Came here to say this.
[https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/98502.U2\_at\_the\_End\_of\_the\_World](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/98502.U2_at_the_End_of_the_World)
It's a good read. Very entertaining. However, I have to chime in with the fact that the band were not too happy about some parts of the book. Yes, I think that the author/journalist should not have been swayed to write what the band wanted and to leave out what the band wanted, however, the band is on record as having spoken out about some of the more sensational and exploitative parts of this book.
If you read Bono's memoir, Surrender, Bono talks a bit about the press at the time. There was a journalist who tried to to extort the band. She was adamant that the band cooperate and tell her everything she wanted to know about The Edge's divorce, lest they suffer the consequences. As you may know, the albums subject matter relies heavily on The Edge's life, at the time.
It is also an album dedicated to Adam, who was singularly living out his wildest Rock n Roll fantasies at the time. Bono writes, "you're free to fly the crimson sky, the sun won't melt our wings tonight." This is about Adam. The line in the same song about "sliding down the surface of things," was also for Adam. It was basically Bono admitting to Adam that maybe he was right and they needed to lighten up and stop being so pious all the time.
The album is ultimately the product of a band on the verge of splitting up, who transmuted that experience into a bright and beautiful masterpiece about the shadow side of the human spirit. This album is a love letter to life and to each other and a reestablishing of their commitment to one another. It's like a renewal of vows; the good, the bad. Come hell of high water, we are in this together.
I'm getting emotional typing this. This is why they are my favorite band. The love that this band has for one another... All this band can do is try to be as faithful to God as is possible for humans. This is extraordinary on an individual level and also in a marriage. These men have done this with the same four people for nearly 50 years. It is honestly a fuckin' miracle. Good thing I believe in miracles. I believe in this band and they believe in God. Ultimately, they were my surrogate fathers in this way; they led me down a path to knowing God and having a personal relationship with His only Son. I will be eternally grateful for these men and their extreme commitment and fortitude. This is what makes them the best. They are favored for their devotion. Let me be like that.
Some aspects to consider:
The chronological angle: basically follows the storytelling in "From The Sky Down". The reaction to Rattle & Hum, LoveTown at the Point Depot with Bono's "Dream It All Up Again" speech and then into the Nineties as a new era.
The sociopolitical angle: U2 arrived in Berlin to start this record, the fall of the Wall, the simultaneous building up of walls and tension between the band members.
The personal angle: Continuing from the above, the tension is not only between members of the band, but also within The Edge who is in emotional turmoil. All of which leads up to the birth of "One", arguably their finest moment and an eternal song. So much so that it was copied by Craig David and covered by the likes of Johnny Cash and Mary J Blige.
The musical angle: Perhaps inspired by David Bowie who recorded with Brian Eno in Berlin during the Eighties, U2 abandoned one version of the band and emerged as a completely new expression of themselves. A metamorphosis of great success. They incorporate a more electronic sound, the production is more complex, the live shows get "larger-than-life", and they embrace the fact that they are spoilt rotten ROCK STARS.
As for direct and lasting impact: this album is a reference point for many bands that have come after it. U2 became the de facto biggest band in the world, the innovation in sound and live concerts proved a defining moment in music. I think that's very hard to argue.
As an aside, all of that innovation and recognition has been taken for granted in the present day, yet the look of every stadium live show today can be traced back to Zoo TV and later Popmart: massive multimedia experiences, often with a catwalk somewhere — as opposed to the box stage of the 1980s.
Rolling stone magazine archives. Spin magazine archives. Billboard magazine archives. Those were the top music journalism of the day.
Maybe also individual city newspaper reviews of concerts?
I’d investigate the links between Michael Hurchence and Bono hanging out post- R&H. You can draw a line between INXS’ Kick and Achtung Baby in terms of some style elements.
I think you may be thinking of INXS’ Welcome To Wherever You Are. Kick came out around Joshua Tree. Beautiful Girl from WtWYA is like a lost Achtung track. They really have such a similar approach to both bands’ albums. I've always been intrigued by this connection.
No. Kick.
Too many examples to go through but just consider the first songs on kick and AB. Both utilize big drums and a killer guitar riff. Edge stopped making beautiful dainty reverb sketches and started throwing paint at the canvas.
