Until the End of the World (song)
"Until the End of the World" | |
---|---|
Promotional single by U2 | |
from the album Achtung Baby | |
Released | 18 November 1991 |
Recorded | October 1990 – September 1991 |
Studio |
|
Genre | Alternative rock |
Length | 4:39 |
Label | Island |
Composer(s) | U2 |
Lyricist(s) | Bono |
Producer(s) | Daniel Lanois with Brian Eno |
"Until the End of the World" is a song by
"Until the End of the World" enjoyed airplay on alternative and rock radio in the United States, where it was released as a
Writing, recording, and production
"Until the End of the World" originated from a guitar riff by vocalist Bono from a demo called "Fat Boy" that the band recorded at STS Studios in 1990, prior to the Achtung Baby sessions proper.[1] Although guitarist the Edge loved the riff, the band struggled to finalise a song from the demo during the album's recording sessions.[1] After the band met with German filmmaker Wim Wenders, who was looking for music to use in his film Until the End of the World, the Edge was inspired to revisit the "Fat Boy" demo. In Dublin, he used the riff to assemble a backing track with bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr.[1] The composition excited the band so much, they decided to include it on the album. They told Wenders, "You can have it but we want it, too", while also informing him that they were using the film title for the song.[1]
According to Jennifer O'Brien of
U2 and their
Composition and theme
According to
David Werther, a faculty associate in Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, compared "Until the End of the World" with U2's 1987 song "Exit" in an examination of the role music can play in catharsis. He noted that both were powerful songs, but that while "Until the End of the World" allowed the possibility of purification, which he described as the cleansing of the soul "through pity and fear", by placing the listener in the position of Judas Iscariot, "Exit" was an example of purgation, a freeing from excess pity and fear. Werther noted "'Exit' evokes feelings of fear, fear of losing control, giving into one's dark side, perhaps even taking one's life", contrasting it to the "waves of regret" experienced by Judas.[5]
Reception
Upon the release of Achtung Baby, many critics praised "Until the End of the World". Steve Morse of The Boston Globe thought it was the best song on the album, calling it a "raging rocker" with "fiery bass runs" by Clayton. Morse interpreted some of the lyrics differently from the song's original intent, noting that the lines "We ate the food / We drank the wine / Everybody having a good time / Except you / You were talking about the end of the world" were as if Bono was giving a "terse kiss-off to a former lover at a party".[6] Rolling Stone praised The Edge's guitar playing on the song, noting that "he has always made inspired use of devices like echo and reverb" and "his shimmering washes of color" in the song are instantly recognizable.[7] The Austin Chronicle singled out "Larry Mullen Jr.'s seismic turn" on the song as one of three moments on the record where the band has never sounded better.[8]
Patti Smith reworked the song for the 2011 tribute album AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered. "The punk poet turns in a twilight version…," wrote in Q, "finding dark, bottom-of-the-bottle desperation in its lyrics."[9]
Live performances
The song is U2's 10th most frequently played song in concerts,
On why the song has remained as a live staple despite not being released as a single, the Edge said, "I think it's an amazing song live because it really showcases everything the band does best. In terms of its visceral energy and impact, it's one of those songs that's hard to beat...It's got references to mortality, to all the big questions."[11]
It has appeared on the concert DVD releases
There was a video created for this song which appeared on the video release
Edge has always used a Gibson Les Paul to play this song. On the Zoo TV Tour, he used the Les Paul Custom. On the PopMart, Elevation, Vertigo, U2 360° and Innocence + Experience Tours, he has used the Les Paul Standard Goldtop. Although the song was recorded in the key of E, live performances have always been played in a higher key, F# on Zoo TV and PopMart, G on all other tours.
U2 performed "Until the End of the World" during their 2023–2024 U2:UV Achtung Baby Live residency at the Sphere in the Las Vegas Valley. During the performances, the venue's LED screen displayed footage of storm clouds, lightning, and rising water.[12][13] The song culminated with the video art piece "Flare" by John Gerrard, with showed a gas flare burning in the shape of a flag;[14] set in the open ocean, it was meant to "to illustrate warming seas and pollution".[13]
Track listing
All lyrics are written by Bono; all music is composed by U2
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Until the End of the World" | 4:39 |
Credits and personnel
- Production – Daniel Lanois with Brian Eno
- Engineering– Flood
- Additional engineering – Robbie Adams
- Assistant engineering – Shannon Strong
- Mixing – Flood and Daniel Lanois
- Mixing assistance – Shannon Strong
- Additional percussion – Daniel Lanois
Charts
Chart (1992) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada RPM Top 100[16] | 69 |
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[17] | 4 |
US Billboard Album Rock Tracks[18] | 5 |
References
Footnotes
- ^ ISBN 0-00-719668-7.
- ^ O'Brien, Jennifer (4 May 2018). "Bono gets high-tech and personal". The Times. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- ^ a b c "Eno". Propaganda. No. 16. 1 June 1992.
- Hal Leonard Corporation. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- ^ Werther (2006), pp. 205-206
- ^ Morse, Steve (15 November 1991). "U2 bounces back". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 13 October 2009.
- ^ Gardner, Elysa. "U2: Achtung, Baby". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 8 May 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2009.
- Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 13 October 2009.
- ^ "What's On Your Free CD?". Q: 6–7. December 2011.
- ^ U2's Most Played Songs
- ^ Greene, Andy (31 May 2018). "The Edge on U2's 'Experience' Tour: 'This Is For Our Committed Fans'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
- ^ Greene, Andy (30 September 2023). "U2 Launch New Era of Live Music at Stunning Sphere Opening Concert in Las Vegas". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
- ^ a b Gendron, Bob (19 December 2023). "Review: This was the right band to open this brain-bending venue". Chicago Tribune. sec. Business, p. 7. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ Carty, Pat (12 December 2023). "Ready For The Deal: U2 Inside The Sphere". Hot Press. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
- ^ Until the End of the World (Media notes). U2. United States: Island Records. 1992. PRCD 6704-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Search Results: Until the End of the World". RPM. 7 March 1992. Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
- ^ "U2 Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ "U2 Until The End Of The World Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
Bibliography
- Werther, David (2006). "Chapter 15: Aristotle, U2, and the Abolition of Man". In Wrathall, Mark A. (ed.). U2 and Philosophy: How to Decipher an Atomic Band. Popular Culture and Philosophy. Vol. 21. Chicago: ISBN 978-0-8126-9599-1.
External links
- Lyrics and list of performances at U2.com