The Hands That Built America
by U2

Album: The Best of 1990-2000 (2002)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Featured in the movie Gangs Of New York. It was nominated for Best Original Song at the 2003 Academy Awards, but lost to Eminem's "Lose Yourself" from the film 8 Mile. It did win the Golden Globe for the same category.
  • Bono and The Edge wrote this specifically for Gangs of New York. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Bill - Johnstown, PA, for above 2

Comments: 2

  • Acrobat from Adelaide, AustraliaBono also sings a song in Gaelic that appears during Gangs of New york, it is a very haunting melody and I hit rewind several times to hear it.
  • Angela from Hagerstown, Mdew. Eminem. Horrible loss there.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root

Michael Glabicki of Rusted RootSongwriter Interviews

Michael tells the story of "Send Me On My Way," and explains why some of the words in the song don't have a literal meaning.

Real or Spinal Tap

Real or Spinal TapMusic Quiz

They sang about pink torpedoes and rocking you tonight tonight, but some real lyrics are just as ridiculous. See if you can tell which lyrics are real and which are Spinal Tap in this lyrics quiz.

La La Brooks of The Crystals

La La Brooks of The CrystalsSong Writing

The lead singer on "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me," La La explains how and why Phil Spector replaced The Crystals with Darlene Love on "He's A Rebel."

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"They're Playing My Song

The Prince-penned "Manic Monday" was the first song The Bangles heard coming from a car radio, but "Eternal Flame" is closest to Susanna's heart, perhaps because she sang it in "various states of undress."

Stan Ridgway

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.

TV Theme Songs

TV Theme SongsFact or Fiction

Was a Beatles song a TV theme? And who came up with those Fresh Prince and Sopranos songs?