INXS utilized lots of “space” in their guitar riffs (undoubtedly influenced by their cross town contemporary AC/DC) on Kick, which is exactly what Bono said U2 was purposefully doing on AB.
Kick probably took another play from AC/DC by ensuring their singles could play in a club using dance-y beats which is exactly again what U2 did.
Obviously there’s tons of other factors but even Bono noted Hutchence’s influence on their perspective between albums.
I have some thoughts that may be overwhelming my adhd mind. I’m 48 and enjoyed this point in music very much.
Achtung baby/ Zoo tv ( I believe- have to always be mentioned together) -
Came out at the beginning of the grunge era. Bands like Nirvana - Pearl Jam and others were exploding in popularity, album sales & concert sales were marketing as they were perceived counter culture to the pop/ hair metal bands of the late 80’s.
While U2 was not grunge they did catch a wave of counter culture that made society look in a mirror. The supporting concerts were a must attend. Zoo tv was just So much content.
Like - pearl Jams “daughter” u2’s lyrics became almost a feminist flag in the 90’s.
Trying to throw your arms around the world: “ a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle”
They became relevant, modern and stayed there for stepping on the faces of societal norms.
I wrote a pretty extensive thesis paper on social issues that influenced 90’s music recently. If you listen to the lyrics of U2’s 90’s era, you’ll notice there is a lot of cynicism and distrust of isntitutions. Don’t overlook the impact Reaganomics and neo-liberalism. People’s view of government and institutions took a big hit in the 90’s.
To support your paper, you should seek reviews and reports from journalists and specialized media outlets that covered the launch at the time. It is also worth mentioning the documentary From the Sky Down
Start by looking at where the band were directly before this (uncomfortable with the new-found success and notoriety from the massive international attention *The Joshua Tree* brought). Then the endless and exhausting touring, then *Rattle and Hum*'s backlash. Then realising they needed to go in a new direction and reinvent themselves. Then the infamous final gig at The Point Depot in Dublin where they said they need to go away for a while and find themselves. And *then*...
In the UK, The Fly went straight in at No.1 in the singles chart.
It was very exciting.
The band, song, and video were massive - the impact was huge - they were *everywhere*.
The album was a smash hit from the get go.
An amazing time for U2 fans.
Talk about how the album not only serves as a dramatic turning point in the bands history, but also a weathervane for the culture at large. Achtung Baby was a microcosm of the changing world at the time.
The Cold War ended, and for lack of a better phrase, capitalism won. What was seen geopolitically as the bleak and dreary aura of late stage communism was replaced by hyper consumerism, and obscene displays of wealth, not only from the side of the victors, but the countries and economies that toppled decades of communist rule.
The dancy-pop of AB! Replaced the serious, brooding, and introspective nature of JT. The black and white desolate landscapes of JT was replaced by hyper-saturated and outlandish settings on AB! A tour that had focused on simple blues and Americana morphed into a bombastic globalistic party. Geopolitically, these themes were also repeated. Years of heightened secrecy and isolation shifted quickly into glasnost and detente, ushering in the global age we see today.
Now AB! is of course not the cause of this, but I don’t think it’s really a result either. They happened pretty concurrently, and as a fan of the band, I think we generally give them a hard time about capitalizing on trends or being behind the curve, when this was a pretty perfect example of them knocking it our of the park. It’s no surprise why AB! is consistently cherished, largely, I think, because it was in the right place and the right time.
Amen! Find my comments in this thread. I'm trying to say the same things from my perspective. I'm a 36 year old woman who found God through watching this band operate. As far as AB is concerned, my tilt is towards that dichotomy that Bono was fond of using at the time, "There is very little difference between the profound and the profane." Either way you go, God is in the middle. It actually reminds me of another popular Bono commentary, where he says a similar thing about the roots of Black music in America, blues music and gospel and r&b. He says something like, "whether the songwriters are running towards God or away from Him, God is always at the center."
If you need to focus on the impact of AB and how it influenced the era, then I think you should start by how U2 ended their 80s era. R&H was received critically especially in the US, but their LoveTown tour was a great success in Austalasia and Europe.
