U2 Releases “Days of Ash” EP, Honors Renee Good in Protest Song “American Obituary”

U2 released a surprise six-track EP, “Days of Ash,” on Wednesday, featuring a lead single, “American Obituary,” dedicated to Renée Nicole Good, the Minneapolis woman fatally shot by an ICE agent in January. The EP, released on Ash Wednesday, also contains a poem set to music and songs addressing the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Frontman Bono described the EP as a response to “the moment we wish we weren’t in… but are,” and explained that the songs, whereas distinct from material planned for a forthcoming album, were too urgent to delay. “These songs were impatient to be out in the world. They are songs of defiance and dismay,” he said in a statement.

“American Obituary” directly confronts the circumstances of Good’s death. Bono began writing the lyrics the day after the shooting, according to a press release. The song’s lyrics include the lines, “Renee Good born to die free / American mother of three / Seventh day January / A bullet for each child, you see,” and pose the question, “Renee the domestic terrorist???”

Bono characterized the song as “a bit more punk rock” than U2’s earlier protest anthem, “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” reflecting the anger expressed by Good’s family. He also noted the song’s lyrical rhythm was inspired by Bob Dylan. “American Obituary is a song of fury…but more than that a song a grief. Not just for Renee but for the death of an America that at the very least would have had an inquiry into her killing,” Bono said.

The federal government has stated there will be no criminal investigation into Good’s death, and reportedly restricted access to evidence by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The Good family released a statement expressing their gratitude to U2. “It is an incredible honor to have the talent and impact of U2 spreading a message of peace in Renee’s name. We certainly feel the urgency of the country’s situation reflected in the band’s powerful call for change and coming together,” the statement read.

U2 is not alone in responding musically to Good’s death. Bruce Springsteen released “Streets of Minneapolis” in late January, also honoring Good and Alex Pretti, another individual involved in the incident.

The EP also includes “Yours Eternally,” featuring guest performances by Ed Sheeran and Taras Topolia, a Ukrainian rocker currently fighting on the front lines against Russian forces. A short documentary accompanying the track is scheduled for release on February 24th, marking the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. U2 has also released a 40th anniversary edition of their magazine, “Propaganda,” detailing the inspiration behind the songs and the collaborations featured on “Days of Ash.”

The full lyrics to “American Obituary” are:

You have the right to remain silent
Or not…
God above a mother’s love
A guiding hand to pick you up
To crush her like a coffee cup
Why?
Crossing guard or yellow bus
Our children teach us who to trust
The worst can’t kill what’s best in us
But they can try
America will rise
Against the people of the lie
I love you more
Than hate loves war
I love you more
Than hate loves war
(War, war)
We love you more than hate loves war
Renee Good born to die free
American mother of three
Seventh day January
A bullet for each child, you see
The color of her eye
930 Minneapolis
To desecrate domestic bliss
Three babies blast, three babies kissed
Renee the domestic terrorist???
What you can’t kill can’t die
America will rise
Against the people of the lie
I love you more
Than hate loves war
I love you more
Than hate loves war
(War, war)
We love you more than hate loves war
I am not mad at you, Lord
You’re the reason I was there
Could you stop a heart from breaking
By having it not care?
Could you stop a bullet it midair?
She says…
The power of the people is so much stronger than the People in power
The power of the people is so much stronger than the People in power
The power of the people is so much stronger than the People in power
In the streets with children playing
In the churches where they’re praying
School teachers are explaining
America, America
The power of the people!
We love you more (we say, we say) than hate loves war
I love you more (I say, I say) than hate loves war.