This list shows cover versions of songs originally by the Irish rock band U2 that have been recorded and released.
" 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. [1] 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. [2] 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'." [3]
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1997 | Charlie Hall | Joel's Window |
2000 | The Section | Strung out on U2 [4] |
2001 | dc Talk | Solo [5] |
2002 | Michael W. Smith | Worship DVD |
2003 | Paul Meany | Elevator Music (Live Worship From Victory Fellowship) |
2004 | Starfield | In the Name of Love: Artists United for Africa |
2005 | The Frames | Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 3 [6] |
" Acrobat " is the eleventh track from U2's 1991 album Achtung Baby .
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2011 | Glasvegas | AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1999 | Absolute Rock | A Tribute to the Greatest Hits of U2 [7] |
Mission UK | We Will Follow: A Tribute to U2 [8] | |
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Pride: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Plays U2 [9] | |
Tufts Beelzebubs | Infinity [10] | |
2000 | Kane | With or Without You [11] |
Stereofeed | Strung Out on U2 [4] | |
2002 | Bellefire | After the Rain [12] |
"All I Want Is You" [12] | ||
2004 | Jars of Clay | In the Name of Love: Artists United for Africa |
2005 | Les Paul and Johnny Rzeznik | American Made World Played |
Mark Geary | Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 3 [6] | |
2007 | Rockabye Baby! | Lullaby Renditions of U2 [13] |
2008 | Glen Campbell | Meet Glen Campbell |
2009 | Aslan | UNCASE'd |
2011 | Mary Byrne | Mine & Yours |
2013 | Brian McFadden featuring Ronan Keating | The Irish Connection |
" 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".
Year | Covered by | Release |
---|---|---|
2005 | The Bravery | "Fearless" [14] |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1999 | Absolute Rock | A Tribute to the Greatest Hits of U2 [7] |
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Pride: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Plays U2 [9] | |
2004 | David Keen, Claire Stanacrone, and Michael Goetz | Still Strung Out on U2 [15] |
2005 | The Persuasions | The Persuasions Sing U2 [16] |
2006 | 10,000 Maniacs | Live Twenty-Five |
2007 | Rockabye Baby! | Lullaby Renditions of U2 [13] |
" 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. [17] The song is about a heroin addiction. [18]
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1998 | Dream Theater | Once in a LIVEtime Outtakes [19] |
2000 | The Section | Strung out on U2 [4] |
2001 | Luka Bloom | Keeper of the Flame [19] |
2005 | Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 3 [6] |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2004 | Hiro Goto and Adrienne Woods | Still Strung out on U2 [15] |
Kurt Nilsen | World Idol | |
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Symphonic Rock [20] | |
Sanctus Real | In the Name of Love: Artists United for Africa | |
2007 | Axel Rudi Pell | Diamonds Unlocked [21] |
Rockabye Baby! | Lullaby Renditions of U2 [13] | |
2010 | Lee DeWyze | "Beautiful Day" [22] |
2010 | Altiyan Childs | Altiyan Childs |
2012 | Il Volo | We Are Love [23] |
2017 | Nicole Nordeman | Every Mile Mattered |
TBA | Cyrille Aimée | Unknown (soundtrack used During the cirque du soleil's "Crystal" show) [24] [25] |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2009 | Vitamin String Quartet | The Vitamin String Quartet Performs U2's No Line on the Horizon [26] |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1999 | P.O.D. | The Fundamental Elements of Southtown [19] |
2000 | Kane | With or Without You [11] |
Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine | Lounge Against the Machine [27] | |
2003 | Sepultura | Revolusongs and Roorback [28] |
2007 | Queensrÿche | Take Cover [29] |
2008 | Vieux Farka Touré | In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 [30] |
" 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."
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2007 | Tufts Beelzebubs | Pandæmonium |
2010 | Dashboard Confessional | By the People: For the People [31] |
2021 | Charlie Benante | Silver Linings |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1999 | Absolute Rock | A Tribute to the Greatest Hits of U2 [7] |
The Polecats | We Will Follow: A Tribute to U2 [8] | |
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Pride: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Plays U2 [9] | |
2000 | Savitri String Quartet | Strung Out on U2 [4] |
2007 | Rockabye Baby! | Lullaby Renditions of U2 [13] |
" Drowning Man " is the fifth track on U2's 1983 album, War. Its sound is a departure from the other tracks in War.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1995 | Smith & Mighty | Bass Is Maternal 1 [32] |
" 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".
