Bad (U2 song)
1984 song by U2
"Bad" is a song by Irish rock band U2 and the seventh track on their 1984 album "The Unforgettable Fire". Thematically, the song is about heroin addiction, though lead vocalist Bono has given varying accounts of who was the inspiration behind his lyrics. "Bad" is considered a fan favourite and is one of U2's most frequently performed songs in concert. The band's 12-minute performance of the song at the Live Aid charity concert in 1985 was a breakthrough moment for them.
A live version of the song appears on U2's 1985 EP "Wide Awake in America"; this rendition became popular on album-oriented rock radio stations. In the United States, the song peaked at number 19 on the "Billboard" Top Rock Tracks chart. The album version of the song featured on the trailer of the 2009 film "Brothers" and in the opening and closing sequences of the 2004 film "Taking Lives".
History.
"Bad" originated from a guitar riff that the Edge improvised during a jam session at Slane Castle, where U2 were recording their 1984 album "The Unforgettable Fire." The basic track was completed in three takes. Of its immediate and live nature, the Edge said, "There's one moment where [drummer] Larry [Mullen Jr.] puts down brushes and takes up the sticks and it creates this pause which has an incredibly dramatic effect." Producer Brian Eno added the sequencer arpeggios that accompany the song.
The early 1980s recession had led to a high number of heroin addicts in inner city Dublin. In concert, lead vocalist Bono frequently introduced the song as a song about Dublin. The Edge and the album's producers, Eno and Daniel Lanois, were focused on the music and were less interested in the lyrics. Bono said that he left the song unfinished.
During the 3 December 1984 concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York City for the Unforgettable Fire Tour, Bono said the song was about heroin and that he wrote it for a friend and also for himself; in discussing this comment during a 17 December radio interview, Bono said, "Well, I think I said I wrote the song for a friend of mine; I also wrote it for myself because you can be addicted to anything. And, you know, that song's not just about heroin: it's about a lot of things. None of our songs, really, are just about one thing."
There are other versions of the story from Bono himself. His account from a 1987 concert in Chicago during the Joshua Tree Tour indicate "Bad" is about a friend of his who died of a heroin overdose and also about the conditions that make such events likely to be repeated. Bono once commented in another concert (in the UK) about people lying in gutters with "needles hangin' outta their fuckin' arms while the rich live indifferently to the suffering of the less fortunate." At Eriksberg, Gothenburg in Sweden 1987, he said: "I wrote the words about a friend of mine; his name was Gareth Spaulding, and on his 21st birthday he and his friends decided to give themselves a present of enough heroin into his veins to kill him. This song is called 'Bad.'"
During a 26 July 2011 concert in Pittsburgh during the U2 360° Tour, Bono introduced a performance of "Bad" as a song written for a "very special man, who is here in your city, who grew up on Cedarwood Road. We wrote this song about him and we play it for him tonight." He was referring to Andy Rowen, whom the song was written about in 1984 and who was present at the show. Rowen is the brother of Bono's Lypton Village friend Guggi and Peter Rowen, who is featured on the sleeve artwork for the band's albums "Boy" (1980) and "War" (1983).
Live performances.
"Bad" is one of the band's most performed songs. Translating the elaborate and complex textures of the new studio-recorded tracks to live performance proved to be a serious challenge when the Unforgettable Fire Tour commenced. One solution was programmed sequencers, which the band had previously been reluctant to use. Sequencers were prominently used on "Bad".
The studio version of "Bad" was criticised as being "unfinished", "fuzzy" and "unfocused", but the band found that it made more sense on stage. "Rolling Stone", for example, critical of the album version, described its live performance as a "show stopper".
A staple of U2's concert tours of the 1980s, "Bad" was also frequently performed during the first four legs of the 1992–1993 Zoo TV Tour. Although not played until the fourth leg of the PopMart Tour of 1997 and 1998, it returned to the normal set list for 2001's Elevation Tour and saw occasional performances during the Vertigo Tour of 2005 and 2006, sometimes even appearing as the closing song for shows. It made very sporadic appearances on the U2 360° Tour and has featured occasionally on the 2015 Innocence + Experience Tour.
The song once again returned to the normal setlist for both the Joshua Tree Tours 2017 and 2019, typically being played early on in the set with other pre-"The Joshua Tree" era hits. The Experience + Innocence Tour however (which took place in 2018 between the 2017 and 2019 legs of "The Joshua Tree" anniversary tours) did not feature a single performance of the song, making it the first tour in U2's history where the song was not performed.
Bono is known for singing a wide variety of snippets during performances of "Bad". Lyrics from over 50 different songs have been included in "Bad", ranging from brief quotes of a single line through to multiple verses. These snippets are typically sung after the line "I'm not sleeping" and Bono has included up to six different excerpts in a single performance of "Bad". Performances without at least one snippet are very rare.
Live Aid.
U2 participated in the Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium for Ethiopian famine relief on 13 July 1985. They played a 12-minute version of "Bad", which was extended by snippets of Lou Reed's "Satellite of Love" and "Walk on the Wild Side", and The Rolling Stones' "Ruby Tuesday" and "Sympathy for the Devil". During the performance, Bono leaped down off the stage to embrace and dance with a fan. In 2005 the girl with whom he danced, who was at the front to see Wham!, revealed that he actually saved her life at the time. She was being crushed by the throngs of people pushing forwards; Bono saw this, and gestured frantically at the ushers to help her. They did not understand what he was saying, and so he jumped down to help her himself. Bono's rescue of and dance with the girl was captured on the TV broadcast sent around the world. The performance was so long that the band were only able to play two of the three songs in their set, leaving out "Pride (In the Name of Love)", which was supposed to end the band's performance. The concert turned out to be a breakthrough moment for the band, showing a television audience of millions the personal connection that Bono could make with audiences. A week later, Bono realized that the dance with the fan became a key image of Live Aid. All of U2's albums re-entered the UK Albums Chart after their performance.
Discography.
"Bad" is the first track on the 1985 EP "Wide Awake in America", this being a live version recorded at Birmingham's NEC Arena on November 12, 1984 during sound check. This version includes prerecorded rhythm tracks. There are no other snippets of songs on this version for copyright reasons. Three other versions of "Bad" have been officially released by the band. An edit of the version from "The Unforgettable Fire" appears on the 1998 compilation "The Best of 1980–1990"; with the exception of the hidden version of "October", "Bad" is the only non-single to appear on the compilation. In addition to the live performance included on "Wide Awake in America", a live version from 1987's Joshua Tree Tour appears in the rockumentary "Rattle and Hum" and a version from 2001's Elevation Tour appears in the concert film "" (with a snippet of "40" at the end and therefore credited as "Bad / '40'"). For the release of the 2004 digital box set "The Complete U2", another live version of "Bad" was included on the live album "Live from the Point Depot".
