U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday
U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday
Master one of the most instantly recognizable rhythm tracks in rock history with this highly accurate sheet music for "Sunday Bloody Sunday" by U2.
Originally performed by Larry Mullen Jr. as the opening statement of the band's breakthrough 1983 album War, this transcription meticulously charts out the stark, intense phrasing that defines the entire track.
Transcription Details:
Artist: U2
Song: Sunday Bloody Sunday
Album: War
Original Drummer: Larry Mullen Jr.
Transcribed by: Lucas Ventura
Format: High-Quality PDF Download
Mullen Jr.’s drumming on "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is a masterclass in rhythm acting as a song's main melodic hook. Abandoning a standard rock backbeat, he drives the track with a driving four-on-the-floor kick supporting melodically sporadic snare strikes that punctuate a relentless 16th-note hi-hat pattern. This unique phrasing captures the underlying tension of the lyrics perfectly, demanding fluid wrist motion and an improvisational readiness across the snare and hat. This clean, easy-to-read chart strips away the guesswork from his signature patterns and rhythmic hits, letting you focus entirely on nailing the precision and historical intensity of this legendary performance.
During the sessions for "Sunday Bloody Sunday", Lillywhite encouraged drummer Larry Mullen, Jr. to use a click track, but Mullen was firmly against the idea. A chance meeting with Andy Newmark (of Sly & the Family Stone) – a drummer who used a click track religiously – changed Mullen's mind. Mullen used the click track to stay in time for other songs on the album. Mullen said of the album in a 1983 interview, "I think the drumming has always been pretty simple, I don't think it needs to be flashy. For War I use a click track, something I haven't used before, it's a way of keeping time in my headphones. When I listened to the music in time with the click track I knew I had to bring it down to the real basics. Hopefully for the next LP it will be more complicated, I'll move on. I think of it as a musical progression for myself because I learned a lot recording this album, just about my own style and that's what I wanted to do. I think there is a definite style on War where there isn't on the previous albums."