"Where the Streets Have No Name" is a song by the Irish rock band U2, released as the opening track on their 1987 album The Joshua Tree and issued as the album's third single in August 1987
. The song was inspired by the social divisions in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where Bono, the band's lead vocalist and lyricist, observed that a person's religion and income could be identified by the street they lived on. The lyrics express a longing for a place without such divisions-a metaphorical or spiritual location "where the streets have no name"
. The song features a distinctive repeating guitar arpeggio with a delay effect and has been a staple in U2's live performances since its debut in 1987
. The music video was famously filmed on a rooftop in Los Angeles, echoing the spirit of breaking down barriers and uniting people through music
. In summary, "Where the Streets Have No Name" is not about a specific geographic location but rather symbolizes a place free from social, religious, and economic divisions, inspired by the context of Northern Ireland and Bono's humanitarian experiences
