“New Year’s Day” is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track on their 1983 album War and was released as the album’s lead single in January 1983. The song is about the Polish Solidarity movement, “New Year’s Day” is driven by Adam Clayton’s distinctive bassline and the Edge’s piano and guitar playing. It was the band’s first UK hit single, peaking at number 10.
“New Year’s Day” is U2’s seventh most frequently performed live song, with the Edge switching back and forth between piano and guitar during the song. It has been a standard on every U2 tour since its debut on 1 December 1982.
Here is one of the most memorable performances of the song, from Red Rocks Amphitheatre outside of Denver in 1983.
