You're the Best Thing About Me
"You're the Best Thing About Me" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by U2 | ||||
from the album Songs of Experience | ||||
Released | 6 September 2017 | |||
Genre | Pop rock | |||
Length | 3:45 (album version) 3:59 (Sci-Fi Soul mix) 3:47 (acoustic version) | |||
Label | Island | |||
Composer(s) | U2 | |||
Lyricist(s) | Bono | |||
Producer(s) | Jacknife Lee with Ryan Tedder, Steve Lillywhite, and Brent Kutzle | |||
U2 singles chronology | ||||
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"You're the Best Thing About Me" is a song by Irish
Writing and recording
Guitarist the Edge said that "You're the Best Thing About Me" originated from an attempt to write a song in the spirit of Motown, combining rhythmic music with a joyful mood, although he said there was nothing "obviously Motown" about the result.[1] Lead vocalist Bono referred to the song as "defiant joy", something that he and the Edge said was more important than ever in the "difficult times" in which they were living.[2] The song first emerged in August 2016 as an electronic dance remix by Norwegian DJ Kygo, which he played during his performance at the Cloud 9 Festival.[3][4] The song was mentioned in an April 2017 issue of Mojo as a potential contender for Songs of Experience, albeit with a slightly different title.[5]
According to the Edge, the song was one of several from the album for which Bono wrote lyrics to his friends and family after having a "major scare where he really wasn't sure he would be around very much in the future". Bono composed the lyrics after having a dream that he "had destroyed something that's most important to [him] – [his] relationship" with his wife Ali.[6] The Edge described "You're the Best Thing About Me" as a love song but with another layer, as it raises the "cosmic question... why when everything is perfect do we have a tendency to mess it up?"[7] Anticipating a reaction to the song, Bono joked, "You're putting out a song about your girlfriend when the world is on fire?"[8] The song title was inspired by a comment that Irish media personality Eamon Dunphy made to Bono in a Dublin bar, telling him the best thing about him was Ali.[9]
"You're the Best Thing About Me" was completed one week prior to its release as a single.[10] The Edge said the prior version of the song had a more elaborate, complicated arrangement with a "mellow", "low-key" beginning.[7][11] When U2 began discussing how to arrange the song for live performances, the guitarist found an early demo of it when they were first testing out various arrangement ideas.[12] After listening to it, the group decided to revert to the song's original, simpler guitar-driven arrangement, using what the Edge called "the primary colors of U2" of guitar, drums, and bass. He said that as a result of the musical change, the lyrics "came to life" and the song had a counterbalance, as he believed the prior version was lyrically too reflective when it was mellower.[1][7][11] He said the band worked "furiously" on the new version of the song for two days to meet their deadline for submitting it.[12]
Release and promotion
In a 15 May 2017 article in
On 15 September, a remix of the song by Kygo was released.[20] The remix was the same collaboration with U2 that he debuted the year prior at the Cloud 9 Festival.[3]
On 29 September, an acoustic version of the song was released.[21]
Music video
The song's official music video was directed by Jonas Åkerlund and premiered on 27 September 2017. It was filmed earlier that month while U2 were in New York City. The footage depicts the band members sightseeing in the city, making a visit to Ray's Pizza and a bar, touring Times Square on a double-decker bus, taking photographs with fans, and performing in front of the city's skyline. The band said the video is "a visual tapestry of tribute to New York and a serenade to the city's iconic symbols of American compassion and liberty".[22][23]
Personnel
Adapted from the liner notes.[24]
U2
- Bono – vocals
- The Edge – guitars, vocals, keyboards
- Adam Clayton – bass guitar
- Larry Mullen Jr. – drums, percussion
Additional performers
- Jacknife Lee – additional keyboards, programming
- Ryan Tedder – programming
- Brent Kutzle – additional programming
- Davide Rossi – strings
Technical
- Jacknife Lee – production, engineering
- Ryan Tedder – production
- Brent Kutzle – production
- Steve Lillywhite – production, mixing
- Matt Bishop – engineering
- Tyler Spry – engineering
- Barry McCready – engineering assistance
- Rich Rich – engineering
- Matty Green – engineering
- Christopher Henry – additional engineering
- Richard Rainey – additional engineering
- Greg Clooney – additional engineering
- Gosha Usov – engineering assistance
- Alan Kelly – engineering assistance
- Kelana – mixing
- Tom Elmhirst – additional mixing
- Brandon Bost – mixing assistance
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Italy (FIMI)[56] | Gold | 25,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | 6 September 2017 | Digital download | Island | [14] |
Italy | 8 September 2017 | Contemporary hit radio | Universal | [57] |
United States | 11 September 2017 | Adult album alternative radio | Interscope | [58] |
12 September 2017 | Alternative radio | [59] | ||
25 September 2017 | Hot adult contemporary radio
|
[60] |
Kygo remix
"You're the Best Thing About Me (Kygo Remix)" | |
---|---|
Remix by U2 vs. Kygo | |
from the EP Stargazing | |
Released | 15 September 2017 |
Genre | |
Length | 4:18 |
Label |
|
Songwriter(s) | U2 (music), Bono (lyrics) |
Producer(s) | Jacknife Lee; remix and additional production by Kygo |
Norwegian DJ and record producer
References
- ^ a b The Edge (interviewee) (6 September 2017). "Edge: 'U2's new single is influenced by Oscar Wilde...and Motown'". Simon Mayo Drivetime (Radio broadcast). BBC Radio 2. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
- ^ Reed, Ryan (8 September 2017). "Watch U2 Play 'Punk-Motown' 'You're the Best Thing About Me' on 'Fallon'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- ^ a b Helman, Peter (15 September 2017). "U2 Vs. Kygo – 'You're The Best Thing About Me'". Stereogum. Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (22 August 2016). "Kygo Teases U2 Collaboration at Cloud 9 Festival". Billboard.com. Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
- ^ Doyle, Tom (April 2017). "American Dreams". Mojo. No. 281. pp. 72–86.
