in his childhood bedroom would be displayed on the giant LED screen in the arena. He would talk about wanting to impress a girl named Alison Stewart.
Years later, Bono would be singing “Song for Someone” to hear in front of thousands. “If there is a light, don't let it go out,” Bono pleads throughout the song.
“Landlady” (Songs of Experience)
If you've noticed, a lot of Bono's best songs about Hewson have come on U2's recent albums. Songs of Experience features “Landlady,” which is about Hewson taking care of the singer well before U2 became the biggest rock band ever. It brings him back to adolescence, as he thanks Hewson for paying the rent when he couldn't and offering words of wisdom (“Don't do, just be”).
“Landlady” is the closest U2 has come to sounding like Coldplay. It's very ambient and even as it builds to its crescendo, it's a relatively quiet song. Nonetheless, it's a standout track from the album and one of Bono's finest lyrics.
“With or Without You” (Joshua Tree)
“With or Without You” is often misinterpreted as a happy love song. I think people hear the titular line and assume Bono means he can't live without his partner.
In reality, the song is a vulnerable song written from the perspective of a rockstar. After all, it was Live Aid and subsequently The Joshua Tree that catapulted Bono and U2 to a whole new level of stardom.
More than ever, Bono was exposed in the public eye. He now led the biggest band in the world. This in turn could have been an adjustment for Ali Hewson as well, as she was married to one of the biggest pop culture icons in the world.
When Bono sings about giving yourself away, I believe he's talking about himself. Now that he's in the limelight 24/7, people know more about him than ever. In essence, he's constantly giving himself away when on stage performing for thousands at a time or when they listen to his records and he pours his heart and soul into the songs.
“Every Breaking Wave” (Songs of Innocence)
Decades after “With or Without You” was released, Bono wrote “Every Breaking Wave.” Again, I prefer the Songs of Surrender arrangement, which is piano-driven, but the similarities between the Songs of Innocence version and “With or Without You” cannot be ignored.
They're played in the same time signature and Adam Clayton's bass is nearly the same (just in a different key). Aside from musical similarities, thematically, “Every Breaking Wave” is like a companion piece to the Joshua Tree hit.
In the song, Bono sings about the inevitable dooms of a relationship. “If you go your way and I go mine” he sings, later crooning, “Are we so helpless against the tide?”
Lastly, Bono talks about a relationship being over before it can begin. While it's not about giving himself away, Bono's once again talking about the not-so-happy parts of relationships. Every single one of them faces hardships, and it's about how you navigate against the tides.
“All I Want Is You” (Rattle and Hum)
Rattle and Hum wasn't the most well-received U2 album ever. Whether you find the album self-indulgent or not, it closes out on a high note.
That would be “All I Want Is You,” the song that was playing when I recently proposed to my girlfriend (albeit the Songs of Surrender version). Written from the perspective of a bride, presumably Ali Hewson in this case, Bono talks about the eternal promises made when you get married.
But at the end of the day, what matters is love (another common Bono-ism). Even despite all of the promises we make (and break).
The song has aged like a fine wine. In 2023, U2 released a new arrangement on Songs of Surrender. Instead of the iconic guitar riff taking center stage, it's a synthesizer or organ. It sounds more like a wedding song than ever and might be the definitive version of the song.
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