Angel Of Harlem

by

U2

Album: Rattle And Hum      Released: 1988

US Chart: 14     UK Chart: 9

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The "Angel of Harlem" is Billie Holiday, a Jazz singer who moved to Harlem as a teenager in 1928. She played a variety of nightclubs and became famous for her spectacular voice and ability to move her audience to tears. She dealt with racism, drug problems, and bad relationships for most of her life, and her sadness was often revealed in her songs. She died of cirrhosis of the liver in 1959 at age 44.

Billy Holiday's nickname was "Lady Day." That's where they got the line, "Lady Day got diamond eyes, she sees the truth behind the lies."

This is a tribute to the Blues, Jazz, and Gospel music U2 heard while touring America.

U2 recorded this at Sun Studios in Memphis while the band was touring the US in 1987. It features the Memphis Horns, who recorded on many of the Blues and Soul classics recorded there.

This was produced by "Cowboy" Jack Clement, who worked with Sam Phillips at Sun Studios in the '50s before moving to Nashville and working with a variety of Country singers. When U2 asked him to work on this album, he had never even heard of them, but fortunately some of his friends were familiar with U2 and made it clear to Clement that working with them would be a good career move. By using Clement, U2 was able to recreate the famous Sun Studio's sound they were looking for.

The line "On BLS I heard the sound..." refers to New York radio station WBLS, where U2 heard the Blues and Soul music that influenced this.

This was used in the U2 documentary Rattle And Hum, which followed the band on their 1987-1988 tour of North America.

U2 played this live for the first time at the Smile Jamaica concert on October 16, 1988 in London, a benefit for the victims of Hurricane Gilbert. (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France)

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Comments:

"Like a star exploding in the night Falling to the city in broad daylight An angel in Devil's shoes" So true!
- Chaosz, Amsterdam, Netherlands

WOW ! This site is great !! I thought they were talking about a hooker...not a legend ! i feel dumb !
- NORA, N/A, FL

At the risk of being obvious, A Love Supreme was a 1964 John Coltrane album and "Miles" is almost certinly Miles Davis, another legendary jazz musician.
- Pytlak, Bakersfield, CA

U2 dedicated this to Kylie Minogue on their Australian Vertigo Tour Leg. The Aussie Pop Princess had just managed to beat breast cancer. Bono also popped up at one of Kylie's concerts and sang Kids with her
- Acrobat, Adelaide, Australia

Jude, from Thomasville, GA-You were right. Billie Holiday doing 'Strange Fruit' is capable of making a grown man cry. I looked up the song on Wikipedia and I think there's an audio link. The photo that inspired the song 'Strange Fruit' will make a grown man cry too. Lord see us through...all of us please.
- mark, worcester, MI

On "Rattle And Hum" blues great, B.B. King is very impressed with the powerful the lyrics of this song. If I remember correctly he tells Bono something to the effect, "Those are powerful lyrics from someone so young."
- homzd, O-Town, NV

Somehow reminds me of "Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan. And no, I am not using drugs.
- Johnny, Los Angeles, CA

I'm glad U2 paid tribute to the great Lady Day, If you ever want to know what a shivering fit feels like, listen to Billie Holiday sing "Strange Fruit." It near'bout makes me cry every time.
- Jude, Thomasville, GA

One of the few good songs on Rattle and Hum. Hey, I just call it like it is, fellers.
- Nessie, Sapporo, Japan

i like the part in the rattle and hum dvd where they play this in the barbershop...pretty cool stuff
- Ryan, Albion, NY

Immediate portrayal of U2's sudden downfall and sellout to the whimsical music industry. Although they have come back strong against the industry now with their latest album as well as Bono and Edge being known Free Music Activists for the fileshare industry. A Bono-Fide tale I must say...
- Josef, Corpus Christi, TX

I love this song; I think that this is one of my favorite U2 songs... I also find this song to be very catchy.
- Zach, ..., PA

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