- KROQ. Archived from the originalon 6 September 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
- ^ a b c The Edge (interviewee) (6 September 2017). "Mike Jones Talks With U2's The Edge". Mike Jones Radio (Radio broadcast). WRFF. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (6 September 2017). "U2 Offer 'Songs of Experience' to a World That's on Fire". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
- ^ a b Boyd, Brian (15 May 2017). "Bono says U2's next single inspired by Eamon Dunphy". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
- ^ The Edge (interviewee) (6 September 2017). "The Edge zur neuen U2-Single". radioeins (Radio broadcast). Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg. Retrieved 6 September 2017.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b The Edge (interviewee) (6 September 2017). "Pierre Robert speaks with The Edge of U2 as we get the new single 'You're the Best Thing About Me'". The Pierre Robert Show (Radio broadcast). WMMR. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
- ^ a b Greene, Andy (18 September 2017). "The Edge on U2's 'Songs of Experience,' Bono's 'Brush With Mortality'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
- ^ Aswad, Jem (30 August 2017). "U2 Premiere New Song 'The Blackout' (Listen)". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
- ^ a b Leight, Elias (6 September 2017). "Hear U2's Lustrous New Single 'You're the Best Thing About Me'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
- ^ Wilkening, Matthew (6 September 2017). "Hear U2's New Single 'You're The Best Thing About Me'". Diffuser.fm. Townsquare Media. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
- ^ Brandle, Lars (8 September 2017). "U2 Perform New Song 'You're The Best Thing About Me' on 'Fallon': Watch". Billboard. Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- Gannett Company. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
- ^ Rutherford, Kevin (15 September 2017). "U2's 'You're the Best Thing About Me' Debuts on Rock Charts". Billboard. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
- ^ Rutherford, Kevin (12 October 2017). "U2 Is the 'Best' With Record-Breaking 13th No. 1 on Adult Alternative Songs Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
- ^ Yau, Jeffrey (14 September 2017). "Kygo's Long-Awaited Collaboration with U2 Is Finally Dropping and It's a Must-Hear". Your EDM. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
- ^ Cush, Andy (29 September 2017). "U2 – 'You're the Best Thing About Me (Acoustic Version)'". Spin. Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
- ^ Kreps, Daniel (27 September 2017). "Watch U2 Sightsee Around NYC in 'You're The Best Thing About Me' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- ^ "U2 Send Love Letter to New York With 'You're The Best Thing About Me' Video: Watch". Billboard. Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group. 27 September 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- ^ Songs of Experience (Compact disc liner notes). U2. Interscope Records. 2017. B0027759-02.
{{cite AV media notes}}
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- ^ "ARIA Chart Watch #438". auspOp. 16 September 2017. Archived from the original on 16 September 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
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- ^ "U2: You're the Best Thing About Me" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
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- ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
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- ^ "SloTop50 – Slovenian official singles chart". slotop50.si. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
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- ^ "Italian single certifications – U2 – You're the Best Thing About Me" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 27 December 2017. Select "2017" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "You're the Best Thing About Me" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
- ^ "U2 - You're the Best Thing About Me RadioDate". Radio Airplay. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
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- ^ Kygo’s Long-Awaited Collaboration With U2 Is Finally Dropping And It’s a Must-Hear
- ^ Hot tracks: Stargazing by Kygo, Debussy: Jeux, Khamma & La Boite A Joujoux by Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Shui Lan
- ^ Kygo and U2 Produces”You’re the Best Thing About Me”