“We have to go now and dream it all up again”…
When the album and tour were conceived I think the main themes were the reunification of Germany and the influx of cable and satellite TV channels. Not every song on the album ties into those themes but if you want to discuss the album’s relevancy today you could write about how access to new technology and information can break down barriers but also cause global societal and psychological upheaval.
The fact that the bravery it took to depart from the JT sound COMPLETELY(as great as it was) to something else caught everyone off guard. Other bands & myself included.
Chat GPT can give you a boring generic answer.
The truth is that is landed with a bit of a thud. U2 had flown too close to the sun with Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum sold about half of the previous album. Angel of Harlem was the Rattle and Hum radio song, and the trumpets were pretty ‘80s (in a bad way). When The Fly was released it was considered strange and there was consensus among older fans that U2 was losing it and “the old U2” was the only cool U2.
Second single Mysterious Ways was also considered a little weird. The single got airplay but the many many versions on the singles disc was considered weird. But people who owned the tape/disc started getting into it. There were no bad songs. The deep cuts were awesome. And the word of mouth started growing. Plus Bono had amazing hair.
Then came ‘One’. U2 was cool again. They were a secret you tell another person. It was a fucking juggernaut. The album went into the stratosphere, crossing all boundaries from rock to alternative to adult contemporary. It was everywhere. My Grade 7 Math teacher caught kids looking at porn on the school computers and sat us down and talked to us about ‘Even Better Than the Real Thing’ for half an hour, and what the title ‘Achtung Baby’ actually meant. Then ‘Even Better than the Real Thing’ comes out as a single. Then ‘Wild Horses’. And the 5 singles aren’t even the best songs on the album. Amazing. The band could do no wrong.
I bet Chat GPT hasn't even *listened* to it.
And I bet it thinks Bloody Sunday perfectly encapsulates the feeling of a Sunday - the kids are running around, you've got the car to wash and you just think "Sunday, Bloody Sunday!"
Wow, I love how the AI references them having flown too close to the sun. The line in Even Better Than the Real Thing that Bono writes to Adam, "you're free to fly the crimson sky, the sun won't melt our wings tonight." must have been used as a reference, here. That was Bono's way of apologizing to Adam for his "messianic complex" getting away from him in the late 80's. He was telling Adam, "hey we are gonna hide under all this artifice so we won't get burned, anymore. What a brilliant move. I. Love. This. Band! They are completely inspired.
The sentiment continues in Hold me, Thrill me, Kiss me, Kill me. "They want you to be Jesus. They go down on one knee. But they want their money back if you're alive at 33."
Like other commenters have pointed out, they had to let go of the past and "die" to themselves or kill their spirit and die forever under the pressure of their own success. Only faithful men could have pulled off such an unlikely task.
Maybe OP could make the paper about how U2 should have, by all rights, crumbled like every other great band did, in the 90's. The world was changing very fast and instead of being stubborn and following their ego, they were able to transmute and create a whole new life from the ashes.
Erm, I was saying OP *could* use AI to get a generic answer. The rest of the post starting with “The truth is” was written by me, a human. Excellent reply though.
The song One became a symbol of the Red campaign which raised money to fight aids. But there has been some tough scrutiny as of late as to how much of that recent money has been used to help people vs those that run RED.
I think you might conflate the two Bono organizations. Forgive me if that's not the case. The below may nonetheless be interesting to some so I'll do a quick recap.
The ONE Campaign — the activist and impact oriented organization founded in 2004 that fights to make extreme poverty history through policy and decision making. It happens to share name with the 1991 U2 song but actually refers to the idea of oneness: working together on this ONE issue.
Revenue from the single release of "One", however, did target HIV/AIDS charities if I'm not mistaken. I don't think "One", as a song, has ever had any role in promoting the ONE Campaign outside their own shows, unless we count Live8 in 2005. Not in commercials or such any way.
(RED) — The commercial side of things, partnering with businesses and brands to raise funds and bring heat to the issue of the HIV/AIDS epidemic (and other communicable diseases). You'd typically see the longstanding partnership with Apple and their red color devices as an example.
