On April 3, 2026, U2 release “Song for Hal”, a COVID-19 lockdown lament, with The Edge on lead vocals, written for the band’s friend Hal Willner, who would have turned 70 on Easter Monday and passed away almost 6 years ago to the day.
The song and video is part of their “Easter Lily” EP release.
The Easter Lily EP is accompanied by a special digital e-zine edition of Propaganda. Titled U2 – Propaganda – Easter Lily, this magazine features contributions from the four band members including sleeve notes from The Edge; Adam Clayton on art and the journey of recovery; a conversation between Bono and Franciscan friar Richard Rohr; and in-the-studio photographs shot by Larry Mullen Jr. The e-zine also featuressong lyrics; a piece on their producer, Jacknife Lee; a piece on Hal Willner by his friend Gavin Friday; and more. Forty years ago, in February 1986, the first issue of Propaganda dropped through the letterboxes of U2 fans around the world. Aspiring to match other fan magazines at that time, Propaganda was born out of the punk-era D.I.Y. zine culture that embraced attitude, ideas and dialogue.
Read U2 – Propaganda – Easter Lily HERE (Gavin Friday’s piece on Hal starts on page 20 and spans 5 pages).
Lyrics:
Did you hear “Forever”?
Was it playing soft and low?
It’s not a song you wanna hear
If you’re not ready to go
You’re not alone in the bright blue air
Not alone if there’s no one there at all
You’re not alone if your voice is unheard
Not alone the song of the mockingbird don’t last long
They appear and then they’re gone
I swear where music is made
You’ll be there
And as the morning light
Stretches out across the floor
Can’t believe it’s another day
And life goes on like it did before
You’re not alone when you’re on your knees
Not alone if no one sees you fall
You never took a curtain call
And you are not alone when you close your eyes
And slip into a dream that takes you to the other side
Of the songs in your head
Dizzy as a musical
Stupid songs you can’t forget
Beyond pretty, beyond beautiful
Wherever the strange is on parade
Wherever the music is made
You’ll be there
Did you know he is close to God
Who makes his old friends laugh?
Did you know Hal the magician?
I watched him disappear from a photograph