An acoustic version of "Bad" with lyrical changes is included on U2's 2023 album "Songs of Surrender".
References.
Footnotes
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Bibliography

List of cover versions of U2 songs
This list shows cover versions of songs originally by the Irish rock band U2 that have been recorded and released.
"40".
"40" is the tenth and final track from U2's 1983 album, "War". It is the final single from the album, released solely in Germany in 1983. The song was recorded right at the end of the recording sessions for "War". Bassist Adam Clayton had already left the studio, and the three remaining band members decided they did not have a good song to end the album. Bono noted that "We spent ten minutes writing this song, ten minutes recording it, ten minutes mixing it, ten minutes playing it back, and that's got nothing to do with why it's called '40'."
Acrobat.
"Acrobat" is the eleventh track from U2's 1991 album "Achtung Baby".
All I Want Is You.
"All I Want Is You" is the 17th song on U2's 1988 album, "Rattle and Hum" and was released in 1989 as the album's fourth and final single. It is the closing song from the movie "Rattle and Hum".
An Cat Dubh.
"An Cat Dubh" is the third track from U2's debut album, "Boy". It is frequently paired with the following song from the same album, "Into the Heart".
Angel of Harlem.
"Angel of Harlem" is the second single from U2's 1988 album, "Rattle and Hum". It peaked at #9 on the UK singles chart. It is an homage to Billie Holiday.
Bad.
"Bad" is the seventh track from U2's 1984 album, "The Unforgettable Fire". Often considered a fan favorite, it is U2's tenth most frequently performed song in concert. The song is about a heroin addiction.
Beautiful Day.
"Beautiful Day" is the lead single from U2's 2000 album, "All That You Can't Leave Behind". It was a huge commercial success, helping to launch the album to multi-platinum status, and is one of U2's biggest hits to date.
Breathe.
"Breathe" is the tenth track from U2's 2009 album "No Line on the Horizon". Longtime U2 collaborator and producer Brian Eno cited "Breathe" as "the best thing (U2) have ever recorded" during an interview with "Q" magazine.
Bullet the Blue Sky.
"Bullet the Blue Sky" is the fourth track from U2's 1987 album, "The Joshua Tree". The song was originally written about the United States' military intervention during the 1980s in the El Salvador Civil War.
City of Blinding Lights.
"City of Blinding Lights" is the fifth track and third single from the group's 2004 album "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb". The song tells the story of U2's first arrival in New York City in 1980, with Bono remarking it was an "amazing, magical time in our life, when we didn't know how powerful it was not to know."
Desire.
"Desire" is the lead single from U2's 1988 album, "Rattle and Hum". It was their first #1 single in the UK and their first #1 on the newly instated Modern Rock Tracks chart.
Drowning Man.
"Drowning Man" is the fifth track on U2's 1983 album, "War". Its sound is a departure from the other tracks in "War".
The Electric Co..
"The Electric Co." is the tenth track from U2's debut album, "Boy". When performed live it is frequently preceded by the unrecorded song, "The Cry".
Elevation.
"Elevation" is the third track and third single release from U2's 2000 album, "All That You Can't Leave Behind". Featuring a thunderous beat, a variety of sound effects on the central guitar riff, and an easy rhyming lyric for the audience to shout along with, it was highly effective in that concert-starting role and became a hit in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Even Better Than the Real Thing.
"Even Better Than the Real Thing" is the second song from U2's 1991 album, "Achtung Baby" and was released in 1992 as the fourth single from the album.
Exit.
Exit is the 10th track of U2's "Joshua Tree", released in 1987.
The Fly.
"The Fly" is the seventh song on U2's 1991 album, "Achtung Baby" and was released as the album's first single. It has been described as "the sound of four men chopping down the Joshua Tree." The song's subject is that of a phone call from someone in Hell who enjoys being there and telling the person on the other line what he has learned. "The Fly" was an introduction to the sonic and electronic experimentation that would dominate U2's 1990s work.
Get on Your Boots.
"Get on Your Boots" is the lead single and sixth track from "No Line on the Horizon".
Gloria.
"Gloria" was the second single and opening track from U2's 1981 album, "October".
God Part II.
"God Part II" is the fourteenth track from U2's 1988 album, "Rattle and Hum". The song is a departure from the sound of the album's other studio recordings, and is an introduction to the darker sound the band would adopt for the release of their next album, "Achtung Baby".
Grace.
"Grace" is the final track from U2's 2000 album, "All That You Can't Leave Behind".
Heartland.
"Heartland" is the thirteenth track from U2's 1988 album, "Rattle and Hum". Unlike the other studio tracks from the album, "Heartland" was left over from "The Joshua Tree" sessions.
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me.
"Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" is a single by U2 from the "Batman Forever" soundtrack album, released in 1995. It was also included on the compilation album, "The Best of 1990-2000". As well as all the covers, "Weird Al" Yankovic parodied the song as "Cavity Search" for his 1996 album "Bad Hair Day".
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.
"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is the second track from U2's 1987 album "The Joshua Tree", and was released as the album's second single. The song grew from another song called "Under the Weather Girls", from which Larry Mullen Jr.'s drum track was used as a foundation. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is the most frequently covered U2 song.
I Will Follow.
"I Will Follow" is the opening track from U2's debut album, "Boy". It was written by Bono about the death of his mother, who died of a brain hemorrhage at the funeral of her father.
I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight.
"I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" is the third single and fifth track from the 2009 album "No Line on the Horizon". The track underwent several name changes during the album sessions, known first as "Diorama" and then "Crazy Tonight" before the final selection. Several of the song's lyrics were influenced by Barack Obama's presidential campaign. The song was used in television commercials for a new Blackberry application, called the "U2 Mobile App", which was developed as part of Research in Motion's sponsorship of the U2 360° Tour.
In a Little While.
"In a Little While" is the sixth track from U2's 2000 album "All That You Can't Leave Behind". While originally about a hangover, Bono later stated that the song's connection to Joey Ramone—being the last song he heard before his death in 2001—has given it a deeper religious meaning, and he now refers to it as a Gospel song". "In a Little While" was played often throughout the Elevation Tour, and was frequently snippeted inside "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" during the Vertigo Tour.
In God's Country.
"In God's Country" is the seventh track and fourth single from U2's 1987 album, "The Joshua Tree". A live version of the song appears in the U2 rockumentary, "Rattle and Hum".
Like a Song....
"Like a Song..." is the fourth track from U2's 1983 album, "War". It was only played live once, on 26 February 1983 in Dundee, Scotland.
Love Is Blindness.