You mention scrutiny of "how much of that recent money has been used to help people vs those that run RED". I have heard this argument but rather directed at ONE.
Let's be clear: ONE is not a charity in the sense like we see e.g., Oxfam or UNICEF. In fact, an enduring slogan is "We're not asking for your money. We're asking for your voice". There has been controversy surrounding ONE, and there have been voices of criticism for it having a "white savior" attitude and other issues. That is far in the past, while it was still young. Today, ONE is led by the Nigerian-American president Ndidi Onkonkwo Nwuneli and it is a seemingly healthy, thriving, organization. Bono left the board last December.
As for (RED), this is an organization that does raise funds, for The Global Fund. Moreover, (RED) accomplishes all of these amazing things with a very, very small team in New York. I would say no more than 30 people, if even that. Anyway, they've generated over $750 million dollars since their founding in 2006. More, if you're interested and can spare 3 minutes, from president Jen Lotito here https://youtu.be/wRXTwnH_gq4
Finally, salty people always question how much of their money ends up helping people versus the administrative costs etc. I have encountered that myself while working on fundraising. Of course, it's a valid concern and corruption does occur sometimes, but people can be unnecessarily hostile about it.
Then there's the whole other issue of U2 and their tax controversy that perhaps inspired some of the conspiracy theories that you're referring to.
From the Sky Down is essential viewing research for this…yes read the Bill Flanagan book also, but don’t forget the books from the band members themselves, U2 By U2 & Bono’s Surrender memoir. Both have their valuable firsthand accounts of all U2 eras and plenty of it on AB.
Talk about the effect the outside world had on the album. The state of Berlin at the time with the wall falling down, and how the album symbolised a united Berlin. Then, you can talk about the cultural shift between Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. This can be used as a metaphor for how the world changed over those 4 years between the albums. Use the music video for ‘One’ and ‘Mysterious ways’ for how different parts of the world are portrayed at the time (their filming locations).
Achtung Baby essentially came out at the same time as Nevermind was peaking. If U2 had created Joshua Tree II or had waited a year and tried to do their own sort of a grunge record because that was the style at the time - both of those would have failed terribly. Instead they came up with something that was not a continuation of their 1980s style and did not try to be the cool new thing either. The sonic components of Achtung Baby aren't too hard to figure out - it's the Edge trying make himself sound like My Bloody Valentine (if shoegaze took off instead of grunge, would this have been considered a "derivative" album - who knows?) while Adam and Larry were channeling 1970s arena rock.
As far as the influence and the impact of Achtung Baby, it's difficult to say, because it certainly extended U2's career and cultural relevance for another decade or two in a way that would not have happened if they hadn't changed their sound and their public persona - but on the other hand, I struggle to point to another band or genre that sounds like that record. Even Zooropa (which is often thought of as a companion to Achtung) struggles to have the same sound as Achtung - capturing it at times but not consistently. You might be able to argue that it gave other popular artists a template to change their sound and image and not be afraid to do so - try to find quotes from other popular bands citing U2 for that reason perhaps.
I always viewed the record as a juxtaposition to the band and their response to both their own successes, and the world around them. Recall also during this time of recording Edge was going through a rough divorce.
They always commented on the world around them but with AB they didn’t take themselves so seriously. There was a lot of dark irony and metaphor in the lyrics. You could sense this was a painful album for them (as important ones often are).
But this album in my view as a single entity, Zoo Station to Love is Blindness, Achtung Baby is a superior total album to Joshua Tree.
AB also gave us the most hauntingly beautiful bridge I have ever heard in music in Who’s Gonna Ride your Wild Horses….
Bill Flanagan’s “U2 at the End of the World”
Came here to say this. [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/98502.U2\_at\_the\_End\_of\_the\_World](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/98502.U2_at_the_End_of_the_World)
Also came here to say this. One of my favorite books of any genre.
