Which U2 song includes lyrics in Latin?

The U2 song that includes lyrics in Latin is “Gloria.” It opens the band’s 1981 album October and was released as that album’s second single. The song is primarily in English, but its chorus uses Latin words drawn from the Christian liturgical phrase “Gloria in excelsis Deo.”

The refrain includes “Gloria in te domine” and “Gloria exultate,” giving the song a distinctly ecclesiastical sound within a forceful post-punk arrangement. Its religious language fits the spiritual concerns that influenced U2 during the October period. The lyrics also echo biblical themes, including references associated with Colossians and the Psalms.

“Gloria” was recorded at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin with producer Steve Lillywhite. It became one of U2’s defining early songs, even though it charted modestly in the United Kingdom, where it reached number 55. Readers sometimes confuse it with Van Morrison’s earlier song “Gloria,” which U2 also referenced culturally; the Latin-language lyric clue points specifically to U2’s song. The track’s Latin appears in the chorus rather than throughout the entire lyric.