"Love Is Blindness" is the twelfth and final song from U2's 1991 album, "Achtung Baby". Much of the album relates to love gone wrong, in one form or another; the lyrics to "Love Is Blindness" reflect this theme, juxtaposing love and violent imagery.
Love Rescue Me.
"Love Rescue Me" is the eleventh track from U2's 1988 album, "Rattle and Hum". It is a collaboration between the band and Bob Dylan, who also provides vocals to the recording.
Magnificent.
"Magnificent" is the second track and single from "No Line on the Horizon". The track was originally titled "French Disco", but was renamed during the recording process.
Miss Sarajevo.
"Miss Sarajevo" is the only single from the 1995 album "Original Soundtracks 1" by U2, under the pseudonym Passengers. Luciano Pavarotti makes a guest vocal appearance, singing the opera solo. It also appears on the compilation album, "The Best of 1990–2000".
MLK.
"MLK" is the tenth and final track of U2's 1984 album, "The Unforgettable Fire". A lullaby to honor Martin Luther King Jr., it is a short, pensive piece with simple lyrics.
Moment of Surrender.
"Moment of Surrender" is the third track from "No Line on the Horizon". The song tells the story of a heroin addict's spiritual awakening at an automated teller machine.
Mothers of the Disappeared.
"Mothers of the Disappeared" is the eleventh and final track from U2's 1987 album, "The Joshua Tree".
Mysterious Ways.
"Mysterious Ways" is the eighth track on U2's 1991 album, "Achtung Baby", and was released as the album's second single.
New Year's Day.
"New Year's Day" is the third song and lead single from U2's 1983 album, "War". The song is driven by Adam Clayton's distinctive bassline and The Edge's keyboard. It was the band's first hit single, breaking the top ten in the UK and charting on the "Billboard" Hot 100 for the first time in their career. In 2004, "Rolling Stone" magazine placed the single at number 427 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
No Line on the Horizon.
"No Line on the Horizon" is the opening and title track from the 2009 album "No Line on the Horizon".
North and South of the River.
"North and South of the River" is a B-side to the 1997 single "Staring at the Sun".
Numb.
"Numb" is the third track from U2's 1993 album, "Zooropa", and was released as the album's first single.
October.
"October" is the seventh and title track from U2's 1981 album, "October". It is a departure from U2's classic sound, as it is a quiet, almost instrumental piece. It was included as a hidden track on "The Best of 1980–1990".
One.
"One" is the third song from U2's 1991 album, "Achtung Baby", and was released as a single in 1992. Tensions during the recording of the album almost prompted U2 to break-up until the band rallied around the writing of "One". It is widely considered to be one of the band's greatest songs and is consistently featured in lists of the greatest songs of all time, including "Rolling Stone"'s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, where it placed #36, and #1 on "Q Magazine"'s list of the 1001 Greatest Songs of All-Time.
One Tree Hill.
"One Tree Hill" is the ninth track and final single from U2's 1987 album, "The Joshua Tree". The single was released as a single exclusively in New Zealand in 1988, where it reached number one. The title of the song refers to One Tree Hill, a volcanic peak in Auckland, New Zealand.
Pride (In the Name of Love).
"Pride (In the Name of Love)" is the second song on U2's 1984 album, "The Unforgettable Fire" and was released as the album's first single. Written about Martin Luther King Jr., it is one of the band's most recognized songs.
Promenade.
"Promenade" is the fifth track on U2's 1984 album, "The Unforgettable Fire".
Red Hill Mining Town.
"Red Hill Mining Town" is the sixth track from U2's 1987 album, "The Joshua Tree".
Running to Stand Still.
"Running to Stand Still" is the fifth track from U2's 1987 album, "The Joshua Tree". It is a soft, slow, keyboard-based song about a heroin-addicted woman from the Ballymun Seven Towers area of Dublin.
Seconds.
"Seconds" is the second track on U2's 1983 album, "War". The track contains a clip from the 1982 documentary "Soldier Girls", and is the first song by the band not sung solely by Bono; The Edge sings the first two stanzas.
So Cruel.
"So Cruel" is the sixth track from U2's 1991 album, "Achtung Baby".
Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own.
"Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own" is the second single from U2's 2004 album, "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb". It was released in the United Kingdom in February 2005, and debuted at #1 on the UK Singles Chart. The song won Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Song of the Year at the 2006 Grammy Awards.
Stay (Faraway, So Close!).
"Stay (Faraway, So Close!)" is the fifth track from U2's 1993 album, "Zooropa", and was released as the album's third single on November 22, 1993. It was released on the soundtrack for the Wim Wenders film, "Faraway, So Close!". While speaking with "Rolling Stone", Bono noted that "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)" is one of his personal favourite, and one of their most underrated, U2 songs.
Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of.
"Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" is a single release from U2's 2000 album, "All That You Can't Leave Behind". It won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 2002.
Sunday Bloody Sunday.
"Sunday Bloody Sunday" is the opening track and third single from U2's 1983 album, "War". The song is noted for its militaristic drumbeat, simple but harsh guitar, and melodic harmonies. One of U2's most overtly political songs, its lyrics describe the horror felt by an observer of The Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Sweetest Thing.
"Sweetest Thing", sometimes titled "The Sweetest Thing", is a B-side to the "Where the Streets Have No Name" single. It was re-recorded and released as a single for the 1998 compilation album "The Best of 1980-1990". The song was written by Bono as an apology to his wife for forgetting her birthday during the creation of "The Joshua Tree".
Tomorrow.
"Tomorrow" is the sixth track on 1981's "October" album.
Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World.
"Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World" is the ninth track on the 1991 album, "Achtung Baby". The song is a lighthearted account of a drunken journey home.
Two Hearts Beat as One.
"Two Hearts Beat as One" is the seventh track on U2's 1983 album, "War". It was released as the album's second single but only in the US, UK and Australia.
Ultraviolet (Light My Way).
"Ultraviolet (Light My Way)" is the tenth track from U2's 1991 album "Achtung Baby".
The Unforgettable Fire.
"The Unforgettable Fire" is the fourth track from the 1984 album of the same name, and was released in 1985 as the album's second and last single. The title is a reference to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan in World War II.
Unknown Caller.
"Unknown Caller" is the fourth track from the 2009 album "No Line on the Horizon". According to The Edge, "the idea is that the narrator is in an altered state, and his phone starts talking to him".
Until the End of the World.
"Until the End of the World" is the fourth track from U2's 1991 album, "Achtung Baby". The song is reputed to describe a conversation between Jesus Christ and Judas Iscariot.
Vertigo.
"Vertigo" is the lead single and opening track for the 2004 album "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb". The track was an international hit, winning three Grammy awards at the 2005 event and being featured in an iPod commercial.
The Wanderer.