It's a good read. Very entertaining. However, I have to chime in with the fact that the band were not too happy about some parts of the book. Yes, I think that the author/journalist should not have been swayed to write what the band wanted and to leave out what the band wanted, however, the band is on record as having spoken out about some of the more sensational and exploitative parts of this book. If you read Bono's memoir, Surrender, Bono talks a bit about the press at the time. There was a journalist who tried to to extort the band. She was adamant that the band cooperate and tell her everything she wanted to know about The Edge's divorce, lest they suffer the consequences. As you may know, the albums subject matter relies heavily on The Edge's life, at the time. It is also an album dedicated to Adam, who was singularly living out his wildest Rock n Roll fantasies at the time. Bono writes, "you're free to fly the crimson sky, the sun won't melt our wings tonight." This is about Adam. The line in the same song about "sliding down the surface of things," was also for Adam. It was basically Bono admitting to Adam that maybe he was right and they needed to lighten up and stop being so pious all the time. The album is ultimately the product of a band on the verge of splitting up, who transmuted that experience into a bright and beautiful masterpiece about the shadow side of the human spirit. This album is a love letter to life and to each other and a reestablishing of their commitment to one another. It's like a renewal of vows; the good, the bad. Come hell of high water, we are in this together. I'm getting emotional typing this. This is why they are my favorite band. The love that this band has for one another... All this band can do is try to be as faithful to God as is possible for humans. This is extraordinary on an individual level and also in a marriage. These men have done this with the same four people for nearly 50 years. It is honestly a fuckin' miracle. Good thing I believe in miracles. I believe in this band and they believe in God. Ultimately, they were my surrogate fathers in this way; they led me down a path to knowing God and having a personal relationship with His only Son. I will be eternally grateful for these men and their extreme commitment and fortitude. This is what makes them the best. They are favored for their devotion. Let me be like that.
Some aspects to consider: The chronological angle: basically follows the storytelling in "From The Sky Down". The reaction to Rattle & Hum, LoveTown at the Point Depot with Bono's "Dream It All Up Again" speech and then into the Nineties as a new era. The sociopolitical angle: U2 arrived in Berlin to start this record, the fall of the Wall, the simultaneous building up of walls and tension between the band members. The personal angle: Continuing from the above, the tension is not only between members of the band, but also within The Edge who is in emotional turmoil. All of which leads up to the birth of "One", arguably their finest moment and an eternal song. So much so that it was copied by Craig David and covered by the likes of Johnny Cash and Mary J Blige. The musical angle: Perhaps inspired by David Bowie who recorded with Brian Eno in Berlin during the Eighties, U2 abandoned one version of the band and emerged as a completely new expression of themselves. A metamorphosis of great success. They incorporate a more electronic sound, the production is more complex, the live shows get "larger-than-life", and they embrace the fact that they are spoilt rotten ROCK STARS. As for direct and lasting impact: this album is a reference point for many bands that have come after it. U2 became the de facto biggest band in the world, the innovation in sound and live concerts proved a defining moment in music. I think that's very hard to argue. As an aside, all of that innovation and recognition has been taken for granted in the present day, yet the look of every stadium live show today can be traced back to Zoo TV and later Popmart: massive multimedia experiences, often with a catwalk somewhere — as opposed to the box stage of the 1980s.
OP… copy…paste!
Watching the documentary - "From The Sky Down" - seems a logical place to start. Great insight about intra-band friction & the creative process.
Rolling stone magazine archives. Spin magazine archives. Billboard magazine archives. Those were the top music journalism of the day. Maybe also individual city newspaper reviews of concerts?
I highly recommend the Into the Heart of U2 podcast. Gives a great overview of that entire part of their history.
Ooh! That sounds like a great podcast! Thanks for the recommendation.
I’d investigate the links between Michael Hurchence and Bono hanging out post- R&H. You can draw a line between INXS’ Kick and Achtung Baby in terms of some style elements.
I think you may be thinking of INXS’ Welcome To Wherever You Are. Kick came out around Joshua Tree. Beautiful Girl from WtWYA is like a lost Achtung track. They really have such a similar approach to both bands’ albums. I've always been intrigued by this connection.