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2000 | Kane | With or Without You [11] |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2002 | Tufts Beelzebubs | Punch [33] |
2010 | Sherie Rene Scott, Lindsay Mendez, Betsy Wolfe | Everyday Rapture[ circular reference ] |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1999 | Absolute Rock | A Tribute to the Greatest Hits of U2 [7] |
Bang Tango 2 | We Will Follow: A Tribute to U2 [8] | |
Dead or Alive | ||
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Pride: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Plays U2 [9] | |
2005 | Jack L | Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 3 [6] |
The Persuasions | The Persuasions Sing U2 [16] |
Exit is the 10th track of U2's Joshua Tree , released in 1987.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2003 | Anthrax | Taking the Music Back |
" 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." [34] 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. [35] "The Fly" was an introduction to the sonic and electronic experimentation that would dominate U2's 1990s work.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1999 | Absolute Rock | A Tribute to the Greatest Hits of U2 [7] |
2006 | Peter Mulvey | The Knuckleball Suite |
2011 | Gavin Friday | AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered |
" Get on Your Boots " is the lead single and sixth track from No Line on the Horizon.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2009 | Vitamin String Quartet | The Vitamin String Quartet Performs U2's No Line on the Horizon [26] |
2009 | The Wrecking | A New Abolition (Special Edition) |
" Gloria " was the second single and opening track from U2's 1981 album, October .
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2004 | Audio Adrenaline | In the Name of Love: Artists United for Africa |
David Keen | Still Strung Out on U2 [15] | |
2012 | Kenna | Non-album track |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1991 | Katmandu | Katmandu |
" Grace " is the final track from U2's 2000 album, All That You Can't Leave Behind.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2004 | Nichole Nordeman | In the Name of Love: Artists United for Africa |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2005 | Bell X1 | Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 3 [6] |
" 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 .
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1997 | The Countdown Singers | Best of Today's Movie Hits |
2002 | The Brown Derbies | Hybrid |
Cactus Jack | DisCover | |
2004 | Natur all 3 |
" 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. [36]
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1990 | The Chimes | I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For |
Phil Coulter | Recollections 4 | |
1991 | Badesalz | I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For |
Big Daddy | Cutting Their Own Groove | |
Negativland | U2 | |
1992 | Cecilio & Kapono | Summerlust |
1993 | The Brown Derbies | Hat Trick |
Tufts Beelzebubs | Vince | |
1994 | Booker T. & The M.G.s | That's The Way It Should Be |
1997 | Seal and Steve Winwood [37] | Songs & Visions Spectacular: Live in London 1997 [38] |
1998 | James McNally | Everybreath |
1999 | Absolute Rock | A Tribute to the Greatest Hits of U2 [7] |
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Pride: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Plays U2 [9] | |
2000 | The Countdown Singers | 80's Chartbusters |
Savitri String Quartet | Strung Out on U2 [4] | |
2001 | Brendan Bowyer | Follow On |
2003 | Bonnie Tyler | Heart Strings |
Cher | Live! The Farewell Tour | |
2005 | Juliet Turner | Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 3 [6] |
The Persuasions | The Persuasions Sing U2 [16] | |
2006 | Journey South | Journey South |
Buena Vista Social Club (with the vocals of U2) | Rhythms del Mundo | |
2007 | Rockabye Baby! | Lullaby Renditions of U2 [13] |
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Performs #1 Hits [39] | |
2008 | Cheikh Lô | In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 [30] |
David Cook | David Cook - American Idol Studio Recording Single | |
2009 | Cast of NBC's The Sing-Off | I Still Haven't Found What I'm Searching For |
2010 | Disturbed | Asylum |
Will Martin | Inspirations | |
Celtic Thunder | It's Entertainment | |
2014 | Cast of Glee | Glee: The Music, City of Angels and the episode "City of Angels" |
Peter Hollens and Sabrina Carpenter | Peter Hollens (album) | |
2020 | Dan Avidan and Super Guitar Bros | Dan Avidan & Super Guitar Bros |
2021 | Bono and Scarlett Johansson | Sing 2 |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1995 | Breakfast with Amy | Live at the Hawleywould Bowl! |
1998 | Doug Pinnick | The Mother of all Tribute Albums |
