U2 Release ‘American Soul’ Featuring Kendrick Lamar

The song starts out with sparse, bluesy rock guitars and a thumping beat that accompanies vocalist Bono’s seductive vocals and takes flight with the the simple, rousing chorus.

By Doug Lazy on November 17, 2017

By Jon Wiederhorn

U2 have released a new song called “American Soul,” which will be featured on their new album Songs of Experience, out December 1.

Related: U2 Detail New Album, Announce 2018 Tour Dates

The song is the fourth the band has released from the record, and it’s the companion track to “XXX,” which was on Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. Another Kendrick collab, the previously released, “Get Out Of Your Own Way,” will also appear on Songs of Experience.

“American Soul” starts with a spoken word intro by Kendrick: “Blessed are the bullies/ For one day they will have to stand up to themselves/ Blessed are the liars/ For the truth can be awkward.”

Then, the song kicks in with sparse, bluesy rock guitars and a thumping beat that accompanies Bono’s seductive vocals. The track builds slowly, then takes flight with the simple, rousing chorus: “You are rock and roll/ You and I are rock and roll/ You are rock and roll/ Came here looking for American soul.”

Check out “American Soul” below:

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-kqo5ivgwE&w=555&h=312]