who said country music is three chords and the truth
Harlan Howard Howard formulated the oft-quoted definition of a great country song: "Three chords and the truth."[3]
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For The group worked on the track at the studio they had set up at Danesmoate House in Dublin.[5] Lanois compared the creation of the song to constructing a building, first laying down the drums as the foundation, then adding additional layers piece by piece, before finally "putting in furniture".[8] Lead singer Bono was interested in the theme of spiritual doubt, which was fostered by Eno's love for gospel music, and by Bono's listening to songs by The Swan Silvertones, The Staple Singers, and Blind Willie Johnson.[9] After the Edge wrote a chord sequence and played it on acoustic guitar "with a lot of power in the strumming", the group attempted to compose a suitable vocal melody,[7] trying out a variety of ideas.[5] During a jam session, Bono began singing a "classic soul" melody, and it was this addition that made the Edge hear the song's potential.[7] At that point, he remembered a phrase he had written in a notebook that morning as a possible song title, "I still haven't found what I'm looking for". He suggests it was influenced by a line from the Bob Dylan song "Idiot Wind": "You'll find out when you reach the top you're on the bottom".[7] He wrote the phrase on a piece of paper and handed it to Bono while he was singing. The Edge called the phrase's fit with the song "like hand in glove".[7] From that point on, the song was the first piece played to visitors during the recording sessions.[7]