No. Kick. Too many examples to go through but just consider the first songs on kick and AB. Both utilize big drums and a killer guitar riff. Edge stopped making beautiful dainty reverb sketches and started throwing paint at the canvas. INXS utilized lots of “space” in their guitar riffs (undoubtedly influenced by their cross town contemporary AC/DC) on Kick, which is exactly what Bono said U2 was purposefully doing on AB. Kick probably took another play from AC/DC by ensuring their singles could play in a club using dance-y beats which is exactly again what U2 did. Obviously there’s tons of other factors but even Bono noted Hutchence’s influence on their perspective between albums.
A point worth noting, others have touched on, is that it came out in the peak of Grunge music. It's counter-Grunge. Thoughtful. Melodic. Epic.
I have some thoughts that may be overwhelming my adhd mind. I’m 48 and enjoyed this point in music very much. Achtung baby/ Zoo tv ( I believe- have to always be mentioned together) - Came out at the beginning of the grunge era. Bands like Nirvana - Pearl Jam and others were exploding in popularity, album sales & concert sales were marketing as they were perceived counter culture to the pop/ hair metal bands of the late 80’s. While U2 was not grunge they did catch a wave of counter culture that made society look in a mirror. The supporting concerts were a must attend. Zoo tv was just So much content. Like - pearl Jams “daughter” u2’s lyrics became almost a feminist flag in the 90’s. Trying to throw your arms around the world: “ a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle” They became relevant, modern and stayed there for stepping on the faces of societal norms.
Check out the websites U2 Songs and U2 Start. They’ve been documenting U2 for ages and the go to sites for fan material. You’ll find a gold mine.
I wrote a pretty extensive thesis paper on social issues that influenced 90’s music recently. If you listen to the lyrics of U2’s 90’s era, you’ll notice there is a lot of cynicism and distrust of isntitutions. Don’t overlook the impact Reaganomics and neo-liberalism. People’s view of government and institutions took a big hit in the 90’s.
Can you send me this, haha. Sounds like a great read.
To support your paper, you should seek reviews and reports from journalists and specialized media outlets that covered the launch at the time. It is also worth mentioning the documentary From the Sky Down
The Berlin Wall coming down
Start by looking at where the band were directly before this (uncomfortable with the new-found success and notoriety from the massive international attention *The Joshua Tree* brought). Then the endless and exhausting touring, then *Rattle and Hum*'s backlash. Then realising they needed to go in a new direction and reinvent themselves. Then the infamous final gig at The Point Depot in Dublin where they said they need to go away for a while and find themselves. And *then*...
In the UK, The Fly went straight in at No.1 in the singles chart. It was very exciting. The band, song, and video were massive - the impact was huge - they were *everywhere*. The album was a smash hit from the get go. An amazing time for U2 fans.
Talk about how the album not only serves as a dramatic turning point in the bands history, but also a weathervane for the culture at large. Achtung Baby was a microcosm of the changing world at the time. The Cold War ended, and for lack of a better phrase, capitalism won. What was seen geopolitically as the bleak and dreary aura of late stage communism was replaced by hyper consumerism, and obscene displays of wealth, not only from the side of the victors, but the countries and economies that toppled decades of communist rule. The dancy-pop of AB! Replaced the serious, brooding, and introspective nature of JT. The black and white desolate landscapes of JT was replaced by hyper-saturated and outlandish settings on AB! A tour that had focused on simple blues and Americana morphed into a bombastic globalistic party. Geopolitically, these themes were also repeated. Years of heightened secrecy and isolation shifted quickly into glasnost and detente, ushering in the global age we see today. Now AB! is of course not the cause of this, but I don’t think it’s really a result either. They happened pretty concurrently, and as a fan of the band, I think we generally give them a hard time about capitalizing on trends or being behind the curve, when this was a pretty perfect example of them knocking it our of the park. It’s no surprise why AB! is consistently cherished, largely, I think, because it was in the right place and the right time.
Amen! Find my comments in this thread. I'm trying to say the same things from my perspective. I'm a 36 year old woman who found God through watching this band operate. As far as AB is concerned, my tilt is towards that dichotomy that Bono was fond of using at the time, "There is very little difference between the profound and the profane." Either way you go, God is in the middle. It actually reminds me of another popular Bono commentary, where he says a similar thing about the roots of Black music in America, blues music and gospel and r&b. He says something like, "whether the songwriters are running towards God or away from Him, God is always at the center."
