Wake Up Dead Man

"Wake Up Dead Man", the 12th track on the 1997 album Pop, began as an upbeat song from the Achtung Baby sessions in 1991. It evolved into a darker composition during the Zooropa sessions, but it was shelved until Pop. One of the band's darkest songs. It is also one of only a few U2 songs to include the word "fuck", if not the only one. Contains excerpts from "Besrodna Nevesta" written by Nikolai Iankov Kaoufmane and performed by Le Mystère des voix Bulgares.

[Verse 1] Jesus, Jesus help me I'm alone in this world And a fucked-up world it is too Tell me, tell me the story The one about eternity And the way it's all gonna be [Chorus] Wake up Wake up dead man Wake up Wake up dead man [Verse 2] Jesus, I'm waiting here, boss I know you're looking out for us But maybe your hands aren't free Your Father, He made the world in seven He's in charge of heaven Will you put a word in for me? [Chorus] Wake up Wake up dead man Wake up Wake up dead man [Bridge] Listen to the words they'll tell you what to do Listen over the rhythm that's confusing you Listen to the reed in the saxophone Listen over the hum of the radio Listen over the sounds of blades in rotation Listen through the traffic and circulation Listen as hope and peace try to rhyme Listen over marching bands playing out their time [Chorus] Wake up Wake up dead man Wake up Wake up dead man [Verse 3] Jesus, were you just around the corner? Did you think to try and warn her? Were you working on something new? If there's an order in all of this disorder Is it like a tape recorder? Can we rewind it just once more? [Chorus] Wake up Wake up dead man Wake up Wake up dead man Wake up Wake up dead man