1999 | Spahn Ranch | We Will Follow: A Tribute to U2 [8] |
2000 | Kane | With or Without You [11] |
Savitri String Quartet | Strung Out on U2 [4] | |
2005 | Fear Factory | Transgression |
2006 | The Upper Room | Other People's Problems(Japanese Edition) |
2007 | The Chaser | The Chaser's War on Everything: Season 2 |
2009 | MxPx | On the Cover II [40] |
Year | Covered by | Concert |
---|---|---|
1999 | Collective Soul | Woodstock 1999 [41] - July 25 - West Stage |
" 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. [42] [43] [44] Several of the song's lyrics were influenced by Barack Obama's presidential campaign. [45] 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. [46]
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2009 | Vitamin String Quartet | The Vitamin String Quartet Performs U2's No Line on the Horizon [26] |
" 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". [47] "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. [48]
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2005 | Hanson | The Best of Hanson: Live & Electric |
2011 | William Shatner | Seeking Major Tom |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1998 | Caedmon's Call | The Guild Collection Vol. 2 |
2004 | Hiro Goto and Adrienne Woods | Still Strung Out on U2 [15] |
2005 | Tribe of Heaven (Dave Matthews and Mark Roebuck) | Imagine We Were [49] |
2010 | Infamous Stringdusters | Things That Fly |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1991 | Believer | Sanity Obscure [50] |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1996 | Cassandra Wilson | New Moon Daughter [51] |
2000 | Kane | With or Without You [11] |
2001 | Trespassers William | Even Better than the Real Thing [52] |
2004 | Sixpence None the Richer | In the Name of Love: Artists United for Africa |
2005 | The Devlins, featuring Sharon Corr | Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 3 [6] |
2006 | The Devlins | Rescue Me |
2008 | Waldemar Bastos | In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 [30] |
2011 | Jack White | AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2005 | Roesy | Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 3 [6] |
" 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. [53]
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2009 | Vitamin String Quartet | The Vitamin String Quartet Performs U2's No Line on the Horizon [26] |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1999 | George Michael | Songs from the Last Century |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1988 | Joan Baez | Recently and Brothers in Arms |
1993 | Kings Singers | Good Vibrations |
2011 | Vocal Spectrum | Vocal Spectrum III |
" 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. [54]
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2009 | Vitamin String Quartet | The Vitamin String Quartet Performs U2's No Line on the Horizon [26] |
" Mothers of the Disappeared " is the eleventh and final track from U2's 1987 album, The Joshua Tree.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2005 | Paddy Casey | Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 3 [6] |
" Mysterious Ways " is the eighth track on U2's 1991 album, Achtung Baby, and was released as the album's second single.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1993 | KMFDM | Shut Up Kitty and Agogo |
Paul Shaffer and The Party Boys of Rock 'n' Roll | The World's Most Dangerous Party | |
2000 | Stereofeed | Strung Out on U2 [4] |
2004 | tobyMac and Sarah Kelly | In the Name of Love: Artists United for Africa [55] |
2005 | The Persuasions | The Persuasions Sing U2 [16] |
2008 | Angélique Kidjo | In The Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 [30] |
2011 | Snow Patrol | AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1995 | Gigi D'Agostino | New Year's Day |
1999 | Frontline Assembly with Tiffany | We Will Follow: A Tribute to U2 [8] |
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Pride: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Plays U2 [9] | |
Ferry Corsten | ||
2000 | Savitri String Quartet | Strung out on U2 [4] |
2004 | Zeraphine | single only (later released on compilation album Years in Black (2007) |
2005 | To/Die/For | IV |
Aslan | Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 3 [6] | |
2007 | Rockabye Baby! | Lullaby Renditions of U2 [13] |
2009 | Steve Morse with Billy Sherwood | An All-Star Salute to Christmas [56] |
2010 | Inverse Phase | Retrocovered [57] |
2023 | Pop Noir | New Year's Day - Single [58] |
" No Line on the Horizon " is the opening and title track from the 2009 album No Line on the Horizon.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2009 | Vitamin String Quartet | The Vitamin String Quartet Performs U2's No Line on the Horizon [26] |
" North and South of the River " is a B-side to the 1997 single "Staring at the Sun".