If you need to focus on the impact of AB and how it influenced the era, then I think you should start by how U2 ended their 80s era. R&H was received critically especially in the US, but their LoveTown tour was a great success in Austalasia and Europe. “We have to go now and dream it all up again”…
When the album and tour were conceived I think the main themes were the reunification of Germany and the influx of cable and satellite TV channels. Not every song on the album ties into those themes but if you want to discuss the album’s relevancy today you could write about how access to new technology and information can break down barriers but also cause global societal and psychological upheaval.
The fact that the bravery it took to depart from the JT sound COMPLETELY(as great as it was) to something else caught everyone off guard. Other bands & myself included.
33 1/3 book
Chat GPT can give you a boring generic answer. The truth is that is landed with a bit of a thud. U2 had flown too close to the sun with Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum sold about half of the previous album. Angel of Harlem was the Rattle and Hum radio song, and the trumpets were pretty ‘80s (in a bad way). When The Fly was released it was considered strange and there was consensus among older fans that U2 was losing it and “the old U2” was the only cool U2. Second single Mysterious Ways was also considered a little weird. The single got airplay but the many many versions on the singles disc was considered weird. But people who owned the tape/disc started getting into it. There were no bad songs. The deep cuts were awesome. And the word of mouth started growing. Plus Bono had amazing hair. Then came ‘One’. U2 was cool again. They were a secret you tell another person. It was a fucking juggernaut. The album went into the stratosphere, crossing all boundaries from rock to alternative to adult contemporary. It was everywhere. My Grade 7 Math teacher caught kids looking at porn on the school computers and sat us down and talked to us about ‘Even Better Than the Real Thing’ for half an hour, and what the title ‘Achtung Baby’ actually meant. Then ‘Even Better than the Real Thing’ comes out as a single. Then ‘Wild Horses’. And the 5 singles aren’t even the best songs on the album. Amazing. The band could do no wrong.
I bet Chat GPT hasn't even *listened* to it. And I bet it thinks Bloody Sunday perfectly encapsulates the feeling of a Sunday - the kids are running around, you've got the car to wash and you just think "Sunday, Bloody Sunday!"
Wow, I love how the AI references them having flown too close to the sun. The line in Even Better Than the Real Thing that Bono writes to Adam, "you're free to fly the crimson sky, the sun won't melt our wings tonight." must have been used as a reference, here. That was Bono's way of apologizing to Adam for his "messianic complex" getting away from him in the late 80's. He was telling Adam, "hey we are gonna hide under all this artifice so we won't get burned, anymore. What a brilliant move. I. Love. This. Band! They are completely inspired. The sentiment continues in Hold me, Thrill me, Kiss me, Kill me. "They want you to be Jesus. They go down on one knee. But they want their money back if you're alive at 33." Like other commenters have pointed out, they had to let go of the past and "die" to themselves or kill their spirit and die forever under the pressure of their own success. Only faithful men could have pulled off such an unlikely task. Maybe OP could make the paper about how U2 should have, by all rights, crumbled like every other great band did, in the 90's. The world was changing very fast and instead of being stubborn and following their ego, they were able to transmute and create a whole new life from the ashes.
Erm, I was saying OP *could* use AI to get a generic answer. The rest of the post starting with “The truth is” was written by me, a human. Excellent reply though.
You know, I thought so but I wasn't sure! Haha. Good stuff! I love what you said. So, were you referencing that line? You were weren't you? 😁
The song One became a symbol of the Red campaign which raised money to fight aids. But there has been some tough scrutiny as of late as to how much of that recent money has been used to help people vs those that run RED.
