Kelly Clarkson recently gave a spirited rendition of U2’s “Pride (In the Name of Love)” during the Kellyoke segment of her daytime talk show. The song gave her an excuse to show off her famous belting prowess, and she delivered each note with power and precision.
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Dressed in a sleek all-black outfit, Clarkson took the Kellyoke stage backed by her band, who laid the drum-heavy foundation for the cover. Fans in the YouTube comments shared their love for Clarkson and her powerhouse vocals, with one writing, “If they gave out Gold Medals for vocals, Kelly would have to get Platinum!! She can sing anything and is fabulous.”
Another fan wrote, “I love that she always gives her band props!! It really says a lot about her,” while another commented on the fact that the song seemed “effortless” for her. One fan pointed out the significance of Clarkson choosing to sing “Pride (In the Name of Love)” on January 15, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
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“For those who don’t know why she’s covering this iconic song today on Dr MLK Day,” the fan wrote, “the lyrics in this U2 classic ‘early morning April 4..…’ and that entire verse she sang refer to the day they ‘took his life’, April 4, 1968, in Memphis. Kelly is a class act all the way.”
The Significance Behind Kelly Clarkson’s Song Choice
“Pride (In the Name of Love)” was indeed written about Martin Luther King Jr. The song was created out of a soundcheck improvisation, then polished over time. At first, it was intended to cover Ronald Reagan’s pride in American military power, but, according to the 2006 book U2 by U2 by journalist Neil McCormick and the band, Bono was influenced by Let The Trumpet Sound: A Life of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Stephen B. Oates and a biography of Malcolm X. He then began to study the Civil Rights Movement through both lenses—violence and non-violence.
Although “Pride (In the Name of Love)” became one of U2’s biggest commercial hits, Bono has stated that he thinks the lyrics were “left as simple sketches.” According to the frontman, he wanted to work on the lyrics more, but was convinced by guitarist the Edge and producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois to keep the improvised nature of the lyrics. They felt it would add force and emotion to the song, especially for non-English speakers, but Bono has expressed regret that he didn’t get a chance to develop it more.
In his own words, quoted in U2 by U2, Bono said, “I looked at how glorious that song was and thought: ‘What the f–k is that all about?’ It’s just a load of vowel sounds ganging up on a great man. It is emotionally very articulate – if you didn’t speak English.”
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