In God's Country

Last updated
"In God's Country"
In gods country cover.jpg
North American single picture sleeve
Single by U2
from the album The Joshua Tree
B-side
Released17 November 1987 (1987-11-17) [1]
Recorded1986
Studio Windmill Lane Studios (Dublin)
Genre Rock
Length2:57
Label Island
Composer(s) U2
Lyricist(s) Bono
Producer(s)
U2 singles chronology
"Where the Streets Have No Name"
(1987)		"In God's Country"
(1987)		"One Tree Hill"
(1988)
Music video
"In God's Country" on YouTube

"In God's Country" is a song by the rock band U2. It is the seventh track from their fifth studio album The Joshua Tree and was released as the album's fourth single in November 1987 in North America only. [1]

Contents

Recording and composition

"The desert was immensely inspirational to us as a mental image for this record. Most people would take the desert on face value and think it's some kind of barren place, which of course is true. But, in the right frame of mind it's also a very positive image, because you can actually do something with a blank canvas, which is effectively what the desert is."

—Adam Clayton, on the song's desert imagery [2]

"In God's Country" was a difficult song for the band to record, which they attributed to not being trained musicians, and they do not speak very highly of it. During The Joshua Tree sessions, they knew it was not going be one of their best songs but they needed more uptempo songs. [3] It was developed out of Bono's frustration at trying to get "a bit of rock 'n' roll out of [U2 guitarist] the Edge". Bono tried to inspire the Edge by teasing and playing on his competitive instincts by claiming to be a better guitarist. Of the song, Bono said "[My] lyric was really good, the tune is pretty good, and the hook is pretty average - thanks to the Edge." [3]

"In God's Country" was recorded in the basement of the Edge's house, which producer Daniel Lanois called a "muggy little room where everything sounds dead" and "not a particularly inspiring place". Despite the location, he said the recording worked because of the "spontaneity and lack of pressure", which contributed to a good take, a quality Lanois favours to overplanning the recording setup. In producing the song, he used a collection of channels in the mixing console designated as sound treatments to adjust the tone of the Edge's guitar to give it a "beautiful shimmer", which he thought contributed to the song's mood. Lanois said, "What was a fairly straightforward rock track is now undermined by a mood of unrest", which inspired lead vocalist Bono to change his lyrics to give them more dimension. [4]

Bono has stated that he originally didn't know whether the song was about Ireland or the United States, but eventually dedicated it to the Statue of Liberty. [5] The song characterises the United States as a "desert rose" and a siren whose dress is torn in "ribbons and bows," a depiction both "sad and seductive". [6] The lyric speaks of a lack of political ideas in the West which Bono later contrasted to the revolution in Nicaragua where he had travelled during the recording of The Joshua Tree. [2] [7] Along with "Where the Streets Have No Name," the lyrics and sound of "In God's Country" reference the desert in accordance with the band's wish for The Joshua Tree to have a "cinematic" sense of location. [8]

Played in the key of D, the verses of the studio version alternates between D and A minor chords. The first chorus repeats an Em–G–D chord progression while the second chorus repeats a C–G–D progression. [3]

Release and critical reception

"In God's Country" was released as a single in Canada and the United States in November 1987. The cover art (photographed by Anton Corbijn), sleeve (designed by Steve Averill), and B-sides ("Bullet the Blue Sky" and "Running to Stand Still") were identical to those used for U2's 1988 single "One Tree Hill," released only in New Zealand and Australia. [9] [10] The Canadian release was available on 7", 12" and cassette, while the US release was limited to 7" only.

"In God's Country" reached number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 48 in the United Kingdom as an import. [11] It was slightly more successful in Canada, peaking at number 25 in 1988. [12] Sales of the single may have been hampered by the fact that its B-sides were two tracks from The Joshua Tree album instead of the usual non-album tracks. [13] An abridged live version of the song recorded on the Joshua Tree Tour appeared on the band's 1988 rockumentary, Rattle and Hum , but did not appear on the accompanying album of the same name.

