|
Coming off the back of an album criticised for being self-indulgent,
U2 were keen to show that they had moved on. Described by Bono -
in full soundbite mode - as the "the sound of four men chopping
down The Joshua Tree, The Fly was
released as a precursor to the new album Achtung
Baby.
While the single went straight to the top of the UK charts - helped
in no small part by the announcement that it would be deleted after
three weeks - it also recorded the quickest ever drop out of the
UK Top 40, while in the USA pluggers decided on hearing the track
that it wasn't even worth servicing US Top 40 radio stations. Given
this feedback, Island's desire to release a more commercial follow-up
in the weeks prior to Christmas to give the album a boost were understandable
and Mysterious Ways was released
early in December.
The soundtrack of Wim Wenders Until
The End Of The World featured an alternative mix of the U2 track
of the same name, while the tribute album Martin
included 11 O'Clock Tick Tock which had been produced by Martin
Hannett.
"The Fly"
| Tracks: |
The Fly, Alex Descends Into Hell For a Bottle
Of Milk, The Lounge Fly mix |
| Format: |
CD single |
| Country of Origin: |
UK |
| Label: |
Island |
| Catalogue Number: |
CID500 |
| Release date: |
October 1991 |
| Notes: |
Digipak box |
| Highest UK Chart position: |
No.1 |
"Achtung
Baby"
| Tracks: |
Zoo Station, Even Better Than The Real Thing,
One, Until The End Of The World, Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild
Horses, So Cruel, The Fly, Mysterious Ways, Trying To Throw
You Arms Around The World, Acrobat, Love Is Blindness |
| Format: |
CD |
| Country of Origin: |
UK |
| Label: |
Island |
| Catalogue Number: |
CIDU28 |
| Release date: |
November 1991 |
| Notes: |
|
| Highest UK Chart position: |
No.2 |
Another album that would never chart higher than number 2 after
the release of Michael Jackson's "Dangerous" was brought forward
three days. This also remained on chart for an extended period,
boosted by tours over the following two summers and the release
of five singles and one remix.
"Mysterious
Ways"
| Tracks: |
Mysterious Ways/Mysterious Ways
(Solar Plexus Magic Hour remix) |
Mysterious Ways (Perfecto mix)/(Ultimatum
mix)/(Apollo 440 Magic Hour mix)/(Solar Plexus Extended Club
mix) |
| Format: |
7 inch single |
Cassette single |
12 inch single |
| Country of Origin: |
UK |
UK |
UK |
| Label: |
Island |
Island |
Island |
| Catalogue Number: |
IS509 |
CIS509 |
12ISX509 |
| Release Date: |
December 1991 |
| Notes: |
|
|
|
| Highest UK Chart position: |
No.13 |
| Tracks: |
Mysterious Ways/(Solar Plexus
Extended Club Mix)/(Appollo 440 Magic Hour remix)/(Tabla Motown
remix)/(Solar Plexus Club mix) |
Mysterious Ways (Ultimatum mix)/(Perfecto
mix) |
| Format: |
CD single |
12 inch single |
CD single |
| Country of Origin: |
UK |
UK |
France |
| Label: |
Island |
Island |
Island |
| Catalogue Number: |
CID509 |
12IS509 |
PRCD6701-2 |
| Release Date: |
December 1991 |
| Notes: |
|
Withdrawn from sale |
promo, no picture sleeve |
| Highest UK Chart position: |
No.13 |
"Until The
End Of The World"
Various Artists
Featuring an alternative mix of U2's "Until The End Of The
World"
| Tracks: |
Until The End Of The World |
| Format: |
CD |
| Country of Origin: |
UK |
| Label: |
Warner Brothers |
| Catalogue Number: |
7599 26707 2 |
| Release date: |
|
| Notes: |
|
| Highest UK Chart position: |
|
"Martin"
Various Artists
Featuring U2's "11 O'Clock Tick Tock"
| Tracks: |
11 O'Clock Tick Tock |
| Format: |
CD |
| Country of Origin: |
UK |
| Label: |
Factory |
| Catalogue Number: |
facd325 |
| Release date: |
|
| Notes: |
|
| Highest UK Chart position: |
|
|
 |
