War Is Over, We Don't Need Your Help. America's Making War on Itself

When I see the chaos unfolding in the public parks and streets of America with Trump's gestapo, I was reminded of this snippet Bono recites from U2's live performance of Bullet the Blue Sky in Boston from 2001. It's a sarcastic response to John Lennon's message of love and peace, in support of greater gun control laws which in the darkness of 2025 feels almost quaint and idyllic.

Hey John…
War is over we don’t need your help
America’s making war on itself
War is over we don’t need your help
America’s making war on itself
Six hundred and seventy six thousand
Will go down in the streets of America
With a bullet in the next 20 years
20 years, these bitter tears
In a business of bitter tears
John…
(Can you hear us calling?)
More body bags than Vietnam
What’s my name?
Mark Chapman
What’s my name?
Mark Chapman
And we run
Into the arms
Of America
- Transcription of lyrics courtesy of U2songs.com

War is over we don’t need your help. America’s making war on itself.

Official version from U2's YouTube channel, audio only:

Skip to the ~5:10m mark.

Unofficial version with video:

Skip to the ~6:50m mark.

Direct link to video