U2 Writes a Song About David Letterman
It was on This Day, March 9, 1987 that U2 released their fifth studio album, The Joshua Tree, which went on to be one of the world’s best-selling albums. It was their first number-one album in the states and included (and still does include) “With or Without You,” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” and “Where the Streets Have No Name.” The Joshua Tree sold over 25 million copies and won two Grammys, including Album of the Year and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group.
36 years later with St. Patrick’s Day approaching, Bono and The Edge have a Disney+ special, Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, and they tour Dublin, Ireland with David Letterman. The guys say it was only right to invite David to visit them in their city. “You know, he had us on his stomping ground for a week,” Bono shared with Access Hollywood, referring to their weeklong visit on The Late Show in 2009. “So it was the right thing to return the compliment and host him at home in Dublin.” The Edge said, “We thought a stand-up comic like Dave might be able to understand what we are about and unravel the U2 mystery.”
In the special, Bono and The Edge also perform a song they wrote about Dave, which he can’t quite believe.
Letterman said “I’m still processing it because most songs written about me begin with, ‘Hey dumb***”
Bono and The Edge were also asked about how long it took for them to get used to their nicknames, “Nicknames, you don’t choose them, your friends choose them and they’re not necessarily compliments, they’re often slags, as we say in Ireland,” Edge said, and then Bono continued, “It’s always uncomfortable, is what The Edge is saying, but even his mother used to call him The Edge. In fact, Mrs. Edge used to call him The Edge.”
When asked if Letterman had a nickname, Bono said it’s “Lord,” and then Letterman corrected him saying, “Lord Dips***.”
Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming debuts March 17 on Disney+.
