U2 Share Rewritten ‘Beautiful Day’ Lyrics From Glen Hansard’s Funeral
What's happening
U2 performed rewritten lyrics to their iconic 1999 hit 'Beautiful Day' at Glen Hansard's funeral, creating a personalized tribute that transformed the song into a farewell message. The band reworked the track with new verses that acknowledged Hansard's passing while celebrating his life and journey to heaven.
Who's involved
U2 is an Irish rock band formed in Dublin in 1976, comprising Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr., known for anthemic songs built on Bono's expressive vocals and spiritual lyrical themes. Glen Hansard was an Irish singer-songwriter from Dublin who co-founded and fronted the Frames, a rock band that achieved major Irish chart success, and was also part of the folk rock duo the Swell Season.
Why it matters
The tribute demonstrates the deep connections within Ireland's music community and how established artists honor fallen peers through their craft. It also reflects U2's tradition of using their music to explore personal and spiritual themes, extending their artistry beyond commercial performance into intimate, meaningful moments of remembrance.
The story
U2 took the stage at Glen Hansard's funeral with a deeply personal rendition of 'Beautiful Day,' the 1999 chart-topper that helped define the Irish rock band's legacy. Rather than perform the original version, the band rewrote the lyrics to create a poignant farewell specifically for Hansard. According to Rolling Stone, the new verses included the lines: "You left a hangover from hell, of this there is no doubt / But as you wake up in heaven, all the angels will shout."
The rewritten tribute transformed a song that had always carried spiritual and introspective themes into a direct address of Hansard's life and death. Hansard, who was born in Ballymun in northern Dublin, had built a significant career as a singer-songwriter and musician. In 1990, he co-founded the Frames, an Irish rock band that would go on to release six studio albums, four of which reached the top ten of the Irish Album Charts. Beyond his work with the Frames, Hansard was also known for the Swell Season, a folk rock duo he founded in 2005, and released a solo album, Rhythm and Repose, in 2012.
U2's decision to rework 'Beautiful Day' for the occasion speaks to the band's broader artistic approach. Since their formation in 1976, Bono's lyrics have been characterized by expressive vocals paired with spiritual imagery, often exploring personal and sociopolitical themes. The adaptation at Hansard's funeral extended this sensibility into the realm of direct commemoration, using the song's familiar structure and melody as a vehicle for a message tailored to a fallen friend and fellow member of Dublin's vibrant music scene.
The funeral performance highlighted the interconnected nature of Ireland's music community, where artists who may work in different genres and projects remain bound by shared roots and mutual respect. Hansard's work as a busker from his teens, his success fronting the Frames, and his collaborations in the Swell Season had made him a recognizable figure in Irish rock and folk circles. U2's tribute acknowledged not just Hansard's musical contributions, but also his life and the legacy he left behind.