Irish rock band U2 has released a surprise six-track EP titled Days of Ash, with its opening song “American Obituary” serving as a tribute to Renee Nicole Good, a Minneapolis mother of three who was fatally shot by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent last month.
The EP, released on Ash Wednesday, marks the band’s first major collection of new songs since 2017 and reflects what frontman Bono described as an urgent response to current events and people “fighting on the front lines of freedom.”
The tribute track contains stark and emotional lyrics referencing Good’s death and her children:
“Renee Good, born to die free. American mother of three. Seventh day, January. A bullet for each child, you see,”
The song continues with graphic imagery tied to the moment of the shooting:
“The colour of her eye. 930 Minneapolis. To desecrate domestic bliss. Three bullets blast, three babies kissed. Renee, the domestic terrorist?”
And in the chorus, the band invokes a broader political and moral reckoning: “America will rise against the people of the lie.” The lyrics also reflect spiritual anguish and grief: “I am not mad at you, Lord. You’re the reason I was there. Could you stop a heart from breaking, by having it not care? Could you stop a bullet in mid-air?”The band also criticised broader immigration operations in the song:
“In the streets with children playing
In the churches where they’re praying
School teachers are explaining
America, America
The power of the people!”
Calling the song “a song of fury” as well as mourning, Bono said it reflects grief “not just for Renee but for the death of an America that at the very least would have had an inquiry into her killing.”
Family, band statements emphasise peace and unity
The song was released alongside statements from Good’s family, including her widow Becca Good, who described her as a deeply compassionate person.
“Renee didn’t just believe in kindness; she lived it, fully and fiercely,” Becca Good said. “She believed every person deserved the same compassion, care and dignity regardless of who they were.”
Good’s parents and siblings said the band’s tribute honoured her legacy and reflected “the urgency of the country’s situation.”
“These songs were impatient to be out in the world,” Bono said. “They are songs of defiance and dismay, of lamentation.”
The release follows similar musical responses from other artists, including Bruce Springsteen, who recently dedicated his song “Streets of Minneapolis” to Good and others killed during immigration enforcement operations.
What happened to Renee Nicole Good
Renee Nicole Good, a Minneapolis-based poet and mother of three, was fatally shot on January 7 during an enforcement operation conducted by the ICE.
According to federal officials, Good was accused of interfering with agents and allegedly attempted to flee in her vehicle, during which an officer opened fire. Authorities said multiple shots were fired, three of which struck her.
Officials in theTrump administration, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, described Good as a “domestic terrorist,” claiming she attempted to run over an ICE officer while fleeing.
Her family and supporters have strongly disputed the official version, arguing that she was unfairly targeted and wrongly blamed.
Her death sparked protests in Minneapolis and beyond, with activists and civil rights advocates calling for accountability and reforms to immigration enforcement.
Good’s family has since pursued legal action and public advocacy, describing her as a compassionate individual whose death has become a symbol of a broader national debate over immigration, law enforcement authority, and civil liberties.
U2 said the song was intended not only as a tribute to Good but also as a call for reflection, justice, and unity during what they described as a deeply divided moment in American society.
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