Angel Of Harlem
by U2

Album: Rattle And Hum (1988)
Charted: 9 14
Play Video
  • It was a cold and wet December day
    When we touched the ground at JFK
    Snow was melting on the ground
    On BLS I heard the sound
    Of an angel

    New York, like a Christmas tree
    Tonight this city belongs to me
    Angel

    Soul love, this love won't let me go
    So long, angel of Harlem

    Birdland on fifty three
    The street sounds like a symphony
    We got John Coltrane and a love supreme
    Miles, and she's got to be an angel

    Lady Day got diamond eyes
    She sees the truth behind the lies
    Angel

    Soul love this love won't let me go
    So long angel of Harlem
    Angel of Harlem

    She says it's heart, heart and soul
    Yeah yeah (yeah)
    Yeah yeah (right now)

    Blue light on the avenue
    God knows they got to you
    An empty glass, the lady sings
    Eyes swollen like a bee sting
    Blinded you lost your way
    Through the side streets and the alleyway
    Like a star exploding in the night
    Falling to the city in broad daylight
    An angel in Devil's shoes
    Salvation in the blues
    You never looked like an angel
    Yeah yeah angel of Harlem

    Angel angel of Harlem
    Angel angel of Harlem
    Angel angel of Harlem
    Angel angel of Harlem Writer/s: Adam Clayton, David Evans, Laurence Mullen, Paul Hewson
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 12

  • Chaosz from Amsterdam, Netherlands"Like a star exploding in the night
    Falling to the city in broad daylight
    An angel in Devil's shoes"

    So true!
  • Nora from N/a, FlWOW ! This site is great !! I thought they were talking about a hooker...not a legend ! i feel dumb !
  • Pytlak from Bakersfield, CaAt 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.
  • Acrobat from Adelaide, AustraliaU2 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
  • Mark from Worcester, MiJude, 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.
  • Homzd from O-town, NvOn "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."
  • Johnny from Los Angeles, CaSomehow reminds me of "Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan. And no, I am not using drugs.
  • Jude from Thomasville, GaI'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.
  • Nessie from Sapporo, JapanOne of the few good songs on Rattle and Hum. Hey, I just call it like it is, fellers.
  • Ryan from Albion, Nyi like the part in the rattle and hum dvd where they play this in the barbershop...pretty cool stuff
  • Josef from Corpus Christi, TxImmediate 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...
  • Zach from ..., PaI love this song; I think that this is one of my favorite U2 songs... I also find this song to be very catchy.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Wedding Bell Blues

Wedding Bell BluesSong Writing

When a song describes a wedding, it's rarely something to celebrate - with one big exception.

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.

Queen

QueenFact or Fiction

Scaramouch, a hoople and a superhero soundtrack - see if you can spot the real Queen stories.

Barry Dean ("Pontoon," "Diamond Rings And Old Barstools")

Barry Dean ("Pontoon," "Diamond Rings And Old Barstools")Songwriter Interviews

A top country songwriter, Barry talks about writing hits for Little Big Town, Tim McGraw and Jason Aldean.

Don Brewer of Grand Funk

Don Brewer of Grand FunkSongwriter Interviews

The drummer and one of the primary songwriters in Grand Funk talks rock stardom and Todd Rundgren.

Sending Out An SOS - Distress Signals In Songs

Sending Out An SOS - Distress Signals In SongsSong Writing

Songs where something goes horribly wrong (literally or metaphorically), and help is needed right away.