New Year’s Day Lyrics

[Chorus]
I, I will begin again
I, I will begin again

[Post-Chorus]
Yeah, oh, oh-oh-oh

[Instrumental Break]

[Pre-Chorus]
Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
Oh, maybe the time is right
Oh, maybe tonight

[Chorus]
I will be with you again
I will be with you again

[Verse 3]
And so we're told this is the golden age
And gold is the reason for the wars we wage

Though I want to be with you, be with you night and day
Nothing changes New Year's Day

[Outro]
On New Year's Day
On New Year's Day
On New Year's Day

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About

Genius Annotation

The lyric had its origins in a love song from Bono to his wife, but was subsequently reshaped and inspired by the Polish Solidarity movement. The bass part stemmed from bassist Adam Clayton trying to figure out what the chords to the Visage song “Fade to Grey” were.

In 1983, Bono said of the song, “It would be stupid to start drawing up battle lines, but I think the fact that ‘New Year’s Day’ made the Top Ten indicated a disillusionment among record buyers. I don’t think ‘New Year’s Day’ was a pop single, certainly not in the way that Mickie Most might define a pop single as something that lasts three minutes and three weeks in the chart. I don’t think we could have written that kind of song.”

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did U2 say about "New Year's Day"?
Genius Answer

Bono in Rolling Stone

We improvise, and the things that came out, I let them come out. I must have been thinking about Lech Walesa being interned. Then, when we’d recorded the song, they announced that martial law would be lifted in Poland on New Year’s Day. Incredible.

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