This is my 20.000th post on this website, and I wanted to celebrate it by dedicating a topic to what was, is and will by my nickname on mostly all U2-related (even in some not music related at all!) websites, forums, etc: LikeASong
... Like A Song is such a special song to me, as well as a strong nickname, and I am very proud that quite a lot of my forum fellows associate the song with me when they hear it. It's a honour 
As you know, Like A Song is the 4th song on the War CD, and the 4th song also on the "A" side of the War LP album.
It's a heavy drum-based song with some spine-tingling guitar work by The Edge, powerful bass lines by Mr. Clayton and a strong, strong set of vocals by Bono. Musically, it goes on the line of Sunday Bloody Sunday, although it ressembles Rejoice, I Threw A Brick Through A Window and even Twilight and Stories For Boys at some moments.
On the other hand, it's one of the most elaborate lyrics up to that moment. Bono must have been really angry while writing this song, its lyrics are full of fury, anger and rebelliousness. Then again the whole War album is full of that (Quoting Bono, "War seemed to be the motif for 1982. Everywhere you looked, from the Falklands to the Middle East and South Africa, there was war. By calling the album War we're giving people a slap in the face and at the same time getting away from the cosy image a lot of people have of U2''), but it's specially notorious in Like A Song.
This is a mix of two (spot-on, in my opinion) reviews I found on U2MoL, modified by myself:
Like A Song talks about how violence can't change anything, and if you try, violently, you are no better than the ones in control, the people you riot against. From a simple lyrical-point-of-view, this song preaches passive and non-violent resistance. It also expresses sadness for what the world has become.
The character of the song won't be fooled by uniforms, badges or flags, as he truly believes the hysteria of a "violent" revolution (specially with all the different opposing groups fighting also among themselves) will not make things better - it will only add to the bloodshed. He also feels numbed by his experiences and thinks that the world has little or nothing to offer him and his generation. That's a subtle rebel punk reference, inteded as a message to those who said and believed that U2 were too worthy, too sincere, too soft, and not 'punk' enough.
On a more speciphic note, this song is (like the more recognised Sunday Bloody Sunday) about the fighting between the North and the Republic in Ireland. That becomes evident in the verses And I won't let others live in hell / as we divide against each other / and we fight amongst ourselves. The fighting against each other is a reference to the Republic fighting against the Brits, and the dividing amongst ourselves is a reference to the fights among the different factions of the Republic, the divided country of Ireland.
Here's a breathtaking fan-made videoclip:
As many of you know, Like A Song was performed only once, on the 26th of February of 1983, in a medium-sized Scottish city called Dundee. U2 (and most probably, Edge) didn't like how it turned out live, and dropped it altogether from the setlists from that day on. Nevertheless, it only makes Like A Song's legend even bigger, in my humble opinion.
Every 26th of February I celebrate my personal "Like A Song" day, in which I blast the album version, I toast with a pint of Guiness and then blast the live version and enjoy the uniqueness of it all
After so many years, my family doesn't even wonder why I do that anymore, they just remember about that song in the War LP. They associate it with me, as well Here's the audio of the only Like A Song live performance to date.
Thank you ALL
... See you around, I hope you and me are here for another 20.000 posts, at least.Sergio - U2santos - LikeASong
(If the translation suck, blame Google 
) 
) and for this reason (aside the strenght of the song itself) has a particular spot in my heart too. 