"The Wanderer" is the tenth and final track on the 1993 album "Zooropa". The song features Johnny Cash on lead vocals and tells the story of a man searching for God in the ruins of a post-apocalyptic world. The song has only been performed live once, as a posthumous tribute to Johnny Cash, with Bono singing lead vocals.
Wake Up Dead Man.
"Wake Up Dead Man" is the closing track from the 1997 album "Pop". The title was first revealed in 1993, as part of it was superimposed on the cover of the album "Zooropa".
Walk On.
"Walk On" is the fourth single and track from the album "All That You Can't Leave Behind". Written about and dedicated to Aung San Suu Kyi, the track is banned in Burma, and anyone who has possession of either the single of the song or the album could face a prison sentence lasting between three and twenty years. The title for "All That You Can't Leave Behind" stems from lyrics in the song.
When Love Comes to Town.
"When Love Comes to Town" was a collaboration between U2 and B.B. King, released as a single for the album "Rattle and Hum".
Where the Streets Have No Name.
"Where the Streets Have No Name" is the third single from the 1987 album "The Joshua Tree". The track's signature is a repeating guitar arpeggio utilizing a delay effect that is played at the beginning and end of the song. The song's frequent chord and time changes caused problems in playing the song correctly; the difficulty was so great that producer Brian Eno attempted to erase the track. Drummer Larry Mullen Jr. later said of the song, "It took so long to get that song right, it was difficult for us to make any sense of it. It only became a truly great song through playing live. On the record, musically, it's not half the song it is live."
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses.
"Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" was released in 1992 as the fifth and final single for the 1991 album "Achtung Baby".
With or Without You.
"With or Without You" is the lead single from U2's 1987 album, "The Joshua Tree". It has since become highly acclaimed as one of the band's most popular songs. Released as a single in March 1987, it became the group's first American #1 hit.
Zoo Station.
"Zoo Station" is the first track on U2's 1991 album "Achtung Baby".
1. <templatestyles src="Citation/styles.css"/>^ On this release, the title of "Drowning Man" was changed to "Drowning Man (Drowning)".
2. <templatestyles src="Citation/styles.css"/>^ This cover of "Even Better Than the Real Thing" was released as the "Julian Beeston Mix".
3. <templatestyles src="Citation/styles.css"/>^ This cover was in Serbian language and entitled "Model donjeg veša" (transl. "Lingerie Model").
4. <templatestyles src="Citation/styles.css"/>^ The songs "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday" were combined on this track.
5. <templatestyles src="Citation/styles.css"/>^ Live version recorded in a 2005 BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge; track was not released until November 2009.
6. <templatestyles src="Citation/styles.css"/>^ This cover of "Discothèque" was released as the "Suspiria Mix".
References.
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You're the Best Thing About Me
2017 single by U2
"You're the Best Thing About Me" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track on their fourteenth studio album, "Songs of Experience", and was released as its lead single on 6 September 2017. Musically, "You're the Best Thing About Me" originated from the band's attempt to write a song in the spirit of Motown, combining rhythmic music with a joyful mood. The lyrics were written by lead vocalist Bono as a love song for his wife, Ali, after he had a nightmare that he had destroyed their relationship. A week prior to the song's single release, U2 re-recorded it while trying to find an arrangement they could perform live, returning the song to the more guitar-oriented style of its original demo. "You're the Best Thing About Me" reached number one on the US Adult Alternative Songs chart. Its release was followed by an electronic dance remix by Norwegian DJ Kygo.
Writing and recording.
Guitarist the Edge said that "You're the Best Thing About Me" originated from an attempt to write a song in the spirit of Motown, combining rhythmic music with a joyful mood, although he said there was nothing "obviously Motown" about the result. Lead vocalist Bono referred to the song as "defiant joy", something that he and the Edge said was more important than ever in the "difficult times" in which they were living. The song first emerged in August 2016 as an electronic dance remix by Norwegian DJ Kygo, which he played during his performance at the Cloud 9 Festival. The song was mentioned in an April 2017 issue of "Mojo" as a potential contender for "Songs of Experience", albeit with a slightly different title.
According to the Edge, the song was one of several from the album for which Bono wrote lyrics to his friends and family after having a "major scare where he really wasn't sure he would be around very much in the future". Bono composed the lyrics after having a dream that he "had destroyed something that's most important to [him] – [his] relationship" with his wife Ali. The Edge described "You're the Best Thing About Me" as a love song but with another layer, as it raises the "cosmic question... why when everything is perfect do we have a tendency to mess it up?" Anticipating a reaction to the song, Bono joked, "You're putting out a song about your girlfriend when the world is on fire?" The song title was inspired by a comment that Irish media personality Eamon Dunphy made to Bono in a Dublin bar, telling him the best thing about him was Ali.
"You're the Best Thing About Me" was completed one week prior to its release as a single. The Edge said the prior version of the song had a more elaborate, complicated arrangement with a "mellow", "low-key" beginning. When U2 began discussing how to arrange the song for live performances, the guitarist found an early demo of it when they were first testing out various arrangement ideas. After listening to it, the group decided to revert to the song's original, simpler guitar-driven arrangement, using what the Edge called "the primary colors of U2" of guitar, drums, and bass. He said that as a result of the musical change, the lyrics "came to life" and the song had a counterbalance, as he believed the prior version was lyrically too reflective when it was mellower. He said the band worked "furiously" on the new version of the song for two days to meet their deadline for submitting it.
Release and promotion.
In a 15 May 2017 article in "The Irish Times", Bono first mentioned that the band's next single would be "You're the Best Thing About Me". On 29 August 2017, the song was confirmed to be the first single from "Songs of Experience", and it was released on 6 September. The cover photograph, taken by the band's photographer Anton Corbijn, depicts the Edge's daughter, Sian, wearing a military helmet. The image evokes the cover art of the group's 1998 compilation album "The Best of 1980–1990", which showed the younger brother of Guggi, a friend of Bono, wearing a similar helmet. On 7 September, the band performed the song on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" before debuting it live three days later at a concert in Indianapolis on the Joshua Tree Tour 2017. The song was the band's 42nd track to enter the Alternative Songs chart in the US, further extending their record for the chart. It was also the group's 27th entry on the Adult Alternative Songs chart, the second-most all time; the track eventually reached number one on Adult Alternative Songs, making it U2's record-breaking 13th track to top the chart.
On 15 September, a remix of the song by Kygo was released. The remix was the same collaboration with U2 that he debuted the year prior at the Cloud 9 Festival.
On 29 September, an acoustic version of the song was released.
Music video.
