Live At 75th Academy Awards

24 Mar 2003
The Hands That Built America didn't take the Oscar, but the band performed an outstanding version - with a new lyric.

In a subtle reference to events in Iraq, Bono changed the lyric to the final verse, singing:

'Late in the spring,
yellow cloud on a desert skyline.
Some father's son
Is it his, or is it mine?'

It was Eminem who walked away with the Oscar for Best Original Song, won for his song Lose Yourself for his own film 8 Mile. And despite all the predictions, Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York, for which U2 wrote The Hands That Built America, finished up empty-handed.

Speaking afterwards Bono congratulated Eminem, adding, "We didn't come here to compete for awards, we were just happy to perform. Eminem did well to win his Oscar. He's had a good couple of years and so have we. 'To be honest, there are more important things to worry about in the world at the minute than winning an Oscar. 'But it's good that the event went ahead. We have to stay focused on what really counts, and a big event like this doesn't mean we lose sight of that.'

More on the winners here www.oscar.com

RECENT NEWS

20 Jan, 2025

It's here. V-U2, the definitive photographic book capturing U2 at Sphere in Las Vegas. (For one day, exclusive to subscribers)

5 Jan, 2025

'Freedom must be re-won by each generation', Bono writes in The Atlantic this week. 'That is a fine call to action for a new year'.

13 Dec, 2024

 Subscribers Special
On the final night, Danny Lanois in the house… for One.

17
10 Dec, 2024

Larry is a producer of the upcoming documentary Left Behind - and co-writes and performs on two music tracks. Now screening in NYC.