"One Tree Hill" Lyrics U2

"One Tree Hill" is the ninth track and final single from U2's album, The Joshua Tree. The single was released exclusively in New Zealand in 1988 where it went to number one and was their first number one single there. The title of the song refers to One Tree Hill, a volcanic peak in Auckland, New Zealand. At the time of the song's release, a single Monterey pine tree stood on the hill. The tree was removed in 2000, 6 years after being chainsawed by a Māori activist protesting about some bullshit.

When U2 returned to Auckland in 2006, the song was played each night, with Bono noting the tree had not yet been replayed.

"One Tree Hill" Lyrics U2

We turn away to face the cold, enduring chill
As the day begs the night for mercy
Your sun so bright it leaves no shadows, only scars
Carved into stone on the face of earth
The moon is up over One Tree Hill
We see the sun go down in your eyes

You ran like a river oh, to the sea
You run like a river runs to the sea

And in our world a heart of darkness
A firezone where poets speak their hearts
Then bleed for it
Jara sang his song a weapon
In the hands of love
You know his blood still cries from the ground

It runs like a river, runs to the sea
It runs like a river to the sea

I don't believe in painted roses or bleeding hearts
While bullets rape the night of the merciful
I'll see you again when the stars fall from the sky
And the moon has turned red over One Tree Hill

We run like a river to the sea, run to the sea
We run like a river to the sea
And when it's raining, raining hard
That's when the rain will break my heart
Raining, raining hard, raining in your heart
Raining, rain into your heart, raining

Oh great ocean, oh great sea
Run to the ocean, run to the sea

The real One Tree Hill:

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