Bono, Damien Rice, Swell Season Busk For Charity in Dublin

Passersby on Grafton Street in Dublin got a surprise on Christmas Eve when a pack of buskers performing on the sidewalk turned out to be Bono, the Swell Season's Glen Hansard, Damien Rice and singer-songwriter Mundy. The U2 frontman and his Irish pals came together to raise money for Simon Community, an organization that serves Ireland's homeless population. Grafton Street has seen its share of noteworthy performances — the road also featured heavily in the Oscar-winning Once, starring the Swell Season's Hansard and Marketa Irglova.

The ragtag group of rockers jammed for nearly an hour, performing songs like Bob Dylan's "Knocking on Heaven's Door" as camera phones captured all the action. In the video above, watch as Bono and Co. perform both Ben E. King's "Stand By Me" and U2's "One."

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Song Stories

“Youth Knows No Pain”

Lykke Li | 2011

“Like on 'Youth Knows No Pain' — we are the ones that should demonstrate, because we can take it,” Likke Li said. “We can pierce ourselves, take Ecstasy, dance all night and still go to work at our McDonald's jobs.” Despite the hedonistic sentiment in the song, the Swedish singer also admitted in hindsight her youth had repercussions. “I remember when I was 18-19 and feeling that I know it all,” Li said. “I always feel that I know it all. But that song is about realizing you don’t, and reflecting, ‘Boy, if I only knew what would follow.’”

More Song Stories entries »

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