The single's video appears on Outside It's America, a documentary tracking the band's first few weeks on tour through the American Southwest in 1987. The music video visualized the Irish immigrant experience and the complexities of the American Dream. [6] It was ultimately not released to MTV or other outlets. [11] The video was finally released on the band's YouTube channel on 19 February 2021. [14]

Hot Press editor and long-time U2 supporter, Bill Graham, described the song as "... U2 cruising, a starter and not a main course ..." and referring to the lyrical cliches, he said the song was "... saved by the fact that [Bono] does Bono better than anybody else." [8] Cash Box called it a "haunting rocker [that] is led by Bono's passionate, stirring: vocal ability." [15]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."In God's Country"2:57
2."Bullet the Blue Sky"4:32
3."Running to Stand Still"4:20

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1987–1988)Peak
position
Canada RPM Top 100 [16] 25
UK Singles Chart [17] 48
US Billboard Hot 100 44
US Billboard Album Rock Tracks [18] 6

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U2</span> Irish rock band

U2 are an Irish rock band formed in Dublin in 1976. The group comprises Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr.. Initially rooted in post-punk, U2's musical style has evolved throughout their career, yet has maintained an anthemic quality built on Bono's expressive vocals and the Edge's chiming, effects-based guitar sounds. Bono's lyrics, often embellished with spiritual imagery, focus on personal and sociopolitical themes. Popular for their live performances, the group have staged several elaborate tours over their career.

<i>The Joshua Tree</i> 1987 studio album by U2

The Joshua Tree is the fifth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 9 March 1987 by Island Records. In contrast to the ambient experimentation of their 1984 release, The Unforgettable Fire, the band aimed for a harder-hitting sound within the limitation of conventional song structures on The Joshua Tree. The album is influenced by American and Irish roots music, and through sociopolitically conscious lyrics embellished with spiritual imagery, it contrasts the group's antipathy for the "real America" with their fascination with the "mythical America".

<i>The Unforgettable Fire</i> 1984 studio album by U2

The Unforgettable Fire is the fourth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, and released on 1 October 1984 by Island Records. The band wanted to pursue a new musical direction following the harder-hitting rock of their previous album, War (1983). As a result, they employed Eno and Lanois to produce and assist in their experimentation with a more ambient sound. The resulting change in direction was at the time the band's most dramatic. The album's title is a reference to "The Unforgettable Fire", an art exhibit about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of</span> 2001 single by U2

"Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the second track on their tenth studio album, All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000), and was released as the album's second single on 29 January 2001. The band's lead vocalist Bono has said the song was inspired by a fictional conversation with his friend Michael Hutchence about suicide. The song peaked at number 52 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topped the charts in Canada, their native Ireland, and Italy, while reaching the top 10 in Australia, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom. In 2002, the song won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Where the Streets Have No Name</span> 1987 single by U2

"Where the Streets Have No Name" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the opening track from their 1987 album The Joshua Tree and was released as the album's third single in August 1987. The song's hook is a repeating guitar arpeggio using a delay effect, played during the song's introduction and again at the end. Lead vocalist Bono wrote the lyrics in response to the notion that it is possible to identify a person's religion and income based on the street on which they lived, particularly in Belfast. During the band's difficulties recording the song, producer Brian Eno considered erasing the song's tapes to have them start from scratch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One (U2 song)</span> 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">With or Without You</span> 1987 single by U2

"With or Without You" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track on their fifth studio album, The Joshua Tree (1987), and was released as the album's lead single on 16 March 1987. The song was the group's most successful single at the time, becoming their first number-one hit in both the United States and Canada by topping the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and the RPM national singles chart for one week, with a further three weeks at number two.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beautiful Day</span> 2000 single by U2