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1996 | Christy Moore | Graffiti Tongue |
" Numb " is the third track from U2's 1993 album, Zooropa, and was released as the album's first single.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1999 | Die Krupps | We Will Follow: A Tribute to U2 [8] |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1999 | Rosetta Stone | We Will Follow: A Tribute to U2 [8] |
2005 | The Divine Comedy | Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 3 [6] |
" 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". [59] 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. [60]
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1993 | Mortal | Intense Live Series Vol. 5 |
" 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 " is the fifth track on U2's 1984 album, The Unforgettable Fire.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2001 | Calla | Scavengers |
" Red Hill Mining Town " is the sixth track from U2's 1987 album, The Joshua Tree.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1996 | Dream Theater | International Fanclub Christmas Album |
" 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. [68]
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1995 | Mortal | Gray Dot Records - Summer 95 - Prerelease Sampler |
2000 | Kane | With or Without You [11] |
2003 | Braddigan | Dirt Level Demos |
2005 | Mickey Harte | Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 3 [6] |
2009 | Elbow | War Child: Heroes [69] |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2005 | Mundy | Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 3 [6] |
Rogue Wave | iTunes Exclusive EP | |
2008 | Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars | In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 [30] |
" So Cruel " is the sixth track from U2's 1991 album, Achtung Baby.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2005 | Erin McKeown | Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 3 [6] |
2011 | Depeche Mode | AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2005 | The Persuasions | The Persuasions Sing U2 [16] |
2008 | Vusi Mahlasela | In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 [30] |
" 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.[ citation needed ]
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2002 | Craig Armstrong and Bono | As If to Nothing |
2009 | Flyleaf | Memento Mori |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2003 | Joe Dolan | Home Grown [70] |
2004 | Hiro Goto and Adrienne Woods | Still Strung out on U2 [15] |
2005 | The Persuasions | The Persuasions Sing U2 [16] |
2010 | K'naan | Live on iHeartRadio [71] |
" 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. [72] 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 ", 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. [78]
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2007 | Rockabye Baby! | Lullaby Renditions of U2 [13] |
" Tomorrow " is the sixth track on 1981's October album.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1996 | Bono and Adam Clayton | Common Ground: Voices of Modern Irish Music [79] |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2005 | The Persuasions | The Persuasions Sing U2 [16] |
2011 | The Fray | AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1999 | Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Pride: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Plays U2 [9] |
" Ultraviolet (Light My Way) " is the tenth track from U2's 1991 album Achtung Baby .
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2011 | The Killers | AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered |
" 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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1999 | Absolute Rock | A Tribute to the Greatest Hits of U2 [7] |
2000 | Kane | With or Without You [11] |
" 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". [80]
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2009 | Vitamin String Quartet | The Vitamin String Quartet Performs U2's No Line on the Horizon [26] |
" 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.[ citation needed ]
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1999 | Absolute Rock | A Tribute to the Greatest Hits of U2 [7] |
2011 | Patti Smith | AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered |
" 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. [81]
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2005 | Kidz Bop Kids | Kidz Bop 8 |
"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.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2005 | The Persuasions | The Persuasions Sing U2 [16] |
" 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. [82]
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2002 | Maria João | Undercovers [83] |
" 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. [84] The title for All That You Can't Leave Behind stems from lyrics in the song.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2003 | Darlene Zschech | Kiss of Heaven |
" When Love Comes to Town " was a collaboration between U2 and B.B. King, released as a single for the album Rattle and Hum.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1999 | Absolute Rock | A Tribute to the Greatest Hits of U2 [7] |
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Pride: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Plays U2 [9] | |
