Not many bands are as successful as U2. The Irish rockers engraved their names into music history with hits such as “With or Without You”, “Bad”, “Beautiful Day”, and countless more. “One” is undoubtedly part of this list and is among the band’s most critically acclaimed songs.
“One” appears on U2’s seventh studio album “Achtung Baby” and was released as a benefit single in 1992. Let’s dive into the story and meaning behind the song!
The Story Behind One
In 1990 U2, inspired by the German reunification, headed to Berlin to record “Achtung Baby”. But instead of arriving in an inspirational unified city, the band dawned upon a city with a cold atmosphere.
Subsequently, tension rose and the members of U2 fell into musical disagreement with each other. frontman Bono and guitarist the Edge wanted to head into a new musical direction, whereas drummer Larry Mullen and bassist Adam Clayton wanted to stick to U2’s familiar sound.
This musical disagreement was problematic considering U2’s unique way of songwriting; the Edge or Bono turned inspiration into musical elements, musical elements turned into jam sessions with the entire band, and jam sessions turned into songs. As a result of the disagreement, the band struggled to turn musical ideas into songs.
Until a magical breakthrough occurred in a studio session. During a jam session on the working title “Sick Puppy” the Edge came up with different chord progressions. He stopped the jam session and decided to play the chord progressions on an acoustic guitar. The band liked what the Edge was playing, joined him, and within minutes turned the chord progressions into the core structure of “One”. It was a pivotal breakthrough in U2’s process of recording “Achtung Baby.”
In the documentary From the Sky Down the Edge said: “suddenly something very powerful was happening in the room. Everyone recognized it was a special piece. It was like we’d caught a glimpse of what the song could be.”
The Meaning of One
The song, although often believed, isn’t a romantic ode to becoming “one” with each other. In fact, “One’s” meaning is quite the opposite. The song is about acknowledging and dealing with our differences, for our differences won’t evaporate anytime soon.
In an interview with The Los Angeles Times Bono said: “It’s not saying we even want to get along, but that we have to get along together in this world if it is to survive. It’s a reminder that we have no choice.”
Read more: The 10 Best U2 Songs of All Time
The atmosphere of re-unified Germany and conflicts within the band were the inspiration behind the song.
Benefit Single
“One” was released as the third single from “Achtung Baby” on February 24th, 1992. The song was released as a benefit single in the support of AIDS research. The band donated all the royalties to research organizations in the countries where “One” was released as a single.
Notable Covers
Many artists have covered the song including Johnny Cash, Damien Rice, Pearl Jam, R.E.M, Mica Paris, and more.
The most successful cover of “One” is Mary J. Blige’s version. It led to Blige joining U2 during a live performance in New York. As a consequence of positive reviews, U2 and Mary J. Blige decided to record a version of “One” together. It became a commercial success in Europe.
The Song’s Legacy
“One” is often acclaimed as U2’s best song and frequently appears high in “The Greatest Songs of All Time” lists. “One” topped the charts in Ireland and Canada and became a top-10 hit in the US and the UK. U2 plays “One” frequently during live shows, having it played over 700 times.
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