Gloria (U2 song)

Single infobox
Name = Gloria


Caption = UK cover
Artist = U2
from Album = October
Released = October 5, 1981
Format = 7" vinyl
Recorded =
Genre = Rock, post-punk
Length = 4:12
Label = flagicon|Ireland CBS - CBS 1718 flagicon|UK Island - WIP6733
Producer = Steve Lillywhite
Chart position =

• #55 (UK Singles Chart)

Last single = "Fire" (1981)
This single = "Gloria" (1981)
Next single = "A Celebration" (1982)
Misc =Extra album cover
Upper caption = Alternate Covers
Background = khaki


Lower caption = Netherlands coverExtra album cover
Background = khaki


Lower caption = New Zealand coverExtra tracklisting
Album = October
Type = studio
prev_track =
prev_no =
this_track = "Gloria"
track_no = 1
next_track = "I Fall Down"
next_no = 2Extra tracklisting
Album = Under a Blood Red Sky
Type = live
prev_track =
prev_no =
this_track = "Gloria"
track_no = 1
next_track = "11 O'Clock Tick Tock"
next_no = 2"Gloria" is the opening track and second single from U2's 1981 album, "October". It features a chorus in Latin, from the liturgical "Gloria in Excelsis Deo."Fact|date=July 2008 It was one of their lowest-charting singles, peaking at #55 on the UK singles chart.

Lyrics

The chorus "Gloria in te Domine / Gloria exultate" translates to "Glory in you, Lord / Glory, exalt [him] " with "exalt" in the imperative mood, a reference to Psalm 30:2 ("in te Domine, speravi"). The song also contains references to Colossians 2:9-10 ("Only in You I'm complete") and James 5:7-9 ("The door is open / You're standing there").

History

"Gloria" made its concert debut on 16 August 1981; the "October" album had not yet been finished and Bono announced it was "Gloria and Gloria". It was used as the opening song for almost all October Tour dates in 1981-82, but during the War Tour's "Pre Tour", it was moved to the end of the main set as "Out of Control" became the band's concert opener. At the start of the first proper leg of the War Tour, "Gloria" reverted to its position as opener, while on the second leg, it soon gave way again to "Out of Control" and became the final song of the main set, as filmed in "Under a Blood Red Sky".

On the Unforgettable Fire Tour's first leg, "Gloria" and "Out of Control" rotated as concert openers. This was the last time "Gloria" was used as a concert opener - on subsequent legs of both the Unforgettable Fire Tour and the subsequent Joshua Tree Tour, it was used in the encore. As the Joshua Tree Tour progressed, the song appeared in the main set, and this move became permanent on the Lovetown Tour. Its last Lovetown performance was on 9 January 1990, and this was the last time U2 played the song - or any from the "October" album - until it returned to the setlist on 30 March 2005 at the second show of the Vertigo Tour. It was played occasionally on the Vertigo Tour's first leg, typically segueing into "The Ocean" from "Boy". It then made one appearance on the second leg before a several more occasional appearances on the third leg until the final weeks, when it was played at six concerts in a row. It did not appear at any of the 21 Vertigo Tour concerts in 2006; its final performance was on 14 December 2005. "Gloria" has been played by U2 over 350 times.

Music video

The "Gloria" video, written and directed by Meiert Avis, was filmed in October 1981 on a barge in Grand Canal Basin in Dublin, near Windmill Lane. "Gloria" was the first U2 music video that received heavy airplay on MTV. The video featured U2 playing on a barge while a crowd of onlookers danced. Neither the song or video has been included in any of the band's compilations.

Track listing

#"Gloria" (Album Version) – 4:12
#"I Will Follow" (Live from Boston, March 6, 1981) – 3:48

Chart positions

External links

* [http://www.u2-vertigo-tour.com/song62.html Gloria's performance history at U2-Vertigo-Tour.com] - Lists all known performances of "Gloria".