2000 | Bryan Sutton | Ready to Go |
2004 | Todd Agnew | In the Name of Love: Artists United for Africa |
2005 | Declan O'Rourke | Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 3 [6] |
The Persuasions | The Persuasions Sing U2 [16] | |
Herbie Hancock featuring Jonny Lang and Joss Stone | Possibilities | |
2009 | Third Day featuring Jars of Clay, Switchfoot, and Robert Randolph | Live Revelations [85] |
" 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. [86] [87] 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." [86]
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1991 | Pet Shop Boys | Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You) |
1999 | Absolute Rock | A Tribute to the Greatest Hits of U2 [7] |
2000 | Kane | With or Without You [11] |
The Section | Strung out on U2 [4] | |
2004 | Chris Tomlin | In the Name of Love: Artists United for Africa [55] |
Vanessa Carlton | Harmonium | |
MercyMe | Live [88] | |
2005 | Avalanch | Mother Earth |
2006 | Neal Morse | Cover to Cover |
2007 | Rockabye Baby! | Lullaby Renditions of U2 [13] |
2009 | Térez Montcalm | Connection |
2011 | Thirty Seconds to Mars | MTV Unplugged |
2Cellos | 2Cellos | |
2013 | Gregorian | Masters of Chanter: Chapter 9 |
2015 | Kurt Elling | Passion World [89] |
2021 | Tori Kelly & Taron Egerton & Scarlett Johansson & Reese Witherspoon & Nick Kroll | Sing 2 |
" Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses " was released in 1992 as the fifth and final single for the 1991 album Achtung Baby.
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
1999 | Absolute Rock | A Tribute to the Greatest Hits of U2 [7] |
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Pride: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Plays U2 [9] | |
2005 | Picturehouse | Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 3 [6] |
Tom Baxter | ||
2006 | Apoptygma Berzerk | Sonic Diary |
2008 | ThouShaltNot | New World EP |
2011 | Garbage | AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered [90] |
" 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 " is the first track on U2's 1991 album Achtung Baby .
Year | Covered by | Album |
---|---|---|
2011 | Nine Inch Nails | AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered |
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.
Achtung Baby is the seventh studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 18 November 1991 on Island Records. After criticism of their 1988 release Rattle and Hum, U2 shifted their direction to incorporate influences from alternative rock, industrial music, and electronic dance music into their sound. Thematically, Achtung Baby is darker, more introspective, and at times more flippant than their previous work. The album and the subsequent multimedia-intensive Zoo TV Tour were central to the group's 1990s reinvention, by which they abandoned their earnest public image for a more lighthearted and self-deprecating one.
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 on 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".
Rattle and Hum is a hybrid live/studio album by Irish rock band U2, and a companion rockumentary film directed by Phil Joanou. The album was produced by Jimmy Iovine and was released on 10 October 1988, while the film was distributed by Paramount Pictures and was released on 27 October 1988. Following the breakthrough success of the band's previous studio album, The Joshua Tree, the Rattle and Hum project captures their continued experiences with American roots music on the Joshua Tree Tour, further incorporating elements of blues rock, folk rock, and gospel music into their sound. A collection of new studio tracks, live performances, and cover songs, the project includes recordings at Sun Studio in Memphis and collaborations with Bob Dylan, B. B. King, and Harlem's New Voices of Freedom gospel choir.
Zooropa is the eighth studio album by Irish rock band U2. Produced by Flood, Brian Eno, and the Edge, it was released on 5 July 1993 on Island Records. Inspired by the band's experiences on the Zoo TV Tour, Zooropa expanded on many of the tour's themes of technology and media oversaturation. The record was a continuation of the group's experimentation with alternative rock, electronic dance music, and electronic sound effects that began with their previous album, Achtung Baby, in 1991.
The Irish rock band U2 has released 15 studio albums, one live album, three compilation albums, 84 singles, and nine extended plays (EPs). The band formed at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in 1976 as teenagers. In 1979, the group issued their first release, the EP U2-3, which sold well in Ireland. The following year, the group signed to Island Records and released their debut album, Boy. It reached number 52 in the UK and number 63 in the US. They followed it up with the release of October (1981) and War (1983). War was a commercial success, becoming the band's first number-one album in the UK while reaching number 12 in the US. The album yielded the singles "Two Hearts Beat As One", "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day", the latter two have since become among the band's most popular songs. On the subsequent War Tour, the group recorded the live album Under a Blood Red Sky and concert film U2 Live at Red Rocks, both of which sold well and helped establish them globally as a live act.