The song's official music video was directed by Jonas Åkerlund and premiered on 27 September 2017. It was filmed earlier that month while U2 were in New York City. The footage depicts the band members sightseeing in the city, making a visit to Ray's Pizza and a bar, touring Times Square on a double-decker bus, taking photographs with fans, and performing in front of the city's skyline. The band said the video is "a visual tapestry of tribute to New York and a serenade to the city's iconic symbols of American compassion and liberty".
Personnel.
Adapted from the liner notes.
U2
Additional performers
Technical
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Charts.
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Kygo remix.
Norwegian DJ and record producer Kygo released a remix of "You're the Best Thing About Me" on 15 September 2017 by Ultra Music.
References.
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Even Better Than the Real Thing
1992 single by U2
"Even Better Than the Real Thing" is a song by Irish rock band U2, and is the second track on their seventh album, "Achtung Baby" (1991). It was released as the album's fourth single on 8 June 1992, and it reached number three in Ireland and Canada while becoming a top-ten hit in Austria, New Zealand, and Sweden. A remixed version of the song released the same year peaked at number eight in the United Kingdom and number 10 in Ireland. In 1997, readers of "Mojo" named the song the 71st-best track of the 1990s.
Writing and recording.
"Even Better Than the Real Thing" originated from a chorus guitar riff that the Edge composed in Los Angeles during the "Rattle and Hum" sessions. A demo of the song, called "The Real Thing", was recorded at STS Studios during the same session in which "Desire" was recorded. The band remarked that the song's guitar riff reminded them of the Rolling Stones, but that it sounded "deeply traditional". Consequently, it was shelved until the "Achtung Baby" recording sessions, when the band took the multitrack recording of the demo to Hansa Studios in Berlin in late 1990. The band made little progress on the demo there, as the Berlin sessions were fraught with conflict and difficulty in completing songs.
The recording sessions, as well as the general mood, improved after the band returned to Dublin in 1991 to record at the "Elsinore" mansion on the Dalkey coastline. The song turned around after the Edge purchased a DigiTech Whammy pitch shifter pedal, which created a "double octave sweep" on the guitar riff. The band rediscovered their sense of fun and incorporated that into the writing of the song. Producer Brian Eno originally argued against the song's inclusion on the album when it contained the lyric "There ain't nothing like the real thing", claiming the song had to be "more ironic". After the lyric was revised to "Even better than the real thing", Eno changed his stance and supported the song's inclusion. Lead vocalist Bono explained the song's lyrics, as well as why the title was lengthened to "Even Better Than the Real Thing": "It was reflective of the times [the band] were living in, when people were no longer looking for the truth, [they] were all looking for instant gratification." Richard Branson requested to use the song in advertisements for his "Virgin Cola" to compete with Coca-Cola (who had been using the tagline "the real thing" for years), but the band declined.
When the covers to "Even Better Than the Real Thing", "The Fly", "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses", and "Mysterious Ways" are arranged, a picture of the band members driving a Trabant is formed.
Chart performance.
The song peaked at number three in Ireland and number 12 in the United Kingdom, becoming one of the few U2 singles that failed to reach the top 10 in the UK Singles Chart. However, a few weeks after its initial release, English DJ Paul Oakenfold remixed the track; this version reached a new peak of number eight. Oakenfold later supported U2 on their PopMart Tour.
In the United States, the original version of the song reached number 32 on the "Billboard" Hot 100, number one on the Album Rock Tracks chart and number five on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, while the remix peaked at number 27 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart and number 35 on the Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart. In Canada it reached number three to become the third consecutive top-five hit from "Achtung Baby". Elsewhere, the song reached the top 20 in Australia, Austria, Finland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland.
Critical reception.
While reviewing the remix of the song, Paul Mathur from "Melody Maker" wrote that, "remodelled by Paul Oakenfold, it's the best thing they've done for a while". Roger Morton from "New Musical Express" explained, "The 'Perfect Mix' is a kind of compromise where for a splendid 60 seconds you don't know it's a U2 record, thanks to the stomp rhythm and clap beats. Then Bono's spliced vocals are released and you end up with a half way House part peaking piano euphoria and "take me higher" gospel choirs, and part arcing guitars and chest-beating. It makes for an adequately propulsive scream up, but then so do the 'Trance Mix' and 'Sexy Dub' mixes where U2 are largely noticeable by their absence. It's more than a novelty but less than a stroke of genius, with a whiff of old rock'n'roller condescension about it, and the nightmare spectre of Bono dancing his way back to God, hanging in the air."
Music video.
The accompanying music video for "Even Better Than the Real Thing" was directed by Kevin Godley, formerly of 10cc and Godley & Creme, and was produced by Iain Brown. It was shot at two locations: the former Zoo clothes shop located at 32–34 Carnaby Street in London on 11 February 1992, then Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire from 12–14 February 1992. The video featured the band and their own lookalike group The Doppelgangers, which was formed by U2 and Godley specifically for the video. U2 and The Doppelgangers swap places several times throughout the video, which was also edited with various clips of television footage. The video won two awards at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards, for Best Group Video and Best Visual Effects; it was shot with a 360-degree camera rollover rig, designed and built by Simon Tayler of Artem in London specifically for the video. The video also uses a snippet of Sega's arcade version of the video game "".
Live performances.
The song was performed at every date of the band's Zoo TV and PopMart Tours, and was played sporadically on the Elevation Tour. The "Fish Out of Water" remix, later released in the 20th anniversary edition of "Achtung Baby", was played as the opening song during the 2011 legs of the U2 360° Tour. This remix would return for performances during the Innocence + Experience Tour.
After missing the entirety of the Joshua Tree Tour 2017 and the first leg of the Experience + Innocence Tour, the song returned to the setlist for the European leg of the Experience + Innocence Tour. The "Fish Out of Water" remix was again used, albeit without the slide guitar intro and less backing tracks. The song would return for the Joshua Tree Tour 2019, performed in the same style as the Experience + Innocence Tour.
U2 performed "Even Better Than the Real Thing" during their 2023–2024 residency at the Sphere in the Las Vegas Valley. Performances were accompanied by the video piece "King Size" by Marco Brambilla scrolling from ceiling to floor on the venue's interior LED screen, making the audience feel the false sensation of the stage moving upward. Brambilla spent three-and-a-half months creating the sequence, which featured a kaleidoscopic collage of 1,000 looped video clips depicting Elvis Presley and various Las Vegas iconography. Brambilla was asked to produce visuals that would instill sensory overload in the audience, and from conversations with Bono, he developed the themes of representing the death of Elvis, the birth of Las Vegas, and their parallels with the American Dream. Brambilla trained the artificial intelligence model Stable Diffusion to categorise his personal library of over 12,000 film clips, many of them from Elvis's filmography. He then used Stable Diffusion, along with the text-to-image models DALL-E and Midjourney, to create "fantastical exaggerations" of Elvis based on text prompts.
