Original Of The Species
by U2

Album: How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (2004)
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  • Baby slow down
    The end is not as fun as the start
    Please stay a child somewhere in your heart

    I'll give you everything you want
    Except the thing that you want
    You are the first one of your kind

    And you feel like no-one before
    You steal right under my door
    And I kneel 'cause I want you some more
    I want the lot of what you got
    And I want nothing that you're not

    Everywhere you go you shout it
    You don't have to be shy about it

    Some things you shouldn't get too good at
    Like smiling, crying and celebrity
    Some people got way too much confidence baby

    I'll give you everything you want
    Except the thing that you want
    You are the first one of your kind

    And you feel like no-one before
    You steal right under my door
    I kneel 'cause I want you some more
    I want the lot of what you got
    And I want nothing that you're not

    Everywhere you go you shout it
    You don't have to be shy about it, no
    And you'll never be alone
    Come on now show your soul
    You've been keeping your love under control

    Everywhere you go you shout it
    You don't have to be shy about it
    Everywhere you go you shout it
    Oh my my

    And you feel like no-one before
    You steal right under my door
    I kneel 'cause I want you some more
    I want you some more, I want you some more... Writer/s: Adam Clayton, Dave Evans, Larry Mullen, Paul Hewson
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 10

  • Bill Castner from Moorestown NjA early snippet of this beautiful song was first heard during a 60 Minutes II interview of Bono during the recording of All That You Can’t Leave Behind. Correspondent Vicki Mabrey hops in Bono’s old Mercedes 450 SEL with a crazy cowhide interior as he drives around Dublin. Mabrey asks “what do you listen to in your car?” Bono hits play on his car sound system where a demo of this song comes on, and Bono sings along “Everywhere you go you shout it, you don’t have to be shy about it” to a slower version of the chorus that was ultimately released.

    Mabrey says the song is a “work in progress” and it is about Bono’s two daughters. Bono says “It’s a song about being yourself, which I guess sometimes is the hardest thing to do.” The episode aired on February 20, 2002 but unfortunately cannot be found online. A similar 60 Minutes II interview of Bono that ran a year earlier is on YouTube but unfortunately does not include this extended footage they used in the 2002 segment.

    According to U2Songs.com “ Original of the Species” was also used in an advertisement for Apple’s new “Video iPod”. The footage for that advertisement were taken from the footage shot for the live DVD from the Vertigo tour. The silhouette of Bono singing that song was used as an icon in the Apple operating system when they launched the iPod touch and iPhone.”
  • Nick from La Paz, BoliviaThis is in the Top 10 U2 songs for me! I like to think of it as a letter to all the women in my life and to how much they've done and continue to do for me.
  • Mike from Fair Haven, VtI think this is one of their best songs-the melody is beautiful-especially Edges guitar playing towards the end-sort of reaches in and grabs you somewhere
  • Dora from Doha, QatarI love this song!
    It's really about how humans are all beautiful and unique in general.
  • Greg from Portland, MeListening to this song while driving one day my 3 y.o. daughter asked, "Daddy, what is this song?" I said, "It's called Original of The Species." She said, "Oh, it sounds like U2."
  • Emily from Abingdon, VaThe remix that just came out is awesome. Stronger percussion, and all-around "bigger" sound. Sadly, though, no more strings.
  • Leon from Waterbury, CtActually, there's two true meanings behind this song. Bono wrote the lyrics, of course. It is partially about Edhe's daughter (Bono's God child) and, I think (not too sure about this part) Bono's children as well. As for the other meaning, it is a message to teenagers - said in the Rolling Stone interview with Bono and the Vertigo 2005 concert book. It's about teenagers who feel insecure with themselves and are afraid...insecure with their appearance, who they are, what they're on Earth for, their sexuality and so on. It's a message saying that you're you and there's no one else like you, that you're one of a kind and you should love yourself and be proud of the person you truly are.
  • Trenton from Minneapolis , MnIn an interview with ROlling Stone Bono said he wrote the song about his god child, Edge's daughter. Edge didn't write the lyrics.
  • Brian from Chicago, IlI question how Edge could write this song about his daughter, when Bono pens all the lyrics. On May 10 in Chicago, Bono dedicated it to his daugher, Jordan (whom he called "Jo Jo"), as it was "her birthday too." He then mentioned it was written for all their daughters.
  • Rick from Humboldt, Iaeven though the guitar in this song is really good, i think its better live
see more comments

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