"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.
"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.
The Lovetown Tour was a concert tour by the Irish rock band U2, which took place in late 1989 and early 1990 following the release of Rattle and Hum. It was documented by noted rock film director Richard Lowenstein in the "LoveTown" documentary.
"Numb" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track from their eighth album, Zooropa (1993), and was released in June 1993 by Island Records and PolyGram as the album's first single. The song features a monotonous mantra of "don't" commands spoken by guitarist the Edge amidst a backdrop of various sound effects and samples. The noisy composition and lyrical concept for "Numb" were inspired by the theme of sensory overload, which had prominently been incorporated into the Zoo TV Tour. Lead singer Bono and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. provided backing vocals on the track.
"All I Want Is You" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the final track on their 1988 album, Rattle and Hum, and was released as its fourth and final single on 12 June 1989. It also appears in the Rattle and Hum film, playing over the closing credits.
"Angel of Harlem" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the tenth track on their 1988 album Rattle and Hum, and was released as its second single in December 1988. It topped the charts in Canada and New Zealand, and peaked at number nine on the UK Singles Chart, number eight on the Dutch Top 40, number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number one on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Written as a homage to Billie Holiday, it was released with two different B-sides; one was an original U2 song called "A Room at the Heartbreak Hotel", while the other was a live version of Rattle and Hum's "Love Rescue Me".
"Ultraviolet (Light My Way)" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the tenth track from their seventh studio album Achtung Baby. Ostensibly about love and dependency, the song also lends itself to religious interpretations, with listeners finding allusions to the Book of Job and writers finding spiritual meaning in its invocation of the light spectrum.
"Zooropa" is a song by Irish rock band U2, and is the opening track from their 1993 album of the same name. The song was the result of combining two pieces of music, the first of which was conceived in the studio, and the second of which was a soundcheck recording from one of the group's concert tours that was discovered by guitarist the Edge. The lyrics were written by lead vocalist Bono and describe two characters in a brightly lit city in a futuristic version of European society. Some lyrics in the song were taken directly from advertising slogans, and they also featured the phrase "dream out loud", which has appeared in other U2 media. The song touched on several themes, including moral confusion and the future of European society.
Pride: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Plays U2 is a U2 tribute album recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in May 1998. It was released on April 20, 1999. Although it was released in 1999, it contains no material more recent than on U2's 1991 album Achtung Baby. The album was re-released on June 23, 2003 under the title The Hits of U2.
We Will Follow: A Tribute to U2 is a U2 tribute album recorded by various artists in May 1998. It was first released on July 13, 1999, and was re-released in 2006.
This is a timeline of the history of rock band U2:
From the Sky Down is a 2011 American documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim about rock band U2 and the production of their 1991 album Achtung Baby. The film documents the album's difficult recording period, the band members' relationships, and the group's creative process. Guggenheim, who was commissioned by U2 to create the film to commemorate the record's 20th anniversary, spent several months in 2011 developing the documentary. The band were filmed during a return visit to Hansa Studios in Berlin where parts of the album were recorded, and during rehearsals in Winnipeg for the Glastonbury Festival 2011. The film contains unreleased scenes from the group's 1988 motion picture Rattle and Hum, along with archival footage and stills from the Achtung Baby recording sessions. Development of the album's emblematic song "One" is recounted through the replaying of old recording tapes.
"Love Is Blindness" is a song by rock band U2, and the twelfth and final track on their 1991 album Achtung Baby. The song was written on piano by lead singer Bono during the recording sessions for U2's 1988 album Rattle and Hum. Originally intending to give the song to singer Nina Simone, the band decided to keep it for Achtung Baby after playing it together. Thematically, the song describes a failing romance, mixing personal themes with imagery of metaphorical acts of terrorism. During the recording sessions for Achtung Baby, guitarist the Edge separated from his wife, Aislinn O'Sullivan. The separation had a major effect on the development of the song; Bono said that the ending guitar solo was a cathartic experience for the Edge, as he snapped several guitar strings during the recording.
"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.
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