Charts.
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Covers.
In his Jacques Lu Cont guise, Stuart Price reworked the song for the 2011 tribute album "AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered". "The original multitracks gave me an insight into how U2 worked," he remarked, "but I couldn't be too precious about the track."
Pop band Dead or Alive covered the track for the 1998 tribute album, "". An edited version also featured on their album "Fragile", released in 2000.
References.
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Something to Talk About (Badly Drawn Boy song)
"Something to Talk About" is a song by British musical artist Badly Drawn Boy from About a Boy. It was released as a single on 10 June 2002. It peaked at number 28 on the UK Singles Chart.
Music video.
A music video was filmed to promote the song, and features Hugh Grant watching Badly Drawn Boy performing the song on TV.
References.
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Wide Awake in America
Wide Awake in America is a four-track extended play by Irish rock band U2. It was released on 20 May 1985 through Island Records. It combines two live performances of songs from the group's 1984 album "The Unforgettable Fire" with two B-sides from the era, which had previously been available only in the United Kingdom. "Wide Awake in America" was originally released only in North America and Japan but it charted in the UK as an import. It was re-released internationally in 1990.
The EP's centerpiece, "Bad", a song about heroin addiction, would become a staple of their live set, particularly after an extended performance at Live Aid in which lead vocalist Bono danced with a woman in the audience. Radio programmers often chose this "Wide Awake in America" version over the original studio recording for airplay. The EP's title is inspired by the chorus of "Bad", with its refrain, "Wide awake / I'm wide awake / I'm not sleeping."
Song notes.
"Bad" was produced by the band and recorded live from the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England on 12 November 1984, as part of the Unforgettable Fire Tour. Guitarist the Edge misplayed the final note of this song, but U2 decided to use this version anyway, and the error was fixed during mixing. "Rolling Stone" magazine had been critical of the album version of "Bad" and other songs on "The Unforgettable Fire" album, which it described as "unfocused". In its review of "Wide Awake In America", it said that the album's songs benefited from the transition to live performance and that "Bad" was a "show stopper."
"A Sort of Homecoming" is live from Wembley Arena in London on 15 November 1984. The song was produced by Tony Visconti and recorded during a soundcheck at the concert, with the crowd noise mixed in later during post-production at Good Earth Studios.
"The Three Sunrises" (also listed as "Three Sunrises") was produced by the band with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. It can also be found on the B-sides disc of the limited edition version of "The Best of 1980–1990" compilation from 1998.
"Love Comes Tumbling" was produced by the band and also appears, as a slightly edited version with four bars immediately preceding the vocal deleted, on the B-sides disc of "The Best of 1980–1990".
All tracks except "Bad" originally appeared on "The Unforgettable Fire" single, released in April 1985 outside the U.S. The mix on "A Sort of Homecoming" from that single is different on this release and includes some studio-dubbed backing vocals by the Edge.
The EP was released in the United Kingdom on 19 October 1987.
Charts and certifications.
In the U.S., "Wide Awake in America" debuted at No. 37 on the Top Pop Albums chart. However, the following week, "Billboard" declared the EP ineligible for the album chart because it contained only four songs and had a retail price of US$4.98. "Billboard" policy stated that to appear on the album chart, "a disk must list for at least $5.98 and contain more than four cuts, or the equivalent in terms of minutes of music."
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Bad (David Guetta and Showtek song)
"Bad" (also stylised as "BAD!") is a song by French music producer and DJ David Guetta and Dutch production duo Showtek, featuring vocals from Australian singer Vassy. It was released on 17 March 2014 as a single of the deluxe version from Guetta's studio album, "Listen". It was written and produced by Guetta, Showtek, Sultan & Ned Shepard, and Manuel Reuter and it was co-written by Giorgio Tuinfort, Ossama Al Sarraf, Vassy, and Nick Turpin. The song entered and peaked on the UK Singles Chart at number 22. This track has since topped the chart in Finland and Norway. The song, which features vocals from Vassy, features her with an Auto-Tuned voice; reviews were critical of the effects applied to the vocals.
Lyric video.
The lyric video is on both David Guetta's YouTube and Vevo account. It is a total of 2 minutes and 50 seconds long. It was released on 10 April 2014.
It starts out with a girl fighting zombies while the zombies dance as a reference to Michael Jackson's "Thriller". Suddenly, she falls in love with one of the zombies who goes up to her, and the two run away from the military, who are chasing them.
Critical reception.
Mike Wass of "Idolator" wrote: "The grittier electro-house sound of 'Bad' is perhaps an indication that the hitmaker is moving away from the commercial dance sound of his last LP. Former hardstyle duo Showtek ensure that the beats come thicker and faster than ever, while Australian dance diva Vassy provides the instantly catchy hook — albeit in a heavily autotuned voice."
Charts.
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Bad (James Bay song)
"Bad" is a song by English singer-songwriter James Bay. The song was released by Republic Records on 10 May 2019, through digital download and streaming formats. In May 2019, Bay performed the track live on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert".
A live version was released on 7 June 2019
Music video.
The music video for "Bad" was directed by Martin Landgrave and released on 27 June 2019. In the clip, Bay is sitting on a chair, playing guitar, as he floats through New York City. He sings the lyrics as he travels from Central Park to Times Square.
References.
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The Good, the Bad & the Queen (song)
"The Good, the Bad & the Queen" is a song by British band the Good, the Bad & the Queen. It is the title song and final track on their 2007 debut album. A live version of the song recorded at the Tabernacle was also released as a B-side on the band's second single "Kingdom of Doom".
When the album was previewed by "Uncut" in November 2006, the magazine called the song "a surreal knees-up round a knackered old joanna that celebrates how the same sun cheers both Queen and crackheads - before building up to a psychotic guitar wig-out." Damon Albarn told NME in January 2007 that the song "had to be last" referring to the position in the album because "where do you go after that noisy bit at the end?"
In May 2007, the band posted an official video linked from YouTube for the song on their MySpace blog. This so-called "Sufi Video" was directed by Stephen Pook.
References.
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U Got It Bad
2001 single by Usher
"U Got It Bad" is a song by American singer Usher. It was released through Arista Records as the second official single from his third studio album "8701" (2001). It was written by Usher, Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox, and produced by Dupri, with Cox credited as co-producer. Released in the United States on August 21, 2001, "U Got It Bad" is an R&B ballad that, according to MTV, incorporates "digi-coustic" guitars, a "slow-burning bass line" and "sex funk" drums. The lyrics notably contain some quick direct allusions to other soul music ballads, mainly Maxwell's "Fortunate" and Prince's "Adore".
