Mothers of the Disappeared

U2

About Mothers of the Disappeared

"Mothers of the Disappeared" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the eleventh and final track on their 1987 album The Joshua Tree. The song was inspired by lead singer Bono's experiences in Nicaragua and El Salvador in July 1986, following U2's participation in the Conspiracy of Hope tour of benefit concerts for Amnesty International. He learned of the Madres de Plaza de Mayo, a group of women whose children had "forcibly disappeared" at the hands of the Argentine and Chilean dictatorships. While in Central America, he met members of COMADRES, a similar organization whose children had been abducted by the government in El Salvador. Bono sympathized with the Madres and COMADRES and wanted to pay tribute to their cause. The song was written on a Spanish guitar, and the melody lifted from a piece Bono composed in Ethiopia in 1985 to help teach children basic forms of hygiene. The lyrics contain an implicit criticism of the Reagan Administration, which backed two South American regimes that seized power during coups d'état and which provided financial support for the military regime in El Salvador. Thematically it has been interpreted as an examination of failures and contradictions in US foreign policy. The drum beat provided by Larry Mullen Jr. was processed through an effects unit that gave it a drone-like quality, which bassist Adam Clayton described as "evocative of that sinister death squad darkness". 


Year:
1987
5:14
49 
#1

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Midnight, our sons and daughters
Cut down, taken from us
Hear their heartbeat
We hear their heartbeat

In the wind we hear their laughter
In the rain we see their tears
Hear their heartbeat
We hear their heartbeat

Night hangs like a prisoner
Stretched over black and blue
Hear their heartbeat
We hear their heartbeat

In the trees our sons stand naked
Through the walls our daughters cry
See their tears in the rainfall

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U2

U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar, keyboards, and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums and percussion). U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music. Throughout the group's musical pursuits, they have maintained a sound built on melodic instrumentals, highlighted by The Edge's timbrally varied guitar sounds and Bono's expressive vocals. Their lyrics, often embellished with spiritual imagery, focus on personal themes and sociopolitical concerns. more »

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Written by: ADAM CLAYTON, DAVE EVANS, LARRY MULLEN, PAUL HEWSON

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Album Origin
"Mothers of the Disappeared" is taken from the U2 album "The Joshua Tree," which was released in 1987.
Inspiration
The song was inspired by lead vocalist Bono's experiences in Nicaragua and El Salvador in July 1986, where he saw firsthand the distress of families who had lost their children to political unrest.
Political Undertone
The song is specifically about the Madres de Plaza de Mayo, women whose children "disappeared" during the Dirty War; a military dictatorship in Argentina from 1976-1983.
Live Performances
"Mothers of the Disappeared" has been performed live by U2 more than 80 times, often with poignant and politically charged introductions.
Unique Sound
One of the standout features of the song is The Edge’s (U2 guitarist) haunting, echoing guitar that provides a melancholy backdrop to the lyrics.
Tribute
"Mothers of the Disappeared" was included in the concert set list as a tribute to the Madres de Plaza de Mayo during U2's visit to Argentina in 1998.
English Band Connection
The song also inspired English band, The Alarm, to write a song called "New South Wales" after the members attended the recording sessions of "The Joshua Tree".
Artist Collaboration
In 1998, U2 recorded a new version of the song for the album entitled "¡Nunca Más!", a collaboration with Argentine artist León Gieco, as a tribute against impunity in Argentina.
Album Success
"The Joshua Tree" was U2's first album to reach No. 1 on the U.S. charts and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1988.
Burning Man Performance
In 2017, the band performed "Mothers of the Disappeared" at the "Burning Man" festival, with Bono dedicating the song to the displaced peoples of the world.

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