Bono and The Edge rewrote U2's "Beautiful Day" for Glen Hansard's funeral on Tuesday in Dublin. According to Rolling Stone, the performance took place at St. Patrick's Cathedral as a tribute to the Once star.
The service included a voicemail from Patti Smith—her reaction to learning of Hansard's death—which Bono played before performing the reworked lyrics. He then sang the new version, which transformed the familiar anthem into a personal goodbye.
The rewritten lyrics reference specific details of Hansard's life: "You left a hangover from hell, of this there is no doubt / But as you wake up in heaven, all the angels will shout." The new words invoke his "ginger cake smile," McDaid's pub feeling like a stadium, and "thousands in the queue" waiting to experience his artistry.
Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam performed Hansard's "The Song of Good Hope" alongside Markéta Irglová, his collaborator on the film "Once." Both artists had worked with Hansard and attended the funeral.
Hansard was known for his connection to Dublin. He turned a street performance into the Oscar-winning film "Once," which established his reputation beyond indie-folk circles.
U2 shared the reworked lyrics on Instagram after the service. The tribute acknowledged how loss can reshape the meaning of a song.