"Beautiful Day" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the first track on their tenth studio album, All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000), and was released as the album's lead single on 9 October 2000. The song was a commercial success, helping launch the album to multi-platinum status, and is one of U2's biggest hits to date.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For</span> 1987 single by U2

"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the second track from their 1987 album The Joshua Tree and was released as the album's second single in May 1987. The song was a hit, becoming the band's second consecutive number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 while peaking at number six on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vertigo (U2 song)</span> 2004 single by U2

"Vertigo" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the opening track on their eleventh studio album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004). It was released to radio as the album's lead single on 8 November 2004, and upon release, it received extensive airplay. The song was an international success, bolstered by its usage in a television advertisement featuring the band for Apple's iPod digital music player. The song lent its name to the band's 2005–2006 Vertigo Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mysterious Ways (song)</span> 1991 single by U2

"Mysterious Ways" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the eighth track from their 1991 album, Achtung Baby, and was released as the album's second single on 2 December 1991, two weeks after the album. The song began as an improvisation called "Sick Puppy", with the band liking only the bass part that bassist Adam Clayton composed. The band struggled to build a song from it, with vocalist Bono and producer Daniel Lanois arguing intensely during one songwriting session. The song's breakthrough came after guitarist the Edge began experimenting with the Korg A3 effects unit. "Mysterious Ways" features a danceable beat, funky guitar hook, and conga-laden percussion, as well as mystical lyrics by Bono about romance and women.

"Running to Stand Still" is a song by rock band U2, and it is the fifth track from their 1987 album, The Joshua Tree. A slow ballad based on piano and guitar, it describes a heroin-addicted couple living in Dublin's Ballymun flats; the towers have since become associated with the song. Though a lot of time was dedicated to the lyrics, the music was improvised with co-producer Daniel Lanois during a recording session for the album.

"Bullet the Blue Sky" is a song by Irish rock band U2, and is the fourth track from their 1987 album The Joshua Tree. Lyrically, the song was inspired by a trip that lead vocalist Bono made to Nicaragua and El Salvador, where he saw firsthand how local peasants were affected by United States military intervention in the region. Angered by what he witnessed, Bono asked guitarist the Edge to "put El Salvador through an amplifier." "Bullet the Blue Sky" is one of the band's most overtly political songs, with live performances often being heavily critical of political conflicts and violence.

"Trip Through Your Wires" is a song by the Irish rock band U2 and the eighth track on their 1987 album, The Joshua Tree. The song has a bluesy rhythm and features lead singer Bono on harmonica.

"Until the End of the World" is a song by the Irish rock band U2 and the fourth track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby. The song began as a guitar riff composed by lead vocalist Bono from a demo, which the band revisited with success after talking with German filmmaker Wim Wenders about providing music for his film Until the End of the World. The song's lyrics describe a fictional conversation between Jesus Christ and Judas Iscariot. The first verse discusses the Last Supper; the second is about Judas identifying Jesus with a kiss on the cheek in the Garden of Gethsemane; and the final is about Judas' suicide after being overwhelmed with guilt and sadness.

<i>Robbie Robertson</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Robbie Robertson

Robbie Robertson is the solo debut album by Canadian rock musician Robbie Robertson, released in 1987. Though Robertson had been a professional musician since the late 1950s, notably a founder of and primary songwriter for The Band, this was his first solo album. Robbie Robertson won the Juno Award for "Album of the Year", and producers Daniel Lanois and Robertson won the "Producer of the Year" Juno award, both in 1989; there were no Juno Awards in 1988.

"Mothers of the Disappeared" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the eleventh and final track on their 1987 album The Joshua Tree. The song was inspired by lead singer Bono's experiences in Nicaragua and El Salvador in July 1986, following U2's participation in the Conspiracy of Hope tour of benefit concerts for Amnesty International. He learned of the Madres de Plaza de Mayo, a group of women whose children had "forcibly disappeared" at the hands of the Argentine and Chilean dictatorships. While in Central America, he met members of COMADRES, a similar organization whose children had been abducted by the government in El Salvador. Bono sympathized with the Madres and COMADRES and wanted to pay tribute to their cause.