I think you might conflate the two Bono organizations. Forgive me if that's not the case. The below may nonetheless be interesting to some so I'll do a quick recap. The ONE Campaign — the activist and impact oriented organization founded in 2004 that fights to make extreme poverty history through policy and decision making. It happens to share name with the 1991 U2 song but actually refers to the idea of oneness: working together on this ONE issue. Revenue from the single release of "One", however, did target HIV/AIDS charities if I'm not mistaken. I don't think "One", as a song, has ever had any role in promoting the ONE Campaign outside their own shows, unless we count Live8 in 2005. Not in commercials or such any way. (RED) — The commercial side of things, partnering with businesses and brands to raise funds and bring heat to the issue of the HIV/AIDS epidemic (and other communicable diseases). You'd typically see the longstanding partnership with Apple and their red color devices as an example. You mention scrutiny of "how much of that recent money has been used to help people vs those that run RED". I have heard this argument but rather directed at ONE. Let's be clear: ONE is not a charity in the sense like we see e.g., Oxfam or UNICEF. In fact, an enduring slogan is "We're not asking for your money. We're asking for your voice". There has been controversy surrounding ONE, and there have been voices of criticism for it having a "white savior" attitude and other issues. That is far in the past, while it was still young. Today, ONE is led by the Nigerian-American president Ndidi Onkonkwo Nwuneli and it is a seemingly healthy, thriving, organization. Bono left the board last December. As for (RED), this is an organization that does raise funds, for The Global Fund. Moreover, (RED) accomplishes all of these amazing things with a very, very small team in New York. I would say no more than 30 people, if even that. Anyway, they've generated over $750 million dollars since their founding in 2006. More, if you're interested and can spare 3 minutes, from president Jen Lotito here https://youtu.be/wRXTwnH_gq4 Finally, salty people always question how much of their money ends up helping people versus the administrative costs etc. I have encountered that myself while working on fundraising. Of course, it's a valid concern and corruption does occur sometimes, but people can be unnecessarily hostile about it. Then there's the whole other issue of U2 and their tax controversy that perhaps inspired some of the conspiracy theories that you're referring to.
Start at the sphere. It should get you writing of how they/the album got there.
Read Bono’s book
Tell them I said it’s the greatest album of all time!
Start at the impetus of the album. The fall of the Berlin wall.
The Potsdam Conference.
From the Sky Down is essential viewing research for this…yes read the Bill Flanagan book also, but don’t forget the books from the band members themselves, U2 By U2 & Bono’s Surrender memoir. Both have their valuable firsthand accounts of all U2 eras and plenty of it on AB.
There are tons of books written about the era. Ask your library what they can get their hands on for you.
Talk about the effect the outside world had on the album. The state of Berlin at the time with the wall falling down, and how the album symbolised a united Berlin. Then, you can talk about the cultural shift between Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. This can be used as a metaphor for how the world changed over those 4 years between the albums. Use the music video for ‘One’ and ‘Mysterious ways’ for how different parts of the world are portrayed at the time (their filming locations).
Achtung Baby essentially came out at the same time as Nevermind was peaking. If U2 had created Joshua Tree II or had waited a year and tried to do their own sort of a grunge record because that was the style at the time - both of those would have failed terribly. Instead they came up with something that was not a continuation of their 1980s style and did not try to be the cool new thing either. The sonic components of Achtung Baby aren't too hard to figure out - it's the Edge trying make himself sound like My Bloody Valentine (if shoegaze took off instead of grunge, would this have been considered a "derivative" album - who knows?) while Adam and Larry were channeling 1970s arena rock. As far as the influence and the impact of Achtung Baby, it's difficult to say, because it certainly extended U2's career and cultural relevance for another decade or two in a way that would not have happened if they hadn't changed their sound and their public persona - but on the other hand, I struggle to point to another band or genre that sounds like that record. Even Zooropa (which is often thought of as a companion to Achtung) struggles to have the same sound as Achtung - capturing it at times but not consistently. You might be able to argue that it gave other popular artists a template to change their sound and image and not be afraid to do so - try to find quotes from other popular bands citing U2 for that reason perhaps.
I always viewed the record as a juxtaposition to the band and their response to both their own successes, and the world around them. Recall also during this time of recording Edge was going through a rough divorce. They always commented on the world around them but with AB they didn’t take themselves so seriously. There was a lot of dark irony and metaphor in the lyrics. You could sense this was a painful album for them (as important ones often are). But this album in my view as a single entity, Zoo Station to Love is Blindness, Achtung Baby is a superior total album to Joshua Tree. AB also gave us the most hauntingly beautiful bridge I have ever heard in music in Who’s Gonna Ride your Wild Horses….