I Threw A Brick Through A Window
by U2

Album: October (1981)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Bono says this is "a song about not like yourself. It's seeing your reflection in the window and wanting to smash it. I don't know where that's coming from. I try not to major on self-loathing but it does creep in every so often. Guilt to me is a very useless emotion. You make a mistake, you try and rectify it, you apologize, and you get on." (U2 by U2, 2005)
  • By the time U2 got around to recording this, the band's drummer, Larry Mullen, was exhausted and had trouble keeping up with the tempo. He said, "The real wake-up call for me was after a long day getting nowhere on 'I Threw A Brick.' When I came back to the studio the following day, Edge had overdubbed a great tom part. I was so pissed off he had come up with a better drum part than me. It was the kick in the ass I needed."
  • Released on their second album, October, "I Threw A Brick Through A Window" was a live favorite for the band in the early '80s, played on their October, War, and Unforgettable Fire tours.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

dUg Pinnick of King's X

dUg Pinnick of King's XSongwriter Interviews

dUg dIgs into his King's X metal classics and his many side projects, including the one with Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam.

The Girl in That Song

The Girl in That SongFact or Fiction

Billie Jean, Delilah, Sara, Laura and Sharona - do you know who the girls in the songs really are?

Jeff Trott

Jeff TrottSongwriter Interviews

Sheryl Crow's longtime songwriting partner/guitarist Jeff Trott reveals the stories behind many of the singer's hits, and what its like to be a producer for Leighton Meester and Max Gomez.

Famous Singers' First Films

Famous Singers' First FilmsSong Writing

A look at the good (Diana Ross, Eminem), the bad (Madonna, Bob Dylan) and the peculiar (David Bowie, Michael Jackson) film debuts of superstar singers.

P.F. Sloan

P.F. SloanSongwriter Interviews

P.F. was a teenager writing hits and playing on tracks for Jan & Dean when he wrote a #1 hit that got him blackballed.

David Bowie Lyrics Quiz

David Bowie Lyrics QuizMusic Quiz

How well do you know your David Bowie lyrics? Take this quiz to find out.