"Exit" is a song by rock band U2. It is the tenth track on their 1987 album The Joshua Tree. "Exit" was developed from a lengthy jam that was recorded in a single take and edited down to a shorter arrangement. The lyrics, which portray the mind of a serial killer, were inspired by lead singer Bono's reading of Norman Mailer's 1980 novel The Executioner's Song, and other related works.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Tree Hill (song)</span> 1988 single by U2

"One Tree Hill" is a song by Irish rock band U2 and the ninth track on their 1987 album The Joshua Tree. In March 1988, it was released as the fourth single from the album in New Zealand and Australia, while "In God's Country" was released as the fourth single in North America. "One Tree Hill" charted at number one on the New Zealand Singles Chart and was the country's second-most-successful hit of 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stay (Faraway, So Close!)</span> 1993 single by U2

"Stay " is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the fifth track on their eighth album, Zooropa (1993), and it was released as the album's third single on 22 November 1993 by Island Records. The song reached number one in Ireland and reached the top 10 in Australia, Iceland, the United Kingdom, and several other countries. The accompanying music video, directed by Wim Wenders, was shot in Berlin, Germany. The earliest incarnation of the song developed during sessions for the group's 1991 album Achtung Baby. It was written for and inspired by Frank Sinatra and bore his surname as the original working title. An alternative recording was used in the 1993 film Faraway, So Close!, also by Wim Wenders.

References

  1. 1 2 Sams, Aaron; Kantas, Harry. "U2 – "In God's Country" Single". U2songs.com. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  2. 1 2 Stokes, Niall (1996). Into The Heart: The Stories Behind Every U2 Song. London: HarperCollins Publishers. p. 72. ISBN   0-7322-6036-1.
  3. 1 2 3 McCormick, Neil (ed), (2006). U2 by U2. HarperCollins Publishers. p. 182. ISBN   0-00-719668-7
  4. ↑ Tingen, Paul (October 1987). "Creating Chaos". Music Technology. pp. 34–38.
  5. ↑ "The Joshua Tree Song Quotes and Information". Transcribed from radio interview. threesunrises.net. 1987-06-01. Archived from the original on February 4, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-22.
  6. 1 2 Almeida, Linda Dowling (2001). Irish Immigrants in New York City, 1945-1995 . Indiana University Press. pp.  118–119. ISBN   0-2531-0853-5.
  7. ↑ Wawzenek, Bryan (March 6, 2017). "'In God's Country' Sends U2 to the Desert: The Story Behind Every 'Joshua Tree' Song". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  8. 1 2 Graham, Bill; van Oosten de Boer, Caroline (2004). U2: The Complete Guide to their Music. Omnibus Press. pp. 27–30, 34. ISBN   0-7119-9886-8.
  9. ↑ One Tree Hill (7" vinyl). U2. New Zealand: Island Records. 1988. 878 302-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ↑ One Tree Hill (7" vinyl). U2. Australia: Island Records. 1988. K-338.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. 1 2 McGee, Matt (2008). U2: A Diary. Omnibus Press. p. 112. ISBN   978-1-84772-108-2.
  12. ↑ "RPM100 Singles: Top Singles". RPM . Vol. 47, no. 13. 16 January 1988. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
  13. ↑ "In God's Country Single". U2 Wanderer. Retrieved 2009-05-22.
  14. ↑ "U2 - In God's Country (Official Music Video)". YouTube. February 19, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. November 28, 1987. p. 6. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
  16. ↑ "Search Results: In God's Country". RPM. 1988-01-23. Archived from the original on 2016-01-12. Retrieved 2009-11-25.
  17. ↑ "The Official Charts Company - UK Singles & Albums". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 2010-01-14.
  18. ↑ "U2 – Mainstream Rock Airplay". Billboard . Retrieved 27 February 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.