"U Got It Bad" was released to generally favorable reviews from critics. It became Usher's third song to top the US "Billboard" Hot 100 as well as the second consecutive single from "8701" to do so. Elsewhere, it entered the top five in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, and reached the top 40 on most charts that it appeared on. The song's accompanying music video, directed by Little X, was filmed as a two-part story with "U Don't Have to Call" and features Usher's then-girlfriend, TLC's Chilli, as his love interest.
Background and writing.
"U Got It Bad" was written by Usher, Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox, with production helmed by the former and co-production from the latter. Recording was done by Brian Frye and mixing by Dupri and Phil Tan, at Southside Studios, Atlanta, Georgia in 2000. John Horesco IV provided mixing assistance, William "Billy" Odum performed the guitar and Usher provided all vocals. Talking to "Complex", Dupri stated that "U Got It Bad" was inspired by Usher's previous single "Nice & Slow", saying that he produced the song as he wanted to re-produce a track similar to the latter in terms of success, for Usher's "8701" (2001).
The lyrics to the song were, according to Dupri, inspired by a true story after he and Usher had been in the studio trying to record some music for the album, but Usher was continually distracted by a girl he had brought into the studio. Following an argument, the girl left. A while later, they started on talking on the phone, which prompted Dupri to kick Usher out of the studio telling him, "We're going to do this [session] later on. You got it completely too bad right now. You got it bad." This ignited the inspiration for the song, and once Usher had left, Dupri started writing its lyrics, with the notion that it was going to be a big hit. Once Usher had returned to the studio, Dupri shared the story of the song with him.
Composition and release.
"U Got It Bad" is an R&B ballad. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, it is written in the key of B minor and has a tempo of 66 beats per minute. Usher's vocal range spans from the low note of F♯4 to the high note of A5. The song is actually a semitone lower in the key of B-flat minor, which would have the vocals span from F4 to A♭5. "U Got It Bad" is a slow jam, that makes use of "digi-coustic" guitars, a "slow-burning bass line" and "sex funk" drums. Usher's vocals "floats and runs" between the song's melodies, before intensifying when entering the chorus.
The Neptunes-produced track, "I Don't Know", was initially intended as the album's second single. Rapper P. Diddy was to direct its music video in Los Angeles in July 2001. The song was receiving radio play prior to the release of "8701"'s first single "U Remind Me". However, Usher instead released "U Got It Bad" as the album's second single, as it presents his own unique sound, "If you wanna know what a Usher record is, then ["U Got It Bad" is] it," while using both Michael Jackson and Bobby Brown as examples of artists who "solidified" their music through their own unique music. "U Got it Bad" was released as a CD single in the US on December 18, 2001.
Reception.
"U Got It Bad" earned generally favorable reviews from music critics. NME called the song "8701"'s "stand-out track [that] deals with the spectre of first love with passion, honesty and some raw beats." Kelefa Sanneh from "The New York Times" cited "U Got It Bad" as 2001's "best slow jam, coasting along on a double-time vocal line and a whisper of acoustic guitar." Austin Williams from "Vibe" noted that "U Got It Bad" "isn't like most begging music that's celebrated. Though it certainly contains the fundamental elements of the subgenre – passionate singing, dramatic declarations of love, and a music video with a grand gesture of desperation – there's a generality to its writing that's preserved its resonance."
"U Got It Bad" was nominated for several prizes, including the 2002 Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single – Male. In 2002, it won the 2002 Teen Choice Love Song award, and in 2003, the song was awarded an ASCAP Award for Publisher of the Year. In 2016, "Complex" ranked the song number eight on their list of the 25 greatest Usher songs, with editor Edwin Ortiz calling it a "slow-burning ballad meant to top anything Usher had released prior," further writing: "Whereas "Nice & Slow" delivered a slow jam vibe ripe for a late night rendezvous, "U Got It Bad" was the antithesis of an erotic fantasy, with Usher exploring a relationship he can't sensibly appreciate." In 2021, "American Songwriter" ranked the song number five on their list of the 10 greatest Usher songs.
Chart performance.
"U Got It Bad" topped the US "Billboard" Hot 100 chart on the week of December 15, 2001, becoming Usher's third number-one song on the chart. It was his second Hot 100 number one from "8701" after "U Remind Me", which reached the position in July of the same year. "U Got It Bad" marked the first time he obtained two consecutive number one hits. In December 2001, Usher became one of the few Arista acts to have more than one Hot 100 number one hit, with Whitney Houston having eleven, Barry Manilow and Milli Vanilli with three, and Monica with two. "U Got It Bad" was also atop the Hot 100 Airplay chart that week, with an audience impression of 135 million. The following week, the song was replaced by Nickelback's "How You Remind Me", moving it to number two. Nickelback's single remained number one for four consecutive weeks, before being replaced by "U Got It Bad" on the week of January 8, 2002, which went on to top the Hot 100 for five weeks. On the same week, the song broke the record for the highest audience impression on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, previously held by Alicia Keys, with 149,858,700 listeners. The song's popularity helped "8701" rise from number twenty-three to eight on the US "Billboard" 200 on the week of October 11, 2001.
Music video.
A music video for "U Got It Bad" was directed by Canadian filmmaker Little X. Co-starring TLC member Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas as the female lead, the video starts with Usher tossing and turning in bed, troubled by the thought of his ex-girlfriend (Thomas). After awakening, he turns on the TV, only to see his ex, a celebrity on her own, on every station. The video proceeds to introduce flashbacks of happier times between the two, suggesting that he still longs for his ex. In his desperation to find her, he braves the rain, bursting into her trailer to apologize and reconcile with her. However, this is revealed to be his imagination, and instead of opening the door of the trailer, he walks away ashamed. Disgusted, he makes his way home and lies in his bed, alone.
The visuals for follow-up single "U Don't Have to Call", filmed in February 2002, served as a continuation from "U Got It Bad". At the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, the video was nominated for Best Male Video and Best R&B Video. It also received a Video of the Year nod at the 2002 BET Awards. In 2018, Little X told "Billboard": "This one was a little more personal. I was young and was kind of venting through my own life experience through the song. Usher and I were around the same age, and it was just one of those [videos] that really clicked. I think there was something special about that video, having a really young director with a really young artist making this thing happen together."
The music video on YouTube has received over 305 million views as of May 2024.
Track listing.
Notes
Sample credits
Charts.
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Get Out of Your Own Way
2017 single by U2
"Get Out of Your Own Way" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the fourth track on their fourteenth studio album, "Songs of Experience", and was released as the album's second single on 8 December 2017.
Writing and recording.
"Get Out of Your Own Way" is lyrically addressed to the daughters of lead vocalist Bono (actress Eve Hewson, and Jordan, both featured on the cover), with words of encouragement to not be one's own worst enemy. The lyrics also reference the US political crisis, mentioning Liberty receiving a "smack in the mouth". Musically, the song was compared to the band's 2000 single "Beautiful Day". Segueing between the end of "Get Out of Your Own Way" and the beginning of the album's next track, "American Soul", is a spoken word segment by rapper Kendrick Lamar; playing what Bono called a "cracked preacher", Lamar gives an ironic take on the Beatitudes.
Release and promotion.
On 1 November 2017, the band officially announced details of the album's release; as part of the announcement, "Get Out of Your Own Way" was one of two songs released on music streaming services. Those who pre-ordered the album received "instant grat downloads" of "Get Out of Your Own Way" and other songs. U2 performed "Get Out of Your Own Way" on the 2 December 2017 episode of American comedy television series "Saturday Night Live".
"Get Out of Your Own Way" was released as the album's second single on 16 January 2018, with the song's music video following two days later. For the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, U2 pre-recorded the performance of "Get Out of Your Own Way" on a barge in front of the Statue of Liberty.
After the single release of "Get Out of Your Own Way", several remixes of the song were issued by Afrojack and Switch.
Charts.
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One (U2 song)
1992 single by U2
"One" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track from their seventh album, "Achtung Baby" (1991), and it was released as the record's third single on 24 February 1992. During the album's recording sessions at Hansa Studios in Berlin, conflict arose between the band members over the direction of U2's sound and the quality of their material. Tensions almost prompted the band to break up until they achieved a breakthrough with the improvisation of "One"; the song was written after the band members were inspired by a chord progression that guitarist the Edge was playing in the studio. The lyrics, written by lead singer Bono, were inspired by the band members' fractured relationships and the German reunification. Although the lyrics ostensibly describe "disunity", they have been interpreted in other ways.
"One" was released as a benefit single, with proceeds going towards AIDS research. The song topped the Irish Singles Charts, the Canadian "RPM" Top Singles chart and the US "Billboard" Album Rock Tracks and Modern Rock Tracks charts. It also peaked at number three in New Zealand, number four in Australia, number seven on the UK Singles Chart and number ten on the "Billboard" Hot 100. In promotion of the song, the band filmed several music videos, although they were not pleased until a third was created.
The song was acclaimed by critics upon its release, and it has since been featured in polls of the greatest songs of all time. U2 has performed "One" at most of their tour concerts since the song's live debut in 1992, and it has appeared in many of the band's concert films. In a live setting, "One" is often used by the group to promote human rights or social justice causes, and the song lends its namesake to Bono's charitable organisation, the ONE Campaign. U2 re-recorded the song as part of a duet with R&B recording artist Mary J. Blige on her 2005 album "The Breakthrough", and again for the band's 2023 album "Songs of Surrender" (2023).
Writing and recording.
In October 1990, U2 arrived in Berlin on the eve of German reunification to begin the recording sessions for "Achtung Baby" at Hansa Studios. Expecting to be inspired by a "New Europe" and the reuniting city, the band instead found the mood to be bleak and soon conflict arose over their musical direction and the quality of their material. While bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. preferred a sound similar to U2's previous work, vocalist Bono and guitarist the Edge were inspired by European industrial and electronic dance music of the time and were advocating a change. The band also had difficulty developing demos and musical ideas into completed songs. Bono and the Edge believed the lack of progress was the fault of the band, while Clayton and Mullen believed the problem was the quality of the songs. Mullen said he "thought this might be the end" of the band.
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"At the instant we were recording it, I got a very strong sense of its power. We were all playing together in the big recording room, a huge, eerie ballroom full of ghosts of the war, and everything fell into place. It was a reassuring moment, when everyone finally went, 'oh great, this album has started.' It's the reason you're in a band – when the spirit descends upon you and you create something truly affecting. 'One' is an incredibly moving piece. It hits straight into the heart."
 —The Edge, on the recording of "One"
Ultimately, a breakthrough in the sessions was achieved. While jamming on a song called "Sick Puppy"—an early version of "Mysterious Ways"—the band tried different chord progressions for the bridge. The jam stopped and the Edge tried playing them alone on an acoustic guitar, as "everyone was trying to decide if they were any good." At the suggestion of producer Daniel Lanois, the Edge played two separate sections sequentially. The band liked the way it flowed and decided to play it together. Speaking of the improvisation, the Edge said, "suddenly something very powerful [was] happening in the room." He added, "Everyone recognized it was a special piece. It was like we'd caught a glimpse of what the song could be." Soon afterwards, the band had developed the piece of music into "One". Bono recalls that "the melody, the structure—the whole thing was done in 15 minutes". He also stated that the lyrics "just fell out of the sky, a gift"; the concept was inspired by the band members' fracturing relationships, the German reunification, and Bono's scepticism of the hippie idea of "oneness". Bono later sent a note to the Dalai Lama declining an invitation to a festival called "Oneness", incorporating a line from the song: "One—but not the same". The song's writing inspired the band and changed their outlook on the recording sessions. Mullen said the song reaffirmed the band's "blank page approach" to recording and reassured the band that all was not lost.
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"There was melancholy about it but there was also strength. One is not about oneness, it's about difference. It's not the old hippie idea of 'let's all live together.' It is a much more punk rock concept. It's anti-romantic: 'we are one but not the same. We get to carry each other.' It's a reminder that we have no choice. I'm still disappointed when people hear the chorus line as 'got to' rather than 'we get to carry each other.' Like it or not, the only way out of here is if I give you a leg up the wall and you pull me after you. There's something very unromantic about that.
—Bono, on the recording of "One"
Following the song's initial improvisation, tapes of the recording sessions were delivered to assisting producer Brian Eno to gather his input; Eno spent extended periods of time away from the sessions before visiting to review songs, and he believed that distancing himself from the work allowed him to provide the band with a fresh perspective on their material each time he rejoined them. The band were rather anxious about the quality of their material, but when Eno arrived in Berlin, they were surprised to hear that he liked most of the tapes. However, as Bono recalls, Eno said, "There's just one song I really despise, and that's 'One'." Eno felt that they needed to deconstruct the song.
The band returned to Dublin in 1991 to record at the "Elsinore" mansion on the Dalkey coastline. The band continued to work on the song there, adding various overdubs, but not finding a mix they were satisfied with. The Edge thought that they had the foundation for the song, but that it needed "foreground". Eno interceded, explaining to the group that "One" was among the sessions' tracks in which "The song has gone, whatever it is you liked about this song is not there anymore", and that the track had "disappeared under layers of overdubs". He created his own mix, which gave the band a better idea of an arrangement they liked. Eno wanted the band to remove the melancholy elements of the song and persuaded them to remove the acoustic guitar from the song. He also